Obituaries for Thursday, March 27, 2008

March 27, 2008 09:51 am

— Wilma J. Cox
Wilma J. Cox, 79, of Ellisville, died Tuesday, March 25, 2008, at South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 27, 2008, at Pilgrim Baptist Church, with burial in the church cemetery. The Rev. Joe Evans will officiate.
She was a retired teacher assistant with the Jones County Schools. She was a member of Pilgrim Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents, J. T. and Daisy Monk Hollingsworth; husband, Howard Cox; grandson, Nicholas McGrath; brothers, Henry, Maurice, Coy, Bill, Lloyd and “Doc” Hollingsworth; a sister, Gladys Todd.
She is survived by sons, Nick Cox of Petal, Jay and Becky Cox of Ellisville; daughters and sons-in-law, Kathy and Kenneth Smith of Ellisville, Sue and Mickey Berry of Pinola and Tina and Chip Walker of Ellisville; two sisters, Loyce Evans and Helen Rivers both of Ellisville; grandchildren, Kurt Smith, Kyle Smith, Josh Cox, Matthew Cox, Derek Hayes, Haden Cox, Will Cox, Erica Walker and Anna Walker; and five great-grandchildren; a special friend, Frankie Bailey of Ellisville.
Pallbearers will be Kenneth Smith, Mickey Berry, Chip Walker, Derek Hayes, Larry Evans, Robert Wansley.
Honorary pallbearers will be Kurt and Kyle Smith and Stanley Rivers.
Jones Funeral Home in Ellisville is in charge of arrangements.

Albert Theron Ford
Albert Theron Ford, 87, of Taylorsville, died Sunday, March 23, 2008, at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg following a lengthy illness.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 28, 2008, at New Home Baptist Church on County Road 11 in Smith County, with burial in Edon Baptist Church Cemetery, Jasper County Road 7, Stringer. The Revs. Matt Flynt and Ron Swindol will officiate.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Onnie and Mattie Childre Ford; a brother; Earl Ford; two sisters, Oneida Ford Steele; and Melba Ford Johnson.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Bonnie Jean Williams Ford; a brother and sister-in-law, James and Barbara Ford of Taylorsville; sons and daughters-in-law, Alton and Deborah Ford of Ft. Myers, Florida, Arthur and Donna Ford of Leesburg, Ga. and Artis and Karen Ford of Starkville.
Viewing will begin at 10 a.m. Friday at New Home Baptist Church.
Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Thursday at Colonial Chapel Funeral Home in Laurel, which is in charge of arrangements.

Otis Khiry Moore
Otis Khiry Moore, 17, of Collins, died Sunday, March 23, 2008, at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.
Funeral services will be held at noon Saturday, March 29, at Shady Oak Missionary Baptist Church in Collins with burial in the church cemetery. The Rev. Bruce Betts, pastor of Logos Missionary Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, will officate.
Mr. Moore was preceded in death by his great-grandparents, Mozella Booth and Johnny McCann.
Survivors include his mother, Aundrea Moore of Collins; father, Marc McCann of North Carolina; two sisters, Nakeedia and Adriac Moore; and nephew, Kaegan Moore, all of Collins; grandparents, Oscar (Wilma) Moore and Larry (Evelyn) Wheeler, all of Collins; and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, other relatives, and friends.
Visitation will be from 5 until 6 p.m. Friday at Young’s Funeral Home in Taylorsville, which is in charge of the arrangements.

Sadie C. Rawles
Sadie C. Rawles, 101, of Callahan, Fla., and formerly of Collins, died Saturday, March 22, 2008, at her residence.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 29, at Willow Grove Baptist Church in Collins with burial in the church cemetery.
Mrs. Rawles was a homemaker and a member of Willow Grove Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Vardaman Rawls and her parents, Jessie Daniel Yawn and Azzieleen Coulter Yawn.
Survivors include her daughter, Imogene Rawles Mitchell of Callahan, Fla., nine grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 6 until 8 p.m. Friday at Billy King - Colonial Chapel in Collins, which is in charge of the arrangements.

Samuel James “Sam” Seals
Samuel James “Sam” Seals, 96, of Laurel, died Thursday, March 20, 2008.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 29, at St. Elmo Missionary Baptist Church, 512 S. 6th Ave., Laurel. The Rev. Julius H. Bass Sr. will officiate the Recapturing the Milestone of Life while the Rev. Joe L. Holloway will provide the pastoral expression.
Mr. Seals was retired from the Masonite Corporation after more than 40 years. He was a faithful member of St. Elmo Missionary Baptist Church, attending all services until February 2008.
He was one of the organizers of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, Currie community, Ellisville; trustee for Tallahala Elementary School, Currie community, Ellisville; trustee board chairman, New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, where he was ordained a Deacon, and became chairman of the Deacon Board.
Serving for many years as a deputy for the Jones County Sheriff’s Department, he was a 33-degree Mason and a Shriner. At Pleasant Valley Missionary Baptist Church, he was chairman of the Trustee Board and Financial Secretary.
He was president of the Seals’ Garden Club, where people came from everywhere for his year-round vegetables and to fish.
In the 1950s, he ran a school bus route from the Perry-Jones County line, a hundred miles daily, to Roosevelt Elementary and Benson High School, giving jobs to student drivers, and transporting the mighty Oak Park Dragons football, basketball, and track teams.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Benjamin and Biddie Seals; wife, Thelma Currie Seals; son, Dr. Sammy James Seals; second wife, Girtha Lee Seals; brothers, William Seals, Benjamin Seals, Saint Elmo Seals, George Seals, Jessie Seals, and David W. Seals; and sister-in-law, Mildred Currie Seals.
Survivors include his son, the Rev. Billy Joe “Doc” Seals of Laurel; granddaughter, Reba Seals Jackson; great-grandson, Ra’fel J. Jackson II of Jackson; special grandson and faithful caregiver, Robert Earl (Denise) Moore of Laurel; special family extensions, Lois H. Seals, Dumont “Bo” (Diane) Crosby, Nadine Crosby, and Sheila Ann Moody; brother, Levi Bradford “L. B.” (Ann) Seals; sisters, Louise Crawford, Hattie Mae Pam, and Lillie (Gus) DeLoach; sisters-in-law, Elizabeth “Liz” Seals, Myra Seals, Cora Wade Seals, Ethel Lee Currie, and Alice Mae Currie; and many other nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends. He was a man with a strong voice and a soft heart, resting peacefully with the Lord.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Diabetes society.
Chapel of Angels Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Walter Eugene Spencer
Walter Eugene Spencer, 77, of Laurel, died Monday, March 24, 2008, at South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at Kingston Assembly of God Church in Jones County with burial in Hickory Grove Cemetery in Laurel. The Revs. Scott Davis, N. E. Hartshorn, and Keith Yelverton will officiate.
Mr. Spencer worked for Hartwell Brothers Handle Company for 20 years and retired from West Quality Foods in the maintenance department. He was a member of the Kingston Assembly of God Church.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Syble Roney Spencer; parents, Chester and Nannie Spencer; four brothers, Arlie Spencer, Nick Spencer, Johnny Spencer, and Bill Spencer; and sisters, Patsy Barlow and Frances Jordan.
Survivors include a special son, John Chester (Jake) Spencer and wife Rebecca of Laurel; one granddaughter, Melissa Thrash and husband, Josh of Laurel; two great-grandchildren, Abbie Thrash and Aubrey Thrash, both of Laurel; two special nieces, Judy Armour and Mildred Smith, both of Laurel; three sisters, Hazel Scott, Ruth Rose and Mandy Smith and husband, M. J. Smith; and a host of other nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers will be Orlan Jones, Robin Jones, Howard Smith, Ernie Roney, Josh Thrash and Scooter Thornhill.
The body will be placed in the church at 1 p.m. Friday.
Visitation will be from 5 until 8 p.m. this evening at Memory Chapel Funeral Home in Laurel, which is in charge of the arrangements.

James D. Taylor Jr.
James D. Taylor Jr., 53, of Ellisville, died Tuesday, March 25, 2008, at his residence.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at Memory Chapel Funeral Home in Laurel with burial in Our Home Cemetery in Jones County.
Mr. Taylor was an antique dealer and a member of the Our Home Universalist Church in Jones County.
Survivors include his parents, James D. and Ann Herrington Taylor Sr. of Ellisville; uncles and aunts, Ray and Rita Taylor of Laurel, Melba Guthrie of Houston, Texas, Jane and Bud Casey of Bay St. Louis, and Don and Elaine Herrington of Tupelo; and a host of cousins.
Pallbearers will be David Taylor, Daniel Taylor, Randy Adams, Travis Taylor, Jason Taylor, and Dennis Ray Taylor.
Visitation will be from 5 until 8 p.m. this evening at Memory Chapel Funeral Home in Laurel, which is in charge of the arrangements.

Kathy L. Wallace
Kathy L. Wallace, 56, of Laurel, died Friday, March 21, 2008.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 29, at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Laurel with the Rev. Jimmie Bunch officiating. Burial will be in the Nora Davis Cemetery.
Mrs. Wallace was a self-employed homemaker and a member of Pleasant Valley Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Samual and Indeola Hearn Shaw and her husband, Army Wallace Jr.
Survivors include her sons, Antonio Wallace (Latoya) and Army Wallace III, both of Laurel; daughters, Tammy Newell (Gary), Gloria, Tamesha, Akeyda Wallace, and Akeka Oliver, all of Laurel; brother, Carnell Hearn (Mary) and Parnell Hearn, both of Laurel; sisters, Donna Newell (Lee) of Heidelberg; 14 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Visitation will be held from 6 until 8 p.m. Friday at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church. Chapel of Angels is in charge of the arrangements.

Annie Lou Walters
Annie Lou Walters, 83, of Laurel, died Wednesday, March 26, 2008, at South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Mill Creek Congregational Methodist Church in Jones County with the Revs. Jimmy Holder and Bill Myers officiating. Burial will be in Mill Creek Cemetery.
Mrs. Walters was retired from Reliance Manufacturing and was a member of Mill Creek Congregational Methodist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William Curtis Walters; nephew, Michael Thornton, and her parents, George L. Rogers and Lelia Walters.
Survivors include four sisters, Iva Lee Byrd of Sandersville, Hazel Thornton and husband, Jack of Laurel, Loretta Bustin and husband, Grady of Laurel and Carolyn Rogers of Laurel; brother, William Earl Rogers of Laurel; and a host of nieces and nephews, and great nieces and great nephews.
Pallbearers will be Gary Thornton, Jody Thornton, Alton Mills, Ronald Bustin, Ricky Walters and Ken Keyes.
The body will be placed in the church at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Visitation will be from 5 until 8 p.m. Friday at Memory Chapel Funeral Home in Laurel, which is in charge of the arrangements.

Nancy E. Ward
Nancy E. Ward, 67, of Laurel, died Tuesday, March 25, 2008, at South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel.
Funeral services will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 29, at Pleasant Valley Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. Jimmie Bunch officiating. Burial will be in the Nora Davis Cemetery.
Mrs. Ward was a retired teacher for the Laurel School District.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Sears U. Ward I; parents, John Wesley and Marion Ross Ellis; and brother, George W. Ellis Sr.
Survivors include her son, Sears U. Ward II of Laurel; brothers, William R. Ellis Sr. (Sybil Gail) of Laurel, J. W. Ellis of Laurel, and Billy R. Ellis (Marsha) of San Antonio, Texas; sisters, Mary Alice Hudson (Howard) and Deloris A. Elridge (Mack), both of Birmingham, Ala., D. Ann Garner of Ypsilanti, Mich., Doris J. Blount Cross (Dave) of Canton, Ohio, and Shirley Fae Saddler (Jesse) of Clarksdale; and one grandchild.
Visitation will be from 6 until 8 p.m. Friday at Chapel of Angels Funeral Home, which is in charge of the arrangements.