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.

Paul T. Allen

Paul T. Allen died today, Aug. 6, 2007, at Shady Lawn Nursing Home. He was 72.

Mr. Allen was born in Tylertown.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Marie Allen; his parents, Sidney Allen Sr. and Willie Mae Duncan-Allen; three brothers, Sidney Allen Jr., Michael Allen and Mitchell Allen; and one sister, Bernice Lee.

He is survived by a son, Lee Paul Allen of Frankerton, La.; three daughters, Aileen Allen, Stephanie Williams and Gloria Jean Harvey of Tacoma, Wash.; one sister, Lora Allen of Tylertown; his caregivers, Eddie and Laverne Brent of Vicksburg; nieces; nephews; cousins; and friends and other relatives, including Mark Minor, Angel Rhodes, Cornelius Lee, Allisha Brent and Gladys Sweet of Vicksburg.

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

Stella Jackson Burns

Stella Jackson Burns died Saturday, Aug. 4, 2007, at her home. She was 57.

Mrs. Burns had worked as a private-duty nurse. She was a member of Christian Home M.B. Church No. 2.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James Burns; and her father, James Jackson Sr.

Survivors include her son, Roy Brown of Vicksburg; three daughters, Tammy Brown Garrett of Memphis, Kimberly Lane of Vicksburg and Tiffany Brown of Southaven; her mother, Josie Jackson of Vicksburg; five sisters, Annie Jordan of Jacksonville, N.C., and Ora Mason Carson, Gertrude Williams, Lynda Jackson and Janie Thomas, all of Vicksburg; three brothers, James Jackson Jr. of Vicksburg, Charlie Jackson of Texarkana, Texas, and Willie Smith of Aurora, Ill.; five grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.

Lakeview Memorial Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

Mildred Cranfield Byers

UTICA – Mildred Cranfield Byers died Friday, Aug. 3, 2007, at University Medical Center in Jackson. She was 68.

A lifelong resident of Utica, Mrs. Byers retired as a dispatcher for Day Detective Service. She was a member of Utica Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Dewey and Evelyn Cranfield; and a brother, Hugh Cranfield.

She is survived by her husband, Bill Byers of Utica; two sons, David Byers of Ephrata, Pa., and Danny Byers of Hazlehurst; a daughter, Evelyn &#8220Sissy” Shaffer of Prattville, Ala.; two brothers, Pete Cranfield and Edwin Cranfield, both of Utica; two sisters, Eva Neil Barlow of Jackson and Elizabeth Mohon of Southaven; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Utica Baptist Church with the Rev. Ben James officiating. Burial will follow at Utica Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 until 9 tonight at Glenwood Funeral Home and from 10 a.m. Tuesday until the hour of service at the church.

Pallbearers will be Anthony Shaffer, Roger Reed, David Byers, Ronnie Addison, Dustin Byers and Bill Hopper.

Ruth Wright Jacks

Ruth Wright Jacks died Sunday, Aug. 5, 2007, at her daughter’s home in Vicksburg. She was 89.

A lifelong resident of Vicksburg, Mrs. Jacks was the daughter of the late Benjamin Franklin and Laura Rollison Wright. She was a member of Grace Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Max Donald Jacks; two brothers; and two sisters.

Survivors include one daughter, Peggy Cordrey of Vicksburg; three brothers, Sam P. Wright, Frank Wright and Elbert Lum Wright, all of Vicksburg; three sisters, Doris Smith and Lillian Stevens, both of Vicksburg, and Betty Lanier of Sardis; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Yokena Cemetery with Tommy Miller officiating. Burial will follow under the direction of Frank J. Fisher Funeral Home.

Ray Powers

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Ray Powers, 92, a former longtime resident of Jackson, passed away Friday, Aug. 3, 2007, at Middle Tennessee Medical Center. The family will receive friends Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2007, from noon until the services at 2 p.m. at Lakewood South Memorial Funeral Home in Jackson. Burial will follow at Lakewood Memorial Park South.

Mr. Powers was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Jackson. He retired as a foreman of 42 years from Knox Glass, located in Flowood.

Mr. Powers was preceded in death by his parents, R.N. and Sophie Dixon Powers.

He is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Ruby Powers of Murfreesboro, Tenn.; daughters, Janet McNaughton of Murfreesboro and Teresa (Joe) Johnson of Allen, Texas; son, Mark (Marsha) Powers of Murfreesboro; brother, Ed Powers of Braxton; seven grandchildren, one of whom, Michael Allred, is a Vicksburg resident; 10 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

The online guest book can be signed at www.lakewoodfuneralhomes.com.

Marie Selby

Marie Selby died Sunday, Aug. 5, 2007, at her residence. She was 86.

Born in Warren County, she was the daughter of the late Charlie Percy Burton and Inez Virginia Fuller Burton.

Mrs. Selby was a member of the Redwood Home Demonstration Club and of the Baptist faith.

She was preceded in death by a sister, Andra Hartley; and four brothers, Bill Burton, Charles Percy Burton, Fritz Burton and Jack Burton.

Mrs. Selby is survived by a sister, Willie M. Miller of Conroe, Texas; a brother-in-law, James Hartley of Vicksburg; nieces, Bonnie Harden, Andrea Harden and Nickie Emfinger; and a nephew, Jessie Cassidy.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Riles Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Dwight Sibley, pastor of Eagle Lake Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. Tuesday until the hour of the service.

Pallbearers will be Bobby Stout, Daniel Flowers, Larry Conrad, Chris Emfinger, Jay Johnson and Daniel Noble.

Honorary pallbearer will be Wilfred Cockrell.

Memorials may be made to Patient’s Choice Hospice, 1911 Mission 66, Suite A, Vicksburg, MS 39180.

Otha B. Skinner

Otha B. Skinner died Sunday, Aug. 5, 2007, at her home. She was 85.

Mrs. Skinner was a member of Greater Mount Lebanon M.B. Church, serving as a choir member. She retired as cafeteria manager from the Vicksburg Warren School District’s Early Education Department.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Eldridge Skinner Sr.; her parents, Nathaniel Stubbs and Dave and Sarah Polk; two daughters, Sarah Skinner and Nellie Hicks; and two sons, Roosevelt Harris Jr. and Samuel Harris.

Survivors include two sons, Eldridge Skinner of Vicksburg and Edward Harris of Jackson; six daughters, Sharon Skinner of Knoxville, Tenn., Geraldine Johnson and Shirley Harris, both of Long Beach, Calif., Helen Waites of Duncanville, Texas, Brenda Richardsonof Hawthorne, Calif., and Lucy Green of Vicksburg; 17 grandchildren; and other relatives and friends, including Velma Davis of Vicksburg.

Williams Funeral Service has charge of arrangements.