ISAAC WILLIAM BRANCH

Isaac William “Sarg” Branch died Saturday, March 17, 2001, at G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Veterans Administration Medical Center in Jackson. He was 69.

Mr. Branch served in the Army for 27 years. He was retired from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mat Sinking Unit.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Hattie Plummer; his father, Willie Branch; and a brother, Johnny Carey.

Survivors include his sister, Bobbie Booze Yates of Vicksburg; a brother, Melvin Branch of Vicksburg; nieces; nephews; and other relatives, including Lillian B. Walker of Vicksburg.

Dillon-Chisley Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

HESTER COOK

Services for Hester Cook will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Bright Morning Star M.B. Church. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Mrs. Cook died Thursday, March 15, 2001, at ParkView Regional Medical Center. She was 89.

Mrs. Cook, a retired domestic worker, was a resident of Shady Lawn Nursing Home. She was a member of Bright Morning Star M.B. Church where she served as a mother of the church.

She is survived by two nieces, Nancy Bell Mack of Edwards and Eleanor Waters of Los Angeles; six grandnephews, four grandnieces, and other relatives.

Dillon-Chisley Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

JAMES T. CUNNINGHAM JR.

Services for James T. Cunningham Jr. will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Fisher-Riles Funeral Home with the Rev. Kuhrman Cox officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 until 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.

Mr. Cunningham died Saturday, March 17, 2001, at the G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Veterans Hospital in Jackson. He was 88.

Mr. Cunningham was a native and lifelong resident of Warren County. He was a veteran of World War II, having served in the Army during the Normandy invasion. He retired from Anderson-Tully as a security guard with more than 30 years of service.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James T. and Ethel Bula Cunningham; three brothers, Walter Cunningham, Ivan Cunningham and Harry Cunningham; and two sisters, Mary Allen and Evelyn Byrd.

He is survived by three bothers, Malcolm A. Cunningham of Shreveport, La., Robert M. Cunningham of Lexington, Ky., and Ray C. Cunningham of West Draper, Utah; a sister, Ethel M. Yakey of Machesney Park, Ill.; and nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Dan Cunningham, Wesley Cunningham, Byran Cunningham, Ivan Cunningham Jr., William Cunningham and Robert Bernard.

Honorary pallbearers will be nieces and nephews.

WILLIE MAE HILDERBRAND

Willie Mae Hilderbrand died Sunday, March 18, 2001, at ParkView Regional Medical Center. She was 65.

Born in Epps, La., Mrs. Hilderbrand lived in Vicksburg for 41 years. She was a retired registered nurse from Vicksburg Hospital.

She was preceded in death by her father, Mathew D. Coody; her mother, Lena E. Key Coody; five brothers, Eddie S. Coody, Mathew E. Coody, Ira O. Coody, Buford O. Coody and Winfred R. Coody.

She is survived by her husband, Victor Ralph Hilderbrand of Vicksburg; two sons, Vince Coody and Victor “Rusty” Hilderbrand, both of Vicksburg; one daughter, Dedra Landers of Vicksburg; two sisters, Leona Hattaway of Tallulah and Roberta Storm of Indianapolis, Ind.; five grandchildren, one great-grandson and other relatives.

Services will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Glenwood Funeral Home with Bill Brumfield officiating. Burial will follow at Yokena Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 until 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Dennis Daigre, Kenneth Williamson, David Cochran, David Lyons, Roger Wilson and Burton Hynum.

Honorary pallbearers will be John Lee Hyland, John D. Williamson, Jimmy Simrall, Jimmy Stanford, “Buddy” James Shiers and Charles Rule.

LONA LEE STORY STRONG

Lona Lee Story Strong died Saturday, March 17, 2001, at Shady Lawn Nursing Home. She was 102.

Mrs. Strong was born in Claiborne County, moved to Utica in 1947 and for the past six years had been a resident of Vicksburg. She attended Claiborne County schools and Copiah-Lincoln Academy. She taught school in the Claiborne and Copiah County school systems. She was a member of Carpenter United Methodist Church in Carpenter.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jesse E. Strong; two sons, Jesse L. Strong and Luther Strong; and her parents, Thomas and Zelle Davis Story.

She is survived by two sons, Joe Strong of East Alton, Ill., and Walter N. Strong of Pearl; three daughters, Gladys O’Hara of Heber Springs, Ark., and Mary Little and Marjorie Moody of Utica; a sister, Annie Curtis of Jackson; 19 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Carpenter United Methodist Church in Carpenter. Burial will follow at Carpenter Cemetery under the direction of Glenwood Funeral Home in Utica.

Visitation will be from 5 until 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons.