Margaret Ann Moore Acosta

WINNFIELD, La.–– Margaret Ann Moore Acosta, 61, formerly of Batesville, died Sunday August 16, 2015, at her residence. 

As a gift to science, Margaret donated her body through MedCure for cancer research and medical education.  Memorial services will be held  Saturday at 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Winnfield. Visitation will be held at 9:30 a.m. in the fellowship hall until the time of service.

Acosta, born Nov. 28, 1953 in Batesville, to Mildred Moore of Pope and the late James Hal Moore, graduated from South Panola High School in 1971.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Piano from Mississippi State University, a Master of Music plus 30 in music education from Northwestern State University and a Master of Arts in guidance and counseling from Louisiana Tech University.  While at Mississippi State, she was a four-year member of the Famous Maroon Band as a majorette and clarinetist.  She was also a member of the university clarinet choir, a member of Sigma Alpha Iota honorary music sorority and Chi Omega sorority.

She was retired from the Winn Parish School System after 27 years as a music teacher, special education teacher and school guidance counselor.  She served as organist for First Presbyterian Church in Winnfield for 15 years.  She had been music accompanist for several other churches including First United Methodist Church and Laurel Heights Baptist Church in Winnfield, and Saint Lucy Catholic Church in Hodge. 

Survivors include: her husband, Tony Acosta; daughters, Adrienne Daughtry and husband Jamie of Pineville, La. and Angeline DiBenedetto and husband Josh of Pascagoula; one brother Hal Moore of Nesbit; three sisters, Jane Hall and husband Harold of Greenville, S.C., Carol Bullard and husband Rickey of Pope and Arlene Baker and husband Mike of Mount Dora, Fla.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Community Food Pantry, P.O. Box 302, Winnfield, LA 71483 or to the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society, 800 NE Tenney Road, Ste.#110-412, Vancouver, WA 98685 or online at nanets.net

Elaine Fields Bost

STARKVILLE––Elaine Fields Bost, 91, died Friday, August 7, 2015, at her residence. She was the mother of Julie Ferguson of Batesville.

 Funeral services were held Monday, August 10 at Starkville First United Methodist Church.

Mrs. Bost, born in Ecru on July 25, 1924, to the late Mamie and Charles Fields, was a member of Starkville First United Methodist Church where she taught her Wesleyan Sunday School class and country line dancing class. She was a member of the chancel choir, handbell choir, and served on many committees over the years. In the early ‘80s she opened The Good Book Store, a Christian book store. She was also a member of many clubs and civic organizations in Starkville, including Junior Auxiliary and Hospital Auxiliary. 

She is preceded in death by her husband, William M. Bost Sr.; her daughter, Beth Nix of Huntsville, Ala., and her son, Larry Bost of Starkville.  

Survivors, along with her daughter Julie and son-in-law Travis,  include: one son, William M. Bost Jr. (Diane) of Vicksburg; Bonnie Lasker (Mike) of Odenville, Ala.; Steve Bost (Gail) Brentwood, Tenn.; Suzanne Thompson (Gary) of Mound City, Kansas; her sister, Ravena Walden of Oklahoma City; and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations can be made to Starkville First United Methodist Church or the charity of your choice.

Jimmy Leodus Boyette

POPE–– Jimmy Leodus Boyette, 77, died Monday, August 17, 2015, at his residence. 

Services were held Thursday at Wells Funeral Home. Burial was in Forrest Memorial Park Cemetery. 

Boyette, born Nov. 12, 1937, in Tutwiler, to the late Jimmy Newton Boyette and Mittie Mae Stacey Boyette, was a farmer and a small engine repairman. He was of the  Pentecostal faith.

He was preceded in death by his son, Jimmy Dale Boyette.

Survivors include: his wife of 59 years, Geneva Lee Boyette of Pope; three daughters, Deborah B. Patton of Oakland, Rita B. Locke of Oakland, Jimmie Faye Boyette of Pope; four sons, Randy Wayne Boyette of Crowder, Scotty Newton Boyette of Oakland, Ronald Ray Boyette of Tunica, Donald Clay Boyette of Tunica; four sisters, Vonnie B. Johnson, Betty B. Tutor, both of Batesville, Irene B. Burt of Locke Station, Agnes B. Watson of Water Valley; two brothers, David Boyette of Meridian and Terry Boyette of Batesville; 31 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren.

Morris E. Clayton

MONTGOMERY, Ill.–– Morris E. “Buddy” Clayton, 69, formerly of Sardis, died Tuesday, August 11, 2015 at Rush-Copley Medical  Center in Aurora, Ill.. 

Visitation was held August 13 at Dunn Family Funeral Home in Oswego, Ill. Graveside services were held Saturday, Aug. 15 at Peach Creek Cemetery in Sardis. Dunn Family Funeral Home had charge of arrangements in Illinois. Wells Funeral Home had charge of local arrangements.  

Morris, born Jan. 12, 1946, in Sardis, to the late Louis Frank and Ruthie Mae Wilson Clayton, was employed as a machinist at Anchor Brush Co. in Montgomery and Anchor Tech Center in Naperville, Ill. until his retirement in 1994. 

Survivors include: his wife, Barbara J. Cheney Clayton; one son, Scott (Kate) Clayton of Chicago; two grandsons Skyler Clayton-King of Poplar Grove, Ill. and Zachery Clayton of Aurora; four sisters, Mattie Lou Gray of Memphis, Verlie Mae Cline of Fresno, Calif., Marcella Wilson of Kettering, Ohio and Diane Beckham of Corinth; one brother, Wayland (Shirley) Clayton of Corinth.

Memorials may be directed to the charity of the donor’s choice in Morris’s memory.

Herbert Jerry Key

BATESVILLE–– Herbert Jerry Key, 74, died Monday, August 17, 2015, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi. 

Services will be held today at 1 p.m. at Brantley Phillips Funeral Home in Hernando. Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. until service time. Burial will be in Mt. Zion Cemetery. 

Key was retired from the railroad and was a member of First Faith Church.

Survivors include: his wife, Trichia Key of Batesville; two daughters, Renee Whitley of Memphis and Lory Chaney of Tupelo; one son, Rory Key of Tupelo; two sisters, Roline Harris of Pensacola and Norma Thweatt of Sacramento, Calif.; two brothers, Russell Key of Hattiesburg and Rickey Key of Sevierville, Tenn. and five grandchildren.

Lynn A. Hawkins

COLDWATER––Lynn A. Hawkins,  73, died Sunday, August 16, 2015 at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Desoto.

Services were held Wednesday at Wells Funeral Home. Dr. Tommy Snyder officiated. Burial was in Magnolia Cemetery in Coldwater. 

Hawkins, born December 3, 1941, to the late Lynn Anthony Hawkins Sr. and Irene Williams Hawkins in Brownsville, Tenn., worked on the family farm and raised cattle. He worked as a chemist and was a founding partner of Tenent and Associates during the mid ‘70s. The company later acquired Barrow-Agge Lab and he remained an owner until his death. 

Survivors include: his wife, Sherry Freeman Hawkins of Coldwater; two sons, Michael Hawkins and Darryl Hawkins, both of Southaven; two stepdaughters, Rebekah Robertson of Senatobia and Rachel Blair of Batesville; one sister, Reba Dale Herbison of Southaven; one brother, Dennis Hawkins of Bartlett, Tenn.; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Memorials may be made to Gideon’s Int’l.

Clinton D. Swindle

WOODLAND–– Clinton D. Swindle, 88, died Wednesday, August 19, 2015, at his residence near Houston, Miss. 

Services will be held at noon today at Wells Funeral Home. Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. prior to the service. Burial will follow the service at Forrest Memorial Park Cemetery. 

Swindle, born June 30, 1927, to the late Thomas Edward Swindle and Janie Roberson Swindle in Chickasaw County, was a truck driver, owning several trucks and leasing them to various companies and was a member of the Assembly of God Church.

Survivors include: his wife, Maggie Turner Swindle of Woodland; four sisters, Doris Leonard of Bruce, Ann Jones of Horn Lake, Irene Howe of Loxahoma, Myrene Bentley of Valparaiso, Ind.