Yvonne Collins

FAYETTE – Yvonne Collins died Saturday, March 5, 2005, at St. Francis Hospital in Harvey, Ill. She was 76.

A housewife, Mrs. Collins was born in New Orleans and was a longtime resident of Fayette.

She was preceded in death by her father, John W. Collins; her mother, Earnestine Knox; and one son, Rufus Kates.

She is survived by a son, Gilbert Collins of Fayette; four daughters, Earnestine Morgan of Port Gibson, Cynthia Mason of Cleveland, Mary Wood of Harvey and Viola Rochon of New Orleans; 12 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and other relatives and friends, including Walter Rhone of Harvey.

Services were at 11 a.m. today at Shiloh First Baptist Church in Fayette with the Rev. Larry Jackson officiating. Burial followed at Hollywood Baptist Church Cemetery under the direction of Rollins Funeral Home in Fayette.

Pallbearers were Daryl Collins, Harvie Herrington, Cammie Hutchinson, Dudley Rankin, Alfred Ruthford and Will T. Turner Jr.

Honorary pallbearers were Robert T. Ballard, Anthony Berry, J.C. Cole, Gilbert Collins, David Harris and Charles Reed.

Margaret R. Crowe

FOREST, La. – Margaret R. Crowe died Tuesday, March 8, 2005, at Richland Parish Hospital in Delhi. She was 88.

Mrs. Crowe was born in D’Lo and was a resident of Forest, La.

She was preceded in death by her husband, William Melvin Crowe; her parents, Lillie and Joe Thomas Ross; three brothers, Willie Ray Ross, Charles Ellis Ross and Rufus Ross Sr.; and two sisters, Mary Duncanson and Jolene Russell.

Survivors include six daughters, Betty Butler, Linda Thornhill and Brenda Eaton, all of Forest, Virginia Johnson of Transylvania, Carolyn Mercer of Oak Grove and Melba Craft of Monroe; two brothers, C.W. Ross of Puckett and Ralph Ross of Roseville, Calif.; four sisters, Annie Lee Kennedy of Puckett, Kitty Lambert of Baton Rouge, Myrtle Harper of Alexandria, La., and Lillian Dowling of Hammond, La.; and 10 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. today at First United Methodist Church of Oak Grove with the Revs. Byron Putnam and Chad Ballard officiating. Burial will follow at New Forest Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Gregg Johnson, Brad Johnson, Chris Johnson, Jason Thornhill, Paul Eaton and Kent Chapman.

Honorary pallbearers will be Tommy Roberson, Jimmy Bruce, Matthew Craft, Jill Roberson, Romy Bruce, Kelly McIntyre and Lee McIntyre.

William Lee Demby Sr.

William Lee Demby Sr. died Wednesday, March 9, 2005, at River Region Medical Center. He was 65.

Mr. Demby was a former resident of Halton, Texas, and Los Angeles. He was retired.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Rosetta Banks-Demby; his father, Robert Demby Sr.; and a brother, Robert Demby Jr.

He is survived by three sons, James A. Brown of Baltimore, Md., William Lee Demby Jr. of Vicksburg and William Lee Demby Jr. of Hermanville; four daughters, Gloria Jean Demby-Jones of Jackson and Phillemean Demby-Swartz, Debra D. Demby and Patricia Demby-Hamberlin, all of Vicksburg; his mother, Hulda Demby Johnson of Vicksburg; two brothers, Frank Dimbly and Alexander Demby, both of Vicksburg; 17 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, uncles, aunts, cousins and other relatives and friends, including Mary Cheathem of Forest Hill, Texas, and Martha Demby Knight of Vicksburg;.

Services will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at Lakeview Memorial Funeral Home in Vicksburg. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 1 until 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home with the family present from 5 until 7.

Robert Frank Melsheimer

PORT GIBSON – Robert Frank “Bobby” Melsheimer died Monday, March 7, 2005, at his home in Claiborne County. He was 64.

Born in Vicksburg. Mr. Melsheimer was a 1958 graduate of Carr Central High School and had lived in Claiborne County for a number of years. He attended St. Paul Catholic Church.

He was a retired self-employed contractor.

He is survived by a son, Ross Melsheimer of Brandon; and three brothers, Gerald Melsheimer of Alabama, Henry Melsheimer of Vicksburg and Donald Melsheimer of Schenectady, N.Y.

Services will be at 6 p.m. Friday at Glenwood Funeral Home in Port Gibson.

Visitation will be from 4 p.m. Friday until the service at the funeral home.

Katie Mae Sweezer

Katie Mae Sweezer died Wednesday, March 9, 2005, at Shady Lawn Nursing Home. She was 85.

A domestic worker, Mrs. Sweezer was a member of Mount Ararat Church.

She was preceded by her parents, and three brothers, Henry Sweezer Jr., George Sweezer and John Sweezer.

Survivors include one nephew, Tony Sweezer of Vicksburg; one niece, Gloria Sweezer of Vicksburg; and other relatives, including members of the Denham, Green, Flowers, Young and Bingham families of Vicksburg.

Robbins Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

Donnell Williams

EDWARDS – Donnell Williams died Monday, March 7, 2005, at his home in Edwards. He was 47.

Mr. Williams was preceded in death by his parents, James Williams Sr. and Robbie Williams.

He is survived by his son, Keith Sims of Vicksburg; his daughter, Lacole Williams of Vicksburg; seven brothers, Robert Williams and Eddie Williams, both of Edwards, Aaron Williams, Bernard Bingham and Marvin Williams, all of Jackson; Kenneth Williams of Lithonia, Ga., and Calvin Bingham of New Orleans; six sisters, Mandy Mitchell, Freddie J. Carter and Mary Armstrong, all of Edwards, Ruby Brent and Christine Berry, both of Jackson, and Shelia Carter of Stone Mountain, Ga.; and other relatives and friends.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Mount Moriah M.B. Church in Edwards. Burial will follow at the church cemetery.

Visitation will be from noon until 7 p.m. Friday at Lakeview Memorial Funeral Home in Vicksburg.

Juanita Young

Services for Juanita Young will be at noon Saturday at Bethlehem M.B. Church. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from noon until 7 p.m. Friday at Lakeview Memorial Funeral Home in Vicksburg with family hour from 6 until 7.

Mrs. Young died Sunday, March 6, 2005, at Decatur Hospital in Decatur, Ga. She was 62.

Survivors include two sons, Robert James Young Jr. of Greenville, S.C., and Donnell Young of Hampton, Ga.; three daughters, Chenara Young of Vicksburg, Gloria Young Sampson of Lithonia, Ga., and LaKisha Young of Decatur, Ga.; two brothers, Andrew Robinson and Fredrick Robinson, both of Vicksburg; one sister, Betty Bell of Vicksburg; eight grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.