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.

Theodore Roosevelt Crystain Jr.

PORT GIBSON – Services for Theodore Roosevelt Crystain Jr. will be at 1 today at Central Church of Christ in Port Gibson with the Rev. Eugene Coney officiating. Burial will follow at Campbell Chapel Cemetery under the direction of Thompson Funeral Home in Port Gibson.

Mr. Crystain died Thursday, June 22, at his home in Port Gibson. He was 42.

He was preceded in death by his father, Theodore Roosevelt Crystain Sr.; two brothers, Kenneth J. Crystain and E.W. &#8220Peter” Crystain; and a sister, Susie B. Crystain-Moore.

He is survived by a daughter, Kawanna Turner of Hermanville; three sons, Marvin Shinnod of Dallas, Elton Ward of Port Gibson and Theodore Crystain III of Memphis; his mother, Florence Hall Crystain of Port Gibson; two sisters, Patricia Ashmore of Atlanta and Vanessa Payne of Port Gibson; a brother, Randy Crystain of Cedar Hills, Texas; and other relatives and friends, including Ray Hall and Willie Hall of Port Gibson.

Norma Smith Earnest.

EUFAULA, Ala. – Norma Smith Earnest died Sunday, June 25, 2006, at her home in Eufaula, Ala. She was 69.

Mrs. Earnest was born in Fairfield, Ala., to the late Hoyett Young and Lester George Mann Smith. She was a graduate of Fairfield High School and Birmingham Southern, where she received a bachelor’s degree in music. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Eufaula, the Alabama Music Teachers Association and the Music Teachers National Association.

Survivors include her husband, O.B. &#8220Buck” Earnest of Eufaula; two daughters, Karen Louise Earnest Fowler of Pike Road, Ala., and Amy Ellen Earnest of Montgomery, Ala.; one son, Allen Orvin Earnest of Phenix City, Ala.; a sister, Deborah Smith Bledsoe of Westchester, Pa.; three grandchildren; and other relatives, including Royce Eaves of Vicksburg.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at First United Methodist Church in Eufaula with Dr. Al Harbour officiating.

Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 101 E. Barbour St., Eufaula, AL 36027 or to Wiregrass Hospice of Eufaula, P.O. Box 1378, Eufaula, AL 36072.

Chapman Funeral Home in Eufaula has charge of arrangements.

Louise P. Middleton.

Louise P. Middleton died Monday, June 26, 2006, at St. Dominic Jackson Memorial Hospital. She was 83.

Born in Lake Providence, Mrs. Middleton was the daughter of the late Thomas Shoffner Potter and Nora Clyde Millsaps Potter. She was a graduate of Lake Providence High School in the class of 1939.

A resident of Vicksburg since 1941, she completed her nurse’s training at the Street Sanitarium. Mrs. Middleton was a nurse for Dr. J.A.K. Birchett until his death in 1972, and after, for Dr. Gene Walker until her retirement in 1974 from The Street Clinic. She had been president of the Women’s Auxiliary of the American Legion, past president of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary and past president of the Elks Lodge DOES Auxiliary.

Mrs. Middleton was a member of the Vicksburg Church of Christ.

She was preceded in death by her husband, I.B. &#8220Buddy” Middleton Jr.; and two brothers, William Thomas Potter and Jack Potter.

She is survived by a daughter, Martha Sue Roberts and her husband, Wayne, of Vicksburg; two sons, Bobby Middleton and his wife, Judy, of Ridgeland, and Alan Middleton and his wife, Roselynn, of Vicksburg; five grandchildren, Kristin Peoples, Kelli Peoples, Wayne Roberts Jr., Robyn Montgomery and Matt Middleton; six great-grandchildren; a sister, Martha P. Dunn of Ridgeland; two sisters-in-law, Dorothy Young of New Smyrna, Fla., and Shirley Potter of Phoenix, Ariz.; and her caretaker and friend, Ethel Ruth Gardner of Vicksburg.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Riles Funeral Home Chapel with Reggie Crawford and Wade Hammack officiating. Burial will be at Green Acres Memorial Park.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Joe Gay, Gene Abbott, Robert Abbott, Ric Bowlin, John Gwaltney, Johnny Peoples and Jay Peoples.

Honorary pallbearers will be Paul Walden, Clyde Redmon, Russell Barnes, Rhea Fuller, Chestley Nash, Jordan Henry, Tanner Woodson, Dr. Eugene Ferris, Dr. Joseph Wilson, Dr. Jimmy Jones, Dr. Gene Walker, Dr. Abdul Bahro, Phares Griffin, Bill Brown, Justin Henry, Tommy Lee Middleton and Calvin Seyfarth.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105; American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 1193, Vicksburg, MS 39181; or Vicksburg Church of Christ, 3333 N. Frontage Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180.

Rosa Anna Gibson Smith.

DeRIDDER, Texas – Rosa Anna Gibson Smith died Saturday, June 24, 2006, at Triumph North Hospital in Houston, Texas. She was 47.

A former resident of Vicksburg, Mrs. Smith had lived in DeRidder for 13 years as a retired accountant. She was a member of IDF Church of the Living God, where she served as prayer minister, Sunday school teacher and prayer worship team leader.

She was preceded in death by her parents, George Gibson Jr. and Ruby Lee Gibson.

She is survived by two sons, Aaron Wade Smith of Little Rock, Ark., and Stephen Gerald Smith of Spring, Texas; a daughter, Courtney Michelle Smith of DeRidder, Texas; five brothers, George F. Gibson of Long Island, N.Y., Clarence Gibson of Fayetteville, N.C., Harold L. Gibson of Columbus, Ohio, Anthony Gibson of Vicksburg and Joseph Tillman of Brandon; five sisters, Arie G. PreJeah of Spring, Nada Gibson Sykes, Jerre Gibson Sims and Ruby J. Gibson-Smith, all of Vicksburg, and Renee Tillman of Florence; two grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.

Williams Funeral Service has charge of arrangements.