Peyton Colby Barnett, age 17, passed away Saturday afternoon, Sept. 21, 2019, near Courtland.

Funeral services are today (Sept. 24) at Pilgrims Rest Baptist Church with interment to follow in Pilgrims Rest Cemetery under the direction of Wells Funeral Home.  The family will receive friends today from noon until service time at Pilgrims Rest.

Peyton was born Jan. 7, 2002 in Oxford,  to Timothy Hugh and Angela Brewer Barnett. He was a member of Pilgrims Rest Baptist Church, and enjoyed the church youth activities going on mission trips to the coast to hand out food and clothing to the less fortunate.

Peyton was in his Junior year at South Panola High School. He loved and enjoyed anything outdoors, whether it was hunting, fishing, bush hogging or riding four-wheelers, Peyton could always be found outside doing what he loved. He also was on the 4-H Shooting Team and had an eye for welding.

Peyton’s shining light will always shine upon his family, which includes his parents, Tim and Angela Brewer Barnett of Courtland, a brother, Timothy Blake Barnett of Courtland;  maternal grandparents, Kathy Gordon Brewer and her late husband, Eddie of Enid; paternal grandparents, Albert Hugh and Mary Lou Barnett of Courtland; two aunts, Karen Brewer Tutor and husband Bill of Courtland, and Latitia Barnett Hopper and husband Dennis of Batesville; and numerous cousins and extended family.

 

Mrs. Theoria May Benner, or Miss Teddy, as she was known to everyone, passed away on Thursday, September 19, 2019, at Oxford Health and Rehab in Oxford, MS following a short illness. She was 95 years young.

Miss Teddy was born on April 13, 1924, in Marion County, Alabama to The Late Mable Fryer VanTassel and Theodore VanTassel. She was the widow of Edward Benner, Jr. who referred to her as his “Teddy Bear” which is how she affectionately came to be known as Miss Teddy for the rest of her life.

She graduated from Marion County High School in Selma, Alabama and was always a fan of anything from that state. She moved to Pope, Mississippi with her family in 1960 and joined Pope Baptist Church and was an active member there until her late years.

She was the sunshine lady in Miss Estelle’s Sunday school class as she loved to spread sunshine and love to everyone she encountered. She was quick to laugh and would surprise you by telling jokes and would quickly catch you off guard on April Fool’s day.

She was a part of the village that helped to raise so many young people in the Pope, Enid, and Oakland area. The neighborhood kids still call her their second Mama. She listened to their concerns and gave them a hug when they needed one along with love and encouragement.

She sat with the sick and took care of loved ones for their families. In deed, her strength of spirit and love for her family and friends knew no bounds. Her absence will certainly be felt as she will be truly missed by those who knew and loved her.

Left behind to cherish her memory is her daughter, Cindy Heuser (Frank) of Oxford; two grandchildren, Thad Heuser of Oxford,  and Hallie Heuser of Madison, WI; two great-granddaughters, Lauren Heuser and Jordan Heuser, both of Oxford; and her nephew, Ted VanTassel of Fresno, CA.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Benner, Jr.; two brothers, Gareld VanTassel and Roland VanTassel; and her parents.

Funeral services will be held today (Sept. 24) at 2 pm in Pope Baptist Church. Interment will follow in Chapel Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, in the church, from noon – 2 pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Pope Baptist Church, 264 Front St., Pope, MS 38658

Arrangements are entrusted to Dickins Funeral Home.

 

A memorial service for John “Jack” W. Bowman,  92, was held Sunday, Sept. 22, at the Batesville Presbyterian Church.

He died Thursday, Sept19, 2019 at his home in Como.

Mr. Bowman was born Oct. 1, 1926, to the late John and Doretta Wippo Bowman in Chicago. He graduated from Kelly High School in 1944 in Chicago, where he was a drummer in the concert band and orchestra.

Following graduation he proudly joined the U.S. Army serving in WWII. He served his tours in the South Pacific, Leyte, Philippine Islands, Guam, Saipan, and the Marianas Islands. After serving his tour he went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in accounting from DePaul University. He worked as a Certified Public Accountant in Illinois and Tennessee and was an income tax specialist.

John was an avid horseman and a member of Oak Grove Hunt Club in Collierville, Tenn., since 1967. He was also a master of foxhounds. He was a volunteer executive with the International Executive Service Corps. He also completed teaching and consulting assignments in hotel accounting and auditing in Cairo, Egypt; Marrakech, Morocco; Prague, The Czech Republic, and many other places.

John was a charter member of the Germantown Lions Club where he served as President and Treasurer, and was named as Lion of the Decade twice. He was also a former member of the Memphis Chapter of American Mensa Ltd., and he was a member of Old Glory Lodge No. 141 AF&AM, Westchester, IL,  and Berwyn Chapter No. 529, O.E.S., Berwyn, IL.

He was a founding board member of the Alliance for the Blind and Visually Impaired and treasurer for many years. He was also a life member of the Memphis Chapter of Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Mr. Bowman lived his life to the fullest and will be mostly missed by his family which includes his wife of 27 years, Joan Vernon Bowman of Como; his daughter, Laurel Wallace of Romeoville, IL; his step-daughter, Michelle Roszell of Pembroke Pines, Fla.; a step-son, Sean Roszell of Las Vegas, Nev.;; one sister, Doretta Baulac of Lakeland, Fla.; his sister-in-law, Louise Bowman of Florida; and two grandchildren and six great grandchildren with one on the way.

Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Robert and Elwin Bowman.

 

John Britt, Jr.,  47, died Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019, at St. Francis Hospital in Memphis.

Wells Funeral Home will post information about funeral arrangements when finalized by his family.

 

George Elmo Holley, Jr., 77,  died Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo.

He was born on April 20, 1942, to the late Vera Hill Holley and George Elmo Holley, Sr.

A private memorial service may be scheduled for a later date. Ray-Nowell Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.