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.

Margie Bearss.

ARLINGTON, Va. – Margie Riddle Bearss, 80, died Saturday, Oct. 7, 2006, at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, following a lengthy illness. Burial will be private. Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home of Pearl is handling arrangements.

The daughter of Ralph Caswell Riddle and Mattie Reid Riddle, she was born Oct. 22, 1925, and grew up in Brandon. She was a fourth-generation member of Bethel Baptist Church. After graduating from Hinds Junior College and Blue Mountain College, she taught English in Goodman and Lexington. In 1958, she married Edwin Bearss, historian of the Vicksburg National Military Park. In 1966, they moved to Arlington, Va.

She had a lifelong love of books, poetry and Civil War history. She helped recover, preserve and catalog artifacts from the Union Ironclad Cairo. She designed and constructed the exhibits at the Grand Gulf Military Park. Her books include &#8220Sherman’s Forgotten Campaign” (1987); and, with her dear friend Rebecca Drake, two collections of Champion Hill documents, &#8220My Dear Wife” (2005) and &#8220Darwina’s Diary” (2006). While living in Arlington, she was elected to membership in the National Military Collectors and Historians and named a fellow for her work pertaining to the USS Cairo and Grand Gulf Park.

Survivors include her husband, Edwin Bearss of Arlington; a daughter, Sara Bearss of Richmond, Va.; son, Edwin Bearss Jr. and his wife, Annika Bearss, and son, Michael Bearss, all of Columbus, Ga.; daughter Jenny Bearss and sons, Todd and Andy Olmsted, all of Brandon.

Memorials may be sent to the Civil War Preservation Trust.

Robert Lee Arnold.

TRANSYLVANIA, La. – Robert Lee Arnold died Sunday, Oct. 8, 2006, at Promise Specialty Hospital. He was 38.

Mr. Arnold was born in Tulsa, Okla., and had lived in Transylvania, La., for four years. He had worked as purchasing agent with EFABCO of Vicksburg. He graduated from Tallulah High School and received EMT certification training. He was also a certified welder.

Survivors include his mother, Lillie Gail Arnold of Jena, La.; a daughter, Karleigh Arnold of Transylvania; one brother, Benjamin Q. Arnold of Tallulah; one sister, Dionna Jean Arnold of Flowood; and his daughter’s mother, Krystal Suzanne King of Transylvania.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Melbourne Baptist Church with the Rev. Butch Goodman officiating. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery in Tallulah.

Visitation will be from 5 until 8 tonight at Crothers-Glenwood Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Eric Jenkins, Chaffin Florice, Billy Peacock, Gary Gunn, Tony Walker, Robert Cunningham and Jimmy Olivoe.

Betty Jo Chappell.

RAYMOND – Betty Jo Chappell died Sunday, Oct. 8, 2006, at her home in Raymond. She was 83.

Born in Laural, Okla., Mrs. Chappell had lived most of her life in Hinds County. She retired from Presto Manufacturing in Jackson and Magna America in Raymond. She was a member of Salem Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Sidney Chappell.

She is survived by one son, Freddie Joe Duncan of Jackson; one daughter, Cherly Jones of Raymond; two sisters, Vela Moore of Warren, Texas, and Edna Earl Cessna of Utica; and two grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Salem Baptist Church in Learned with Bart Ladner officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 until 8 tonight at Glenwood Funeral Home in Utica.

Pallbearers will be Fred Cessna, Roy Cessna, Bill Cessna, Chris Freeman, Johnny Moore and Ray McDaniel.

Lucye E. Harlan.

COLLINS – Lucye E. Harlan died Saturday, Oct. 7, 2006, in Collins. She was 94.

A native of Pattison, Ms. Harlan was a longtime resident of Jackson. She was a member of Parkway Baptist Church in Clinton.

She is survived by a brother, B.L. Harlan of Richton, Miss., and nieces and nephews.

Services will be at 2 today at Glenwood Funeral Home Chapel in Port Gibson. Burial will follow at Wintergreen Cemetery in Port Gibson. Visitation will be from noon today until the service.

Pallbearers will be Aaron Rials, Brian Rials, Hank Harlan, Ted Dennis, Sam Earl Sorrels, C.W. Humphries.

Wilbourn Elverton Pharr.

Wilbourn Elverton Pharr died Saturday, Oct. 7, 2006, at River Region Medical Center in Vicksburg. He was 92.

Mr. Pharr retired from R.G. LeTourneau as a machinist after 31 years of service. He was employed with the Mississippi Highway Department for eight years.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Ollie Sue McCormick Pharr; a daughter, Elizabeth Ann Pharr Greer; three brothers, Sherman Pharr, Edward Pharr and Eugene &#8220Benny” Pharr; and three sisters, Christine Pharr, Melinda Pharr and Rebel Conners.

He is survived by his wife, Jo Ann Trichell Pharr of Vicksburg; five daughters, Nancy Pharr Pitchford, Martha Rose Pharr and Kathy Pharr Knighton, all of Vicksburg, Linda Pharr Chappell of Nokomis, Fla., and Wanda Pharr Cook of Alexandria, Va.; a brother, J.T. Pharr of Big Sandy, Texas; three sisters, Vera Bennett, Maxine Castle and Aline McCary, all of Meridian; 12 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Glenwood Funeral Home in Vicksburg with the Rev. Billy Brumfield officiating. Burial will follow at Green Acres Memorial Park.

Visitation will be at the funeral home from 6 until 8 tonight and on Tuesday from 1 p.m. until the service.

Pallbearers will be Mak Knighton, Robin Knighton, Jamie Greer, Ronnie Sullivan, Wendell Sullivan, Robert Pharr, Justin Byers and Charles Pharr.

Honorary pallbearers will be Sammy Sullivan and Ronald Landry.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.