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.

Willie Curtis

Willie Curtis died Tuesday, June 17, 2008, at his daughter’s home in Aberdeen. He was 70.

Mr. Curtis was born in Fayette to the late Thelbert Louis and Ella Mae Jones Curtis. He was a carpenter, working for Moss Construction for a number of years before retiring. He was a member of the Carpenters Local 1964. He was of the Baptist faith.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia Ashley Curtis; one sister, Barbara Donaldson; and two brothers, Thelbert Jones Curtis and Carl Louis Curtis.

He is survived by his daughter, Janice Strawn of Aberdeen; his son, William Michael Curtis of Vicksburg; two sisters, Cardelia Farris of Vicksburg and Shelley Mae Price of Tallulah; a brother, Charles Ray Curtis of Vicksburg; and four grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Frank J. Fisher Funeral Home Chapel with Steve Elwart officiating. Burial will follow at Green Acres Memorial Park. Visitation will be from noon Friday until the service.

Pallbearers will be James Strawn, William Ashley, Jason Barrett, Joey Barrett, Richard Elwart and Steve Elwart.

Honorary pallbearers will be Bob Moss, Johnny Moss, Allen Ashley, George Diwiggins, Tim Diwiggins, Jessie Diwiggins, Marvin Winstead, Jessie Barrett, Ralph Cain and the staff of Baptist Memorial Hospice of Columbus.

Kathryn Willard Dowe

GREENVILLE – Graveside services for Kathryn Willard Dowe, 90, of Greenville will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens. She died Tuesday, June 17, 2008, at Mississippi Care Center. Burial will be at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens under the direction of Boone-Wells Funeral Home.

She was born in Wilmington, Del., moving to Utica at an early age with her family and where she received her education. After her marriage to W.D. Dowe Jr. in 1939, they made their home in Greenville where she was a longtime sales clerk with Culley Drug Store. She was a member of First Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1966; a granddaughter, Deidre N. Ross in 2000; a sister, Ruth Douglas; and two brothers, Charles Gibson Willard and Billy Wayne Willard.

She is survived by a daughter, Evelyn D. Nunnery (Buell) of Greenville; a son, Kenneth L. Dowe (Dottie) of Dallas, Texas; a sister, Virginia D. Smith of Utica; a brother, Kenneth B. Willard of Troutdale, Ore.; four grandchildren, Buell Mann Nunnery III of Theodore, Ala., Justin Wade Nunnery (Angelique) of Greenville, Kenneth L. Dowe Jr. (Leigh) of Dallas and Anna Dowe of Houston, Texas; and six great-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends from 10 until 11 a.m. Saturday at Boone-Wells Funeral Home.

Mary Louise Kemp

Services for Mary Louise Kemp will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Dillon-Chisley Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1 until 6 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. Saturday until the service at the funeral home.

Mrs. Kemp died Friday, June 13, 2008, at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center in Jackson. She was 96.

Mrs. Kemp was preceded in death by her parents, Ben and Henretta Gibson; her husband, I.C. Kemp; and three sisters, Lula Eastman, Lucinda Harris and Clara Martin.

Survivors include her son, Cornelius Lewis of Vicksburg; one grandchild; and other relatives.

Josephine R. Mallett

Services for Josephine R. Mallett will be at 2 p.m. Friday at W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home.

Mrs. Mallett died Thursday, June 12, 2008, at River Region Medical Center. She was 90.

Mrs. Mallett had worked as a private-duty nurse for the Sisters of Mercy. She was a member of Morning Star M.B. Church and the Order of the Eastern Star, Deborah Grand chapter.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Willie Mallett; one son, Robert Robertson Sr.; her mother, Bertiel Robinson; and a granddaughter, Angie McNeill.

Survivors include three sons, John Pinkard Sr. of Vicksburg, Miss., Herman McNeill of Vicksburg, Mich., and LeDoris McNeill of South Bend, Ind.; 16 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives, including members of the Bland, Carson, Flaggs, Funches, Johnson, McCool, Pinkard, Robinson and Stewart families.

Audrey Panquin Miller

TALLULAH – Audrey Panquin Miller died Saturday, June 14, 2008, at her home in Tallulah. She was 85.

Born in Morehouse Parish, Mrs. Miller had lived in Tallulah most of her life. She was a member of the Tallulah United Methodist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Curtis L. “Cuz” Miller.

She is survived by seven daughters, Sue M. Stephens and Rita Miller, both of Clinton, Eva Culotta of Bossier, La., Cheryl M. Worthern of Denham Springs, La., Patricia M. Ditta of Monroe, Ann M. McDonald of Georgetown, Texas, and Janie M. Armstrong of Beaufort, S.C.; one son, David Miller of Hot Springs, Ark.; 17 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Tallulah United Methodist Church with the Rev. Jean Foreman officiating. Burial will follow at Silver Cross Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 until 8 tonight at Crothers-Glenwood Funeral Home in Tallulah.

Pallbearers will be Steven Walters, Cody Miller, Chris Culotta, Corey Armstrong, Michael McIntyre and Wade Townsend.

Elnora Violet Wilson Smith

Elnora Violet Wilson Smith died Wednesday, June 18, 2008, at River Region Medical Center. She was 76.

Born in Detroit, Mich., she moved to Newellton, La., as a young child and had lived in Vicksburg for the past 59 years.

She was retired from Hinds Community College as a practical nurse instructor. She was a member of Woodlawn Baptist Church.

Mrs. Smith was preceded in death by her husband, Eddie Thomas Smith Sr.; her parents, Everett Wilson and Lula Howell Wilson; a grandson, Eric Smith; two brothers, Benjamin and Paul Wilson; and two sisters, Susie Arnold and Evelyn Mayhall.

She is survived by three daughters, JoAnn Oliver and husband Dale and Joan Farish and husband Robert, all of Vicksburg, and Judy Brantley and husband Andy of Cleveland; one son, Eddie T. Smith Jr. and wife Shelia of Vicksburg; six grandchildren, Brooke Sorrells and husband Chad of Starkville, Andrew Brantley and wife Niki of Bolton, Lisa Myers and husband Matt of Franklin, Tenn., and Brittany Oliver, Dustin Smith and Brandon Smith, all of Vicksburg; and two great-grandchildren, Alex Sorrells of Starkville and Saylee Grace Brantley of Bolton. She is also survived by sisters, Elsie McAllister of Munster, Ind., Beulah Whitehead of Columbia, Md., and Clara Keys of Rayville, La.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight at Riles Funeral Home. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Riles Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Kent Campbell, pastor of Woodlawn Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Fred Keys Jr., Keith Keys, Larry Keys, James Keys, Clyde Ray Arnold, Bennie Wilson, Bob McAllister, Kent McAllister, Jimmy Jenkins and Paul Harbin.

Honorary pallbearers will be Woodlawn Baptist Church Loyal Ladies Sunday school class, Dr. Steve Krapac and Dr. Mike Bailey.

Memorials may be made to the Eric Smith Spirit and Desire Scholarship at Trustmark Bank or to Woodlawn Baptist Church Building Fund, 2310 Culkin Road, Vicksburg, MS 39183.

The family would like to express their appreciation to the physicians and the ICU nursing staff of River Region Medical Center for their care and concern for their mother.

Hattie Mae Sorells

HERMANVILLE – Hattie Mae Sorells died Saturday, June 14, 2008, at River Region Medical Center. She was 87.

Mrs. Sorells was a member and mother of Mountro Grove M.B. Church in Hermanville.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ben Sorells Sr. and Viola Alexander-Sorells; two daughters, Ola M. Ellis and Coatney O’Quin; a son, Robert Ellis Sr.; and four brothers, Robert L. Neal, Cable Sorells Sr., Ben Sorells Jr. and Luster Sorells.

Survivors include three sons, Charles Ellis of Marrero, La., Willie Hall of Indianapolis and James Sorells of Gaston, S.C.; four daughters, Mary Ellis Wilson of Gretna, La., Viola Sorells of Terrytown, La., Dorothy O’Quin of Milwaukee, Wis., and Gloria Sorells of Hermanville; one sister, Dorothy Nettles of Vicksburg; 36 grandchildren; 61 great-grandchildren; 23 great-great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Mountro Grove M.B. Church with the Rev. Johnnie Hughes officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery under the direction of Thompson Funeral Home of Port Gibson. Visitation will be from 1 until 6 p.m. Friday at the funeral home and Saturday at the church from noon until the service.

Ernestine Thomas

PORT GIBSON – Ernestine Thomas died Friday, June 13, 2008, at Claiborne County Hospital. She was 62.

Mrs. Thomas is survived by two sons, Robert Lyons of Vicksburg and John Thomas of Port Gibson; two daughters, Maggie Lyons of Washington, D.C., and Earnestine Thomas of Vicksburg; three sisters, Maggie McFowler of Lorman, Mary Thomas of Vicksburg and Gloria Thomas of Orlando, Fla.; three brothers, L.T. Lyons and George Lyons, both of Vicksburg, and James Thomas of Hermanville; 16 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Second Baptist Church in Port Gibson with the Rev. Ray Coleman officiating. Burial will follow at Little Mount Zion Cemetery in the Willows community. Visitation will be from 1 until 6 p.m. Friday at Thompson Funeral Home of Port Gibson and Saturday at the church from noon until the service.