JACKSON — Mrs. Louise C. West Bingham departed this life on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009, after a brief illness at the Central Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. She was 93.

Mrs. Bingham lived most of her life in Vicksburg on Court Street until her health failed. She then went to live with her daughter, Maria, and her son-in-law, Jeff, in Jackson in 1999.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Judge Robert Bingham Jr., and her parents, Sue and James E. West Sr.

Mother Bingham was a devoted member of the King Solomon Baptist Church and worked in the Vicksburg School system as a pastry chef until her retirement in 1989.

Mother Bingham leaves to cherish her life and memory a loving and devoted daughter, Maria Louise Bingham Reed; a son-in-law, Jeffery N. Reed Sr.; two brothers, James Ellis West Jr. and Clifton West (Frances); one sister, Sue West Harris; sisters–in-law, Gladys Bingham, Julia A. Thomas, Margaret A. Bingham, Roberta Kennedy and Robbie Bingham; brothers-in-law, Haskell Bingham, George Bingham Sr. and Horace Thomas Sr.; a grandson-in-law, Jeffery N. Reed Jr.; two great-grandchildren-in-law, Jeffery N. Reed III and Serenity Y. Reed; her “children” as she so fondly called them, Willie Willis Jr., Dearbria Willis McGee, Frank James III, Jared Williams, Tyrel Harris, James Carson III, and Corey and Niki Williams; and many other family members, including the Reed, Pratt, Bingham, Wilkinson and West families.

Special friends who were like sisters to her include Mrs. Ledora Marley and the late Mother Henriene Hayes and Ruby Giles. 

Tributes and homegoing celebration services for Mrs. Bingham will be as follows: Her body will lie in state Saturday at the King Solomon Baptist Church, 1401 Farmer St. in Vicksburg, for public viewing from 10 to 11 a.m. Visitation with the family and farewell tributes will take place at 11 a.m. immediately followed by memorial services at noon.

Services have been entrusted to Westhaven Memorial Funeral Home of Jackson. Condolences may be sent to the funeral Home at 3580 Robinson St., Jackson, MS 39209-6733, 601-922-3666. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.whmfh.com.