Laura Alice Guchereau Portwood, 78, died peacefully in her home surrounded by her loving family on Monday, Oct. 30, 2017.

Visitation will be held at Riles Funeral Home from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, and from 9 to 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 3, at Riles Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Alice was born Sept. 24, 1939, and was a life-long resident of Vicksburg. She graduated from St. Francis Xavier Academy in 1957 before attending the University of Mississippi where she was voted “Campus Cutie”.

She was a loving mother to three children, five wonderful grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Alice hosted every family Christmas and Thanksgiving gathering in her home for more than twenty years.

For decades, Alice worked as the office manager for the City of Vicksburg Water and Gas. She was an active member of Hawkins United Methodist Church and the Vicksburg Art Association.

Like her mother, Alice loved to paint and was wonderful with oil paints. She enjoyed playing bridge and golfing in her younger days.

Alice was deeply rooted in her Vicksburg heritage as the great-great-granddaughter of Dr. William T. and Emma Balfour, John Alexander and Elizabeth Klein, who were instrumental in establishing Vicksburg as a thriving community.

She is preceded in death by Laura Russell Guchereau Jacobson, Charles Miller Guchereau and Bob Portwood.

Survivors include her sister, Pamela Guchereau Melsheimer of Vickburg; three children, Pamela Portwood McFerrin and her husband, Elvin of Vicksburg, Robert Portwood and his wife, Leigh of Clinton, and Jeff Portwood and his wife, Tracy of Lufkin, Texas; nephew, Ross Melsheimer of Brandon; grandchildren, Barry Barnett and his wife, Beth of Vicksburg, Katie Barnett of Smyrna, Ga., Shelby Portwood of Dallas, Texas, John Portwood of Lufkin Texas, and Marleigh Portwood of Clinton; and great-grandchildren, Hali Klein Barnett, and Lexi and Lili Kistler, all of Vicksburg.

Pallbearers will be Barry Barnett, John Portwood, Ross Melsheimer, Mike Gatti, Rusty Davis, and Michael Castelane.

Honorary pallbearers include Windel Wilson, Alice Daniels, and Janice Harrison.

The family would like to give a special thanks to Private Home Care caregivers, Delta Dialysis, and Camellia Home Health and Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation be made in Alice’s name to the Vicksburg Warren Humane Society or Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital.