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.

Alfred Louis Brown

Alfred Louis Brown died Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2008, at his home in Vicksburg. He was 55.

Mr. Brown was a member of St. Peter M.B. Church. He graduated from H.V. Cooper High School and attended the University of Nebraska. He was employed with the Vicksburg Warren School District and in security at Ameristar Casino.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Alfonso Brown, Clara Brown and Fannie McDonald; and his father, Eddie Thomas.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Coleman Brown of Vicksburg; his mother, Fannie Thomas of Vicksburg; a brother, Eddie Thomas Jr. of Lincoln, Neb.; four sisters, Maggie Burton and Janice Thomas, both of Vicksburg, and Kathy Cravens and GloDean Jackson, both of Lincoln; and other relatives and friends, including Cathy Ballard of Vicksburg.

Lakeview Memorial Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

Marion Cummings

Services for Marion Cummings will be at 2 today at Cedar Hill Cemetery under the direction of Glenwood Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at the funeral home.

Mr. Cummings died Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2008, at Vicksburg Convalescent Home. He was 72.

A native of Brazil, Miss., Mr. Cummings had lived in Vicksburg for the past 49 years. He was a retired logger.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Elvie Hunter Cummings; one daughter, Constance Kay Cummings; two sisters, Shirl Logan and Lula Turner; and a brother, John Cummings.

Survivors include one daughter, Karen Hasty of Vicksburg; two sons, Butch Cummings of Memphis and Marion Cummings of Vicksburg; five brothers, Sam Cummings and Charlie Cummings, both of Dallas, Rocky Cummings of Borger, Texas, Travis Cummings of Boyd, Texas, and Fred Cummings of Vicksburg; five sisters, Dorothy Turner and Josie Williams, both of Enid, Nona Ford of Vicksburg, Rachael Karemidas of Dallas and Donna Welch of Borger; and eight grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Butch Cummings, Marion Cummings, Brad Cummings, Greg Hasty, Austin Hasty and Hunter Hasty.

Honorary pallbearers will be Louise Hasty and Phill Hunter.

Billy E. Ferguson

Services for Billy E. Ferguson will be at noon Saturday at W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Mr. Ferguson died Saturday, Jan. 5, 2008, at Delta Regional Medical Center in Greenville. He was 76.

A U.S. Navy veteran, Mr. Ferguson was employed with Anderson-Tully. He was of the Baptist faith.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Rosie Lee Washington.

He is survived by his son, Alphonso Mays of Mobile, Ala.; a daughter, Nadia Middleton of Vicksburg; two brothers, James Washington and Joseph Washington, both of Vicksburg; and three sisters, Clara L. Carter, Vera Washington and Leoda Williams, all of Vicksburg.

Dorothy C. Fisher

Dorothy C. Fisher died Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2008, at her home. She was 71.

Mrs. Fisher retired as a dietary supervisor from Bowmar Avenue Elementary School. She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Fisher; a brother, Samuel Bishop Jr.; and her parents, Samuel Sr. and Helen Lee Bishop.

Survivors include a sister, Betty Bishop Thomas of Vicksburg; and other relatives, including Helena Williams, Leonette Thomas and Cornell Thomas of Vicksburg.

W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

Charles Harris

Services for Charles Harris will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Bingham Memorial Baptist Church, 1063 Meadow St., with the Rev. James Archer officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery under the direction of W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home.

Visitation will be at the church from noon Friday until the service.

Mr. Harris died Saturday, Jan. 5, 2008, at River Region Medical Center. He was 74.

He was former principal at Bowmar Avenue Elementary and Bovina Elementary schools and retired from Entergy/Grand Gulf. He was a member of Bingham Memorial Baptist Church and the Alcorn Alumni Association.

Mr. Harris was preceded in death by his wife, Jennie R. Harris; a brother, James Harris Jr.; and his parents, James and Ethel B. Harris.

He is survived by a son, Charles L. Harris of Atlanta; four daughters, Regina Harris-Jones of Memphis and Ethel Harris, Cecelia Harris and Kristine Cosby, all of Vicksburg; eight grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and nephews, cousins and other relatives.

William Alexius Hickman

Funeral services for Mr. William Alexius “Billy” Hickman will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, 2008, in the chapel of Frank J. Fisher Funeral Home in Vicksburg with the Rev. Patrick Farrell of St. Paul Catholic Church officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be Saturday from 9 a.m. until the hour of the service at the funeral home on Cherry Street.

Mr. Hickman, 83, died Monday, Jan. 7, 2008, at River Region Medical Center. He was preceded in death by his parents, Tessie Peatross Hickman and James Gressett Hickman; sisters, Mary Hickman Brunini and Teresa Hickman Hullum; and brother, James “Sonny” Gressett Hickman Jr.

Survivors include his brother, Lawrence Hickman of Dublin, Ga.; nephews, John “Tad” McElligott of Pensacola, Fla., Mike Hickman of Atlanta, Gressett Hickman, Robert Hickman and Greg Hickman, all of Mobile, Ala., and Ed Brunini Jr. of Jackson; nieces, Ann Hickman and Cathy Hickman of Atlanta, Mary Brunini McArdle of Huntsville, Ala., Tessie Brunini Schweitzer of Jackson; and many grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

A native of Vicksburg, Mr. Hickman graduated from St. Aloysius High School and received his bachelor of arts and master of arts degrees from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He was employed by the Los Angeles School District as an elementary school teacher and later as a principal until his retirement. Upon his return to Mississippi, Mr. Hickman worked at the Vicksburg Convention & Visitors Bureau.

A talented writer and artist and a gregarious and fun-loving individual, Billy had many faithful friends in California and in Mississippi. As a school teacher, he was able to visit his mother every summer in Vicksburg. His nieces and nephews looked forward with great anticipation to summer, knowing that they would be entertained and challenged by Billy’s creative ghost stories, hiking adventures, swimming lessons and picnics.

Memorials may be made to a charity of your choice.

Eliza Jones

Eliza Jones died Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2008, in Edwards. She was 85.

Mrs. Jones was born in Mound, La.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ben Jones; her parents, Anderson Ragans and Lizzie Williams Ragans; and two brothers, Andrew Ragans Sr. and A.B. Ragans.

She is survived by one sister, Ethel Lee Carter of Edwards; and nieces, nephews and other relatives, including Betty Harris of Urbana, Ill.

Robbins Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

Barbara Ann Turner

PORT GIBSON — Barbara Ann Turner died Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2008, at Claiborne County Nursing Center in Port Gibson. She was 61.

A Claiborne County native, Mrs. Turner was of the Baptist faith.

She was preceded in death by her father, Spencer Turner; her mother, Mary Jackson; and her stepmother, Easter Turner.

Survivors include one son, Jerald B. Turner of Austin, Texas; one brother, Nathaniel Truitt of Port Gibson; a stepbrother, Carl Lipscomb of Port Gibson; one sister, Nora L. O’Quinn of Port Gibson; four stepsisters, Bessie Ratliff and Dr. Annie Kilcrease, both of Port Gibson, and Wessie Green and Barbara Jean Jackson, both of Chicago; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Mercy Seat Baptist Church with the Rev. Frank McGriggs officiating. Burial will follow at Mercy Seat Cemetery.

Visitation will be from noon until 6 p.m. Friday at Rollins Funeral Home in Port Gibson with family hour from 6 until 7.

Pearlie Webber

Services for Pearlie Webber will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Living Word Baptist Church, 260 Mississippi 27, with the Rev. Steve Duncan officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 1 until 6 p.m. Friday at Dillon-Chisley Funeral Home and Saturday at the church from 10 a.m. until the service.

Mrs. Webber died Thursday, Jan. 3, 2008, at Vicksburg Convalescent Home. She was 96.

Mrs. Webber was a member of Living Word Baptist Church, where she served on the mother’s board.

She was preceded in death by her husband, George Webber; two daughters; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Survivors include two daughters, Willie B. Bell of Vicksburg and Georgia B. Hall of Rolling Fork; 12 grandchildren; 60 great-grandchildren; 21 great-great-grandchildren; and other relatives and friends, including Authar Mae Johnson of Rolling Fork and Alonzo Webber of Vicksburg.

Samuel M. White III

UTICA — Samuel M. White III died Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2008, at his home in Utica. He was 82.

A native of Louisiana, Mr. White was a graduate of Utica High School and Mississippi State University. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Air Force. He was a Mason.

He served as school principal in Benoit, Shelby, Pinola and Utica high schools. He also served 53 years with the Volunteer Fire Departments in Benoit, Shelby, Pinola and Utica. He was a member of the Utica Baptist Church.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Lillian Hubbard White of Utica; one daughter, Mildred Reed and husband, Cliff, of Magee; one son, Sammy White of Utica; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Utica Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Utica Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 until 8 tonight at Glenwood Funeral Home in Utica and Friday at the church from 10 a.m. until the service.

Pallbearers will be Chad White, Chris White, Andrew White, Walter “Bud” White, Justin Newman, Josh Newman, Dale McLemore and Darvin Sibley.

Memorials are requested to the Utica Baptist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 205, Utica, MS 39175.