The Vicksburg Post prints obituaries for residents, former residents and residents’ immediate family members who resided elsewhere when notified by a family member or a funeral home. There is no charge for printing an obituary, but all are edited to meet the newspaper’s requirements.

Issac Byrd

FAYETTE Issac Byrd died Sunday, Feb. 8, 2004, at Jefferson County Nursing Home. He was 95.

Mr. Byrd was born in Franklin County. He was a retired logger and member of Cool Springs Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Issac and Rosie Byrd; and his wife, Lucille Helm Byrd.

He is survived by two sons, Norris Lias of Zachary, La., and Jeffery Ivory Baker of Fayette; one brother, Roy Byrd of Quentin, Miss.; a grandson; and other relatives and friends.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Cool Springs Cemetery in Union Church.

Visitation will be from 9 until 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Rollins Funeral Home in Fayette.

Joseph E. Canizaro

A Mass of the Resurrection for Joseph E. “Joe” Canizaro will be said at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Paul Catholic Church with the Rev. Patrick Farrell officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight at Fisher Funeral Home with rosary at 7 p.m.

Mr. Canizaro died Saturday, Feb. 14, 2004, at University Medical Center in Jackson. He was 82.

He was born in Vicksburg, graduated from St. Aloysius High School and attended Louisiana State University.

He owned Joseph Canizaro Jewelers. He began his career with the company, then known as Strauss-Stallings Jewelers, as a salesman in 1946.

He was a World War II veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps in the China, Burma and India theater. He served as the commanding officer of a Mississippi National Guard company and attained the rank of captain.

Mr. Canizaro was a lifelong member of St. Paul Catholic Church, serving on the pastoral council and financial committee for several terms. He was a lector and a Eucharistic minister.

He served as chairman of the Catholic Foundation of the Jackson Diocese and on the board of directors of Catholic Charities. He was instrumental in the retreat movement in Mississippi.

He was a Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem.

He was a past Faithful Navigator of the Knights of Columbus Assembly No. 558 and a life member of Knights of Columbus Council 898.

He was past president of the St. Al “A” Club, the Vicksburg Lions Club and the Mississippi Retail Jewelers Association; past Exalted Ruler of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks; and past chairman of the Warren County March of Dimes. He was also a charter member of Boy Scout Troop 7.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Arbrette J. Canizaro; his parents, Joseph C. and Rosa Pantoliano Canizaro; and his four brothers, Jack Canizaro, Tony Canizaro, Vito Canizaro and T.J. Canizaro.

He is survived by three sons, J. Edward Canizaro of Vicksburg, Tom Canizaro of Laurel and Richard Canizaro of Wilmington, N.C.; one daughter, Norma Canizaro Clippard of Nashville, Tenn.; and seven grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Joseph C. Canizaro, Robert H. Canizaro, Vito Canizaro, Anthony Canizaro, Thomas J. Canizaro, James F. Canizaro, Roy Canizaro and Marion Canizaro.

Honorary pallbearers will be Jerry Derivaux, Leonard Katzenmeyer, F.M. “Easy” Biedenharn, John Hennessey, Randall Dillon, Dr. Bill Pierce, Lesta T. Lee, Jim Shoemaker, D.P. Waring, Armond “Skipper” Guizerix, J.K. “Bubba” Tharpe, Harrison Havard Sr., Harrison Havard Jr., Joe Gerache, Dr. Edward Rodelsperger and the Men of Manresa.

Memorials may be made to St. Paul Catholic Church, 713 Crawford St., or Vicksburg Catholic School, 1900 Grove St., both in Vicksburg.

Velma Martin Christian

TALLULAH Services for Velma Martin Christian were at 11 a.m. today at Crothers-Glenwood Funeral Home with the Rev. John W. Rushing officiating. Burial will be at 3:30 today at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Stanley, La.

Mrs. Christian died Friday, Feb. 13, 2004, in the Olive Branch Senior Care Center. She was 92.

Mrs. Christian was born in Jefferson County and had lived in Madison Parish for 18 years. She was a housewife and homemaker and a member of the First Baptist Church in Tallulah.

She was preceded in death by three husbands, George Edgar Moore, Thomas E. Martin and Moss B. Christian; one son, Charles Edgar Moore; and one great-grandson, Charles Thomas Moore.

She is survived by two daughters, Polly Christian of Tallulah and Maxine Mocksfield of Temple, Texas; one stepson, Bill Christian of Lafayette, La., 19 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were her grandsons.