REV. JOHN A. COCHRAN JR.

CENTERVILLE, Texas The Rev. John A. Cochran Jr. died Thursday, Nov. 2, 2000, at St. Joseph Regional Health Center in Bryan, Texas. He was 63.

Born in Vicksburg to John A. Cochran Sr. and Agnes Rebecca Hutson Cochran, the Rev. Cochran graduated from the University of Alabama. He worked as a businessman, then became pastor of Leona Baptist Church in Leona, Texas, after his retirement.

He worked with prison ministries and as a missionary. With his wife, he served with the Mission Service Corps of the Baptist General Convention of Texas in South Padre Island, Mexia and Gunnison, Colo. He lived in Centerville, Texas, before moving to Madisonville, Texas.

He was a member and past worshipful master of Lodge No. 1291 A.F.&A.M. He was a Shriner. He served in the U.S. Naval Reserves and served as moderator of the Leona Baptist Association.

In addition to his parents, the Rev. Cochran was preceded in death by a brother, Robert Edward Cochran.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Elizabeth Van Norman Cochran of Madisonville; three sons, Michael T. Cochran of Huntsville, Texas, John A. Cochran III of Austin, Texas, and Thomas Van Cochran of The Woodlands, Texas; a brother, Thomas Victor Cochran of Leavenworth, Kan.; six grandchildren; nieces; nephews; and other relatives, including Becky Pilgrim and Ashley Cross, both of Huntsville, and Marsha Lagrone of College Station, Texas.

Services were at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Walters Funeral Home Chapel in Centerville with the Revs. Bill Thompson and Mark Gray officiating. Burial followed at North Creek Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Leona Baptist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 220, Leona, TX 75850.

ISSAQUENA BASS PRENTISS

Services for Issaquena Bass “Queen” Prentiss were at 11 a.m. Monday at Vicksburg Auditorium with the Rev. Alfred Lassiter Jr. officiating. Burial followed at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Mrs. Prentiss died Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2000, at ParkView Regional Medical Center. She was 83.

Mrs. Prentiss was a retired cosmetologist and had worked at Kuhn Memorial Hospital. She was a member of Zion Travelers M.B. Church, Order of Eastern Star Rainbow Chapter No. 51, O.P. Ross Household of Ruth No. 4927, Mount Alban Union Society No. 8 and Mount Olive Burial Society No. 2.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Alex Bass and Betty Washington Bass Wells; her husband, Albert Prentiss Sr.; a sister, Lena Wells; and a brother, Allen Bass.

Survivors include six sons, Albert Prentiss Jr., Larry D. Prentiss Sr., Eddie L. Prentiss and Ricky Prentiss, all of Vicksburg, Clarence Otis of Carson, Calif., and Alexander Prentiss of Los Angeles; six daughters, Estella Moore, Bettye Hughes, Albirda Marshall, Queen Campbell and Earline Farris, all of Aurora, Ill., and Patricia Anderson of Vicksburg; a sister, Easter McFarland of San Francisco; 46 grandchildren; 63 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; members of the Washington, Wilson, Bass, Nailor, Winn and Gaskin families; and other relatives, including Josephine Prentiss and Tommie Nailor of Vicksburg.

W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

MAGGIE ELLEN WILLIS

NITTA YUMA Maggie Ellen Willis died Sunday, Oct. 29, 2000, in Omaha, Neb. She was 80.

Mrs. Willis was born in Camden, Miss., and lived in Cary for a number of years before moving to Nitta Yuma.

She is survived by six sons, Eugene Willis and Walter Willis, both of Omaha, James Dixon of Chicago, Early Willis of Cary and Henry Willis and Sam E. Willis, both of Fitler; four daughters, Elizabeth A. Brown and Bessie Hill Brown, both of Omaha, Willie M. Fox of Tuscon, Ariz., and Maggie Catherine Mosley of Nitta Yuma; two brothers, Tony McMurtry of Milwaukee, Wis., and Montgomery McMurtry of Canton; one sister, Alberta Hawthorne of Kosciusko; grandchildren; and great-grandchildren.

Services were at 3 p.m. Saturday at Mount Buria M.B. Church in Cary with the Rev. Robert L. Mann officiating. Burial followed at Blanton Road Cemetery in Cary.

Walker Funeral Home in Rolling Fork has charge of arrangements.