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.

Rufus Robert Collins.

PATTISON – Rufus Robert Collins died Friday, June 16, 2006, at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He was 87.

Born in Claiborne County, Mr. Collins served in the Navy. A retired chef, he was a member of Wesley Chapel A.M.E. Church.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Lebatrice P. Collins; and his parents, Charles Collins and Mary Hunt.

Survivors include a son, Marshall Steele of Chicago; four daughters, Marsha Steele of Flint, Mich., Gloria Short of Chicago, Vera Harrell of Clarksdale and Yvette Collins-Story of Calumet, Ill.; 13 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Wesley Chapel A.M.E. Church in Pattison with the Rev. James Johnson officiating. Burial will follow at Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight at Rollins Funeral Home Chapel in Port Gibson.

Friends will serve as pallbearers.

Betty Louise Gaines.

LORMAN -Betty Louise Gaines died Friday, June 16, 2006, in Jackson. She was 51.

Born in Jefferson County, Ms. Gaines worked as a home health nurse. She was a member of Fellowship Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Wilson Gaines and Bessie Coleman.

Services will be at noon Saturday at Fellowship Baptist Church with the Rev. Kemp Burley officiating. Burial will follow at Poplar Hill Cemetery in Fayette. Visitation will be from 2 until 6 tonight at Rollins Funeral Home Chapel.

Johnny W. Hackett.

ANGUILLA – Johnny W. Hackett died Saturday, June 17, 2006, at River Region Medical Center in Vicksburg. He was 91.

He is survived by three sons, James Hackett of Vicksburg and Clifford Hackett and Johnny Hackett, both of Anguilla; seven daughters, Birdia Mae Hackett of Chicago, Edna Mae Steadman of Jamaica, N.Y., Shirley Jean Bracket of Fort Lauderdale, Fla, Rolanda Caldwell of Hyattsville, Md., Cassandra Marie Hackett of Valley Stream, N.Y., Earnestine Williams of Anguilla and Mary Sue Alexander of Rolling Fork; two sisters, Hattie Pearl Battle and Willie Allen Evans, both of Vicksburg.

Services were this morning at Union Chapel M. B. Church in Anguilla with the Rev. Oliver Blake officiating. Burial will follow at Anguilla Cemetery under the direction of Smith Funeral Home Chapel in Belzoni.

Rosetta Leasy.

PORT GIBSON – Services for Rosetta Leasy will be at noon Sunday at Magnolia M.B. Church. Burial will follow at Lewis Family Cemetery on Lewis Road. Visitation will be from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. Saturday at Thompson Funeral Home in Port Gibson. Family hour will be at 6 tonight at the funeral home. Repast will follow the funeral at First Baptist Church Annex, 501 Farmer St., Port Gibson. The family asks that all food be delivered to the church from 9 a.m. until noon Sunday.

Mrs. Leasy died Sunday, June 18, 2006, at her home in Port Gibson. She was 86.

She was a member of the church board, nursing home and hospital band, literature band, head deaconess, personal ministry leader and assistant prison ministry leader at First Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Port Gibson.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Kelly Leasy Sr.; her parents, Eddie and Leetta Moore-Lewis; six siblings, Ida Bell Hedrick, Eddie Lewis Jr., Geneva King, M.H. Lewis, Fred Lewis and Jimmy Lewis; and a son, Wesley Lewis.

Survivors include two sons, Kelly Leasy Jr. and Joseph Leasy; a daughter, Dorothy Leasy; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.

Victor Nickerson.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Victor Nickerson died Thursday, June 15, 2006, in Inglewood, Calif. He was 93.

A native of Vicksburg, Mr. Nickerson was a member of American Legion Tyner-Ford Post 213.

Survivors include his wife, Willmetta Nickerson of Inglewood.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church in Inglewood. Burial will follow at Inglewood Cemetery under the direction of Angelus Funeral Home in Los Angeles.

Memorials may be made to Willmetta Nickerson, P.O. Box 1596, Inglewood, CA 90301.

William S. Roboski.

William S. &#8220Bill” Roboski died Wednesday, June 21, 2006, at Aiken Regional Medical Center in Aiken, S.C. He was 80.

Mr. Roboski was born in Glen Dale, W.Va. He attended West Liberty State College, Tri-State Institute and Franklin University. He served as an aerial gunner in the Army Air Corps aboard B-17 bombers in World War II.

He had been a Vicksburg resident most of his life, retiring from Cooper Lighting as a tool and die maker. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a life member of the Disabled American Veterans. He was of the Catholic faith.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Frances Piazza Roboski; and three brothers.

Survivors include two daughters, Ann Roboski Sherlock of Vicksburg and Julie Roboski Grantham of Madison; four sons, John Charles Roboski of Northport, Ala., William S. &#8220Buddy” Roboski Jr. of Chuluota, Fla., Robert Anthony Roboski of Aiken and Michael Joseph Roboski of Natchez; a sister, Helen Roboski of Columbus, Ohio; and nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Services will be at noon Saturday at Glenwood Funeral home with Sister Paulinus Oakes officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be Saturday from 10 a.m. until the service at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Jerry Montgomery, Jacob Grantham, John R. Roboski, Will Roboski III, Michael J. Roboski Jr. and Alison Roboski Garretson.

Honorary pallbearers will be Al Sherlock, Anthony Grantham, Bob Piazza, Julius Piazza III, John Piazza, Donald Piazza and Charles L. Piazza.

Jareka Necole Ward.

UNION CHURCH – Jareka Necole Ward died Thursday, June 15, 2006, at University Medical Center in Jackson. She was 11.

Born in Claiborne County, Jareka Ward was a student at Jefferson County Elementary School. She was a member of Girl Scouts of America and Antioch Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Rosie Lee Ward and Raymond Dotson.

Survivors include her parents, Jerry Williams and Alison Ward, both of Union Church; a brother, Darris Wheat of Port Gibson; three sisters, Jasmine Ward and Jalissa Ward, both of Union Church, and Jerrica Trevillion of Pattison; grandparents, Xenoclea and Millard Ward, both of Pattison, and Vera Williams and Tony McCay, both of Pattison; and other relatives and friends.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Jefferson County High School in Fayette with the Rev. James Well officiating. Burial will follow at Antioch Cemetery in Union Church. Visitation will be from 2 until 7 tonight at Rollins Funeral Home Chapel in Fayette.

Pallbearers will be Michael Savage, Alf Jones Jr., Medgar Gibbs, Jeffery Devine and Leonard Wilson Jr.

Honorary pallbearers will be Walter Ward, R.L. Ward, Gary Ward, Derrick Williams, Clarence Ward, Odell Ward and Gregory Ward.