The Vicksburg Post prints obituaries in news form for area residents, their family members and for former residents at no charge. Families wishing to publish additional information or to use specific wording have the option of a paid obituary.

DeShawn Delray Brown

Services for DeShawn Delray Brown will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at Vicksburg Municipal Auditorium with the Rev. Casey Fisher officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery under the direction of W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home.

DeShawn died Monday, July 18, 2005, in Odessa, Texas, as the result of a motor vehicle accident. He was 16.

DeShawn was born in Los Angeles and was a resident of Tempe, Ariz. He was a junior at McClintock High School in Tempe, where he played football and basketball.

He was preceded in death by a grandfather, Howard Stampley Jr.

He is survived by his parents, John “Pete” and Janice Stampley Brown of Tempe; three brothers, Traymaine Brown, Howard Brown and Jonathan Brown, all of Tempe; three sisters, LaSharon Bell and LaKisha Brown, both of Vicksburg and his twin, KaShawn Brown, of Tempe; his maternal grandparents, Charles and Lillie Scott of Vicksburg; his paternal grandmother, Alice Moore of Detroit; and uncles, aunts, cousins and other relatives.

Dorothy Lucille Edwards Cortright

ROLLING FORK – Dorothy Lucille Edwards Cortright died Wednesday, July 27, 2005, at her daughter’s home in Ridgeland following a brief illness. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at The United Methodist Church in Rolling Fork. Burial will follow in Mound Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the Fellowship Hall of the church following the interment.

The oldest of three sisters, Mrs. Cortright was born on Jan. 14, 1922, in Lula to the late Vernon and Lela Beevers Edwards. She graduated as valedictorian of Lula-Rich School before studying music at Mississippi State College for Women, from which she graduated in 1944. She moved to Rolling Fork in the fall of 1945 to teach music and piano. In 1946, she married Cauley Cortright, and together they made their home there.

Mrs. Cortright had been an active and faithful member of The United Methodist Church of Rolling Fork, serving as an organist and choir director for almost 60 years. She was an avid gardener and a longtime member of the Rolling Fork Garden Club, having served in recent years as its chair of Civic Improvement.

Mrs. Cortright was devoted to her family – a loving sister, wife, mother, mother-in-law and grandmother. She is survived by three of her four daughters: Ann Elizabeth Cortright Quarrier and her husband, Archie, of Keswick, Va., Mary Cornelia Cortright of Ridgeland and Dorothy Jean Cortright Copeland and her husband, Doug, of Greensboro, N.C. She is also survived by her sister, Juanita Edwards McNair of Ridgeland; her son-in-law, Dr. Richard F. Stowers Jr. of Lynchburg, Va.; her five grandchildren: Cornelia Michelle Cortright of Ridgeland, Elizabeth Ann Stowers, Frazier Caldwell Stowers and Richard Covington Stowers of Lynchburg, Va., and William Cortright Copeland of Greensboro, N.C.; and her nieces, nephews and cousins.

Mrs. Cortright was preceded in death by her husband of 47 years, George Caldwell Cortright; their daughter, Lela Frances Cortright Stowers; and a sister, LeVerne Edwards Varner.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to The United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 236, Rolling Fork, MS 39159; the Rolling Fork Garden Club, c/o Mrs. Frank Corban, 15 S. Fifth St., Rolling Fork, MS 39159; and the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, P.O. Box 650309, Dallas, TX 75265-0309.

Clifton Gentry

GOLDSBORO, N.C. – Clifton Gentry died Friday, July 22, 2005, in Goldsboro, N.C. He was 27.

Mr. Gentry served in the U.S. Air Force and Desert Storm Shield in 1995.

Survivors include his parents, Leroy and Maggie Gentry, both of Jacksonville, N.C.; and two brothers, Xzavier Gentry and Anthony Gentry, both of Jacksonville.

Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Mount Lula M.B. Church in Rolling Fork with the Rev. Elijah Eason officiating. Burial will follow at Green Chapel Cemetery under the direction of Mitchell L. Walker Funeral Home in Rolling Fork.

Syble Smith Helms

OAK GROVE – Syble Smith Helms died Thursday, July 28, 2005, at her home in Oak Grove. She was 75.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Luther Devine Rodgers and Oma Ruth Prine Rodgers.

Survivors include her husband, Vernon Lee Helms of Oak Grove; one son, Darryl Smith of Illinois; three daughters, Linda Bordelon of Alexandria, La., Dawn Christie of Seattle and Melanie Robertson of Oak Grove; one brother, Wayne Rodgers ; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at First Church of God in Oak Grove with the Revs. Paul Ninemire and Roy Pepmiller officiating. Burial will follow at New Forest Cemetery in Forest. Visitation will be from 1 until 9 tonight, 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. Saturday and from 8 until 11:30 a.m. Sunday at Cox Funeral Home in Oak Grove.

Pallbearers will be Lavelle Brown, Colin Curtis, Roy Sanchez, Mike Ross, Reggie Prine and Bobby Owens.

Darrell Johnson

Darrell Johnson died Thursday, July 28, 2005, at River Region Medical Center in Vicksburg. He was 31.

Mr. Johnson was a former MIDD-West employee. He was a 1993 graduate of Warren Central High School. He was a member of Bingham Memorial M.B. Church.

He was preceded in death by his great-grandmother, Florence Culpepper-Foster.

Survivors include his mother, Faye Johnson of Vicksburg; one sister, Kaleesha Powell of Vicksburg; his maternal grandmother, Luvenia Ellis of Vicksburg; and aunts, uncles and other relatives and friends, including the Johnson, Lowe, Buchanan and Edmond families, all of Vicksburg.

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

Barbara Ann Nix

FAYETTE – Barbara Ann Nix died Sunday, July 24, 2005, at Jefferson County Hospital in Fayette. She was 41.

Born in Jefferson County, Mrs. Nix was a graduate of Jefferson County High School. She served as deputy clerk in the Jefferson County circuit clerk’s office. She was a member of Rose Hill Baptist Church No. 1, where she was in the choir.

She was a member of Jefferson County Missionary Society and served as assistant secretary of Fellowship Baptist Church Missionary Society.

She was preceded in death by her father, Bennie Nix Sr., and a brother, Ollie Nix II.

Survivors include a son, Davon M. Stander of Fayette; two daughters, Tamika Harried and Angelica Stander, both of Fayette; her mother, Lula Mae Herrington of Fayette; her grandmother, Thelma Nix of Fayette; three brothers, Bennie Nix Jr., Charles Nix and Burnell Nix, all of Fayette; six sisters, Shirley Snyder of Jackson and Jerry Dean Carter, Loriene Rucker, Mary Jean Nix, Annie B. Snyder and Virginia Snyder, all of Fayette; two grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Rose Hill Baptist Church No. 1 with the Rev. Earnest Ford Jr. officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 until 6 tonight at Rollins Chapel in Fayette.

Charles Clinton Pepper Jr.

DELHI – Charles Clinton Pepper Jr. died Wednesday, July 27, 2005, at St. Francis Medical Center in Monroe. He was 77.

Mr. Pepper was an Army veteran of the Korean Conflict. He was a retired insurance agent with National Life and Accident Co. He was a longtime member of Lamar Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by the mother of his children, Rosemary Andrews; his parents, Charles Clinton Pepper Sr. and Clara Ernest Lightsey Pepper; a brother, James Harvey Pepper Sr.; and one son, Charles Clinton Pepper III.

Survivors include three daughters, Linda Pepper Foster of West Monroe, Sue Pepper Smith of Atlanta and Pam Pepper Clark of Haughton, La.; two sisters, Florice Payne of West Monroe and Janis Hearn of Monroe; eight grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and other nieces and nephews.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Lamar Baptist Church near Delhi with the Revs. Terry Ganey, Marion Collier and Joe Solomon officiating. Burial will follow at Crowville Masonic Cemetery under the direction of Cox Funeral Home in Delhi.

Visitation will be from 5 until 9 tonight at Lamar Baptist Church.

Pallbearers will be Clint Foster, Bradley Smith, Max Causey, Jeremy Smith, Charlie Smith and James H. Pepper Jr.

Honorary pallbearers will be Carlos Till, Daryl Pennick, J.W. Holloway, Billy Joe Chapman, Gerald Jones, Billy Burns, Gary Ezell and Willie B. Walker.

Memorials may be made to the Charles C. Pepper Jr. Memorial Fund in Care of Lamar Baptist Church.

Kenneth E. Williamson

Kenneth E. “Wink” Williamson died Wednesday, July 27, 2005, at his home. He was 47.

A native and lifelong resident of Vicksburg, he was the son of John D. and Bobbie B. Williamson. He was a graduate of Warren Central High School and the University of Southern Mississippi, where he received a bachelor of science degree in international marketing and was on the president’s list.

Mr. Williamson was a member of the Boy Scouts of America Troop 104 and had obtained the rank of Eagle Scout. He was owner and operator of K&W Construction Co. for more than 20 years. He was a member of the Mississippi Builders Association, National Builders Association and Highland Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by a brother, David Williamson.

In addition to his parents, he is survived by two sisters, Nena Longmire and Robin Williamson, both of Vicksburg; two brothers, Darrell Williamson and John Wayne Williamson, both of Vicksburg; and nieces, nephews and other relatives.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Highland Baptist Church with the Rev. Brian Ivey, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow at Green Acres Memorial Park.

Visitation will be from 6 until 8 tonight at Fisher Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Anthony Hearn, William Hearn, Charles Cooper, Jeff McBroom, Bill Jones and Tommy Baker.

Honorary pallbearers will be Craig Williamson, Cris Williamson, John Williamson, Michael David Williamson, Jonathan Longmire, Dr. Chester Masterson, Marvin Miller, Paul Barrett and Ray Williamson.

Memorials may be made to Highland Baptist Church, 3518 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180.