Obituaries

Major Michael Wayne Allen

GREENVILLE–Major Michael Wayne Allen, 55, a retired Army Major and  Deputy U. S. Marshal passed away, Tuesday,  June 20, 2017.
Wayne Allen was the husband of Melody Joy Wiggs Allen.
He was born March 31, 1962 in Plant City, Fla. to Mary Palmer Allen and the late J. E. Allen.
Services will be held Saturday, June 24 at 11 am. at Crowder Baptist Church.

Phyllis Rene Brower

DESOTO COUNTY–Phyllis Rene Brower, 53, died at her residence Monday, June 19, 2017.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 24, at Wells Funeral Home who has charge of arrangements. Visitation will be held Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Wells. Interment will be in Crowder Cemetery.
Phyllis was born December 16, 1963 to the late Bobby Dean Holcombe, Sr. and Bessie Eidson Holcombe in Batesville. Phyllis was a cosmetologist.

Billy Gene Crawford

POPE- Billy Gene Crawford, 68, formerly of Grenada, passed away Tuesday, June 20, 2017, at his home.
Services will be held on Friday, June 23, at 11 a.m. at Willow Springs Assembly of God Church. Rev. Tommy Darby and Rev. Billy Davidson will officiate. Interment will be at Woodlawn Cemetery in Grenada at 1 p.m. Wells Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.
Billy was born January 18, 1949 to the late William Edgar Crawford and Laverne Smith Crawford in Grenada. He served in the U.S. Army and was a member of Willow Springs Assembly of God. Billy worked as a barber and owned Hairmasters of Grenada.

Larry D. Freeman

CLARKSDALE–Larry D. Freeman, 66, a Land Farmer, died June 18, 2017 at North Mississippi Medical Center.
Funeral services were Wednesday June 21, at Clarksdale Mennonite Church with burial in the Clarksdale Mennonite Church Cemetery.
Meredith-Nowell Funeral Home in Clarksdale handled the arrangements.
Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Carolyn Arnold Freeman; daughter Sarah Wesenberg (Joel) of Ithaca, MI; brother B.J. Freeman (Judy) of Vance; sisters Lois Book (Joe) of Marmaduke, Ark., Patricia Camp (Lee Earl) of Courtland, Barbara Camp (Buddy) of Courtland, Tina Gates (Ed) of Water Valley, and granddaughter Lilliana Rose Wesenberg.
He was preceded in death by his parents, A.C. and Juanita Johnson Freeman Alexander, and brothers Jacky Johnson and Jerry Freeman.

Mabel Webb Lantern

SARDIS-Mabel Webb Lantern, 58 died at her residence Friday, June 16, 2017.
Visitation will be Friday, June 23, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Cooley’s Mortuary who has charge.  Funeral services will be Saturday, June 24 at 2 p.m. at St. Peter’s M.B. Church.  Pastor Odell Draper will officiate.  Interment will be at St. Peter’s Church Cemetery.
Mrs. Lantern was born March 6, 1959 in Tunica to the late Monroe and Lizzie Mae Webb.  She was a member of St. Peter’s M.B. Church.

Edith Shackeroff Lewis

HOUSTON–Edith Shackeroff Lewis passed peacefully away on Saturday afternoon, the 17th of June 2017, at 2 p.m., at Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas.
On the 22nd of November 1921, her wonderful loving parents, Lena and Abraham Shackeroff, presented the world with twins A.M., Jr. and Edith. Lena and Abe already had a six-year old son, her gorgeous big brother Edwin.  Lena and Abe were delighted with the birth of a fine baby boy, Bubba, but deep-down Abe was really hoping the baby would be a girl. Ten minutes later, Dr. Woods told the new father he also had a beautiful baby daughter. Abe was so surprised and shocked, he asked the doctor whether he knew the difference between a boy and a girl. Of course, they were twins, and, as Edith liked to say, “In those days, no one knew what sex a mother was carrying – much less twins.”
Many years later, after her second year in college, Edith went on a blind date with Obbie Lewis, the man who became the absolute love of her life after Abe. That first date was hysterical…ask one of her children to tell you the story. Edith and Obbie spent 63 magical years together until his passing. Edith continued for 13 more years as his “Southern Belle.”
Edith was preceded in death by her brother Edwin Shackeroff and spouse Marion and twin brother Alfred M. (Bubba) Shackeroff.
She is survived by her children, Natalie Rabicoff and husband Mendy, Leon Lewis and wife, Joanne, and son, Mark Lewis. Grandchildren include Ana Lim and husband, Hubert, Smila Ferlise and husband, Jon, Aaron Lewis and Abby Lewis.  Great grandchildren include Osher and Aksel Lim and Sawyer and Wyatt Ferlise.
A memorial service was held Wednesday, June 21, at Congregation Beth Israel, 5600 N. Braeswood Boulevard, Houston, where Rabbi David Lyon, Senior Rabbi officiated.
Prior to the memorial service, the family gathered for a private interment at Congregation Beth Israel Memorial Garden in Houston.
In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests that memorial contributions, in her memory, be directed toward The Houston Grand Opera, 510 Preston St., Houston, TX 77002; The Houston Ballet, Attn: Darry Hearon, 601 Preston St., Houston, TX 77002; or to the charity of one’s choice.

Margaret Louise Oliver

BATESVILLE- Margaret Louise “Lumpy” Oliver, 93, died at her residence Sunday, June 18, 2017.
Visitation will be Saturday, June 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Funeral services will be held Sunday, June 25 at 12 p.m. at Armstrong Church of God.  Pastor Terry Townsend will officiate.
Interment will follow in the church cemetery.
Ms. Oliver was born September 13, 1923 in Batesville to the late Buck Johnson and Nannie Bell Hentz.
She was a member of Armstrong Church of God.