MEMPHIS- Willie James Ellis, 76, formerly of Batesville, died Saturday, October 27, 2012, at Methodist University Hospital.

Services will be held Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Cooley’s Mortuary Chapel. Pastor Zannie Leland Jr. of Macedonia M.B. Church will officiate. Burial will be in Eureka Cemetery. Visitation will be held Friday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Cooley’s Mortuary. Cooley’s Mortuary has charge.

Ellis, born June 16, 1936, to Dink Ellis and Eva Hentz, was a retired factory worker for Central Hardwood. He was a member of Pilgrim Rest M.B. Church.

Survivors include: two sons, Larry Galmore of Crawford, Ind. and Socrates Ellis of Fairfield, Calif.; three daughters, Cecelia Holston of Memphis and Veronica Keith of Oakland, Calif. and Terry Neals of El’Sabrande, Calif.; eight sisters, Gennie Matlock and Elizabeth Brown, both of Olive Branch, Emma Jean Ellis and Ruby Ellis, both of Detroit, Johnnie Florence Ellis of Las Vegas, Carrie Ellis of Atlanta, Ga., Marilyn Madison and Gaynell Ellis Anderson of Batesville; three brothers, Hodges Lester and Roy Ellis, both of Batesville and Wess Henderson of New Port, Va.; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

SARDIS-  Liddie “Vera” Kimmons, 62, died Monday, October 29, 2012, at her residence.

Services will be held Sunday at 1 p.m. at Mt. Gillion M.B. Church in Sardis. Pastor Zannie Leland of Macedonia M.B. Church will officiate. Burial will be in Alvis Grove Cemetery. Visitation will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Cooley’s Mortuary and Sunday noon – 1 p.m. at Mt. Gillion M.B. Church in Sardis. Cooley’s Mortuary has charge.

Kimmons, born June 20, 1950, in Oakland, to Edward Johnson and Bessie Taliaferro Johnson, was a retired factory worker for Parker Hannifan and a member of Alvis Grove M.B. Church in Oakland.
Survivors include: her husband, Terry “Skipper” Kimmons of Sardis; one son, Charles “June Bug” Wren Jr. of Calif.; two daughters, Stephanie R. Wren of Courtland and Charmaine Miles of Batesville; one step-son, Lamarco of Moore and one step-daughter, Tameko Moore of Batesville; six sisters, Eva Mae Flowers of Pope, Betty Richmond of Chicago, Janice Perry of Las Vegas, Nev., Martha Green of Oakland, Calif., Bessie Hudson of Chicago, Ill.; three brothers, Earl Johnson of Batesville, Charles Johnson of Charleston and Frank Johnson of Sardis; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

COLUMBUS-  Pastor James R. Lawson, 67, formerly of Batesville, died Friday, October 26, 2012, at Baptist Memorial Golden Triangle in Columbus.

Services will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Concord M.B. Church in Batesville. Pastor Zannie Leland Jr. of Macedonia M.B. Church will officiate. Burial will be in Concord Cemetery. Visitation will be held Friday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Cooley’s Mortuary. Cooley’s Mortuary has charge.

Lawson, born March 13, 1945, in Batesville, to Willie Lawson and Betsy Harris Lawson, was retired from Tennessee Gas Company and was pastor of Lonely Valley C.M.E. Church in Columbus. He was also a business owner of a construction company.

Survivors include: two daughters, Pamela Lawson Bentley of Clinton Township and Rosetta Denise Lawson of Nashville, Tenn.; three sons, James Lawson Jr. of Memphis, Courtney Bush of Macon and Darrell Henderson of Batesville; six sisters, Easter Rayford, Earlie Mae Rucker and Stella Griffin, all of Batesville, Pauline Dowdy of Memphis, Josephine Drain and Willie Lee Pride, both of Covington, Tenn.; one brother, William Phillip Lawson of Columbus; 16 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

BATESVILLE-  Bobby Gene Norwood, 79, died Sunday, October 28, 2012, at Tri-Lakes Medical Center.

Services were held Tuesday at Dickins Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Frank Davis officiated. Burial was in Forrest Memorial Cemetery. Dickins Funeral Home had charge.

Norwood, born April 12, 1933, in Batesville, to the late Shuford H. Norwood and Bertha Estelle Norwood, was a member of Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church. He was retired from Panola Mills after 22 years. He was also in the Air Force.

Survivors include: his wife of 53 years, Julia Smith Norwood of Batesville; one son, Keith Norwood of Batesville; two sisters, Helen Boatwright of Tupelo and Bonnie Thornton of Batesville and five grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church Building Fund, 13688B Shady Grove Road, Batesville, Miss. 38606 or to Humane Society, 559 Hwy. 7 South, Oxford, Miss. 38655.

COLDWATER-  Gary Louis Williams, 54, died Monday, October 29, 2012, at Baptist Memorial Hospital- Desoto.

Services will be held Saturday at noon at Felix Cauthen Funeral Home. Burial will be in Senatobia Memorial Cemetery. Felix Cauthen Funeral Home has charge.

He was an auto body mechanic.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Sweetie B. Hibbler Williams.

Survivors include: two daughters, Tiffeney Williams and Theresa N. Williams of Coldwater; one son, Gary L. Williams Jr. of Coldwater; four daughters, Ruby Williams of Coldwater, Donna W. Branch of Senatobia, Jeanette W. Short of Killeen, Texas and Barbara Williams of Senatobia; four brothers, Howard L. Williams of Crenshaw, Bobby L. Williams of Como, Steve Williams of Sardis and Charlie Williams of Memphis and two grandchildren.