From January 27, 2001

Published 12:00 am Monday, January 29, 2001

REV. ROBERT P. BROWN

The Rev. Robert P. Brown died Friday, January 26, 2001, at Vicksburg Medical Center. He was 42.

Rev. Brown was a member of King David No. 2 M.B. Church and Friendship Tabernacle No. 391 of the Knights and Daughters of Tabor.

Email newsletter signup

Sign up for The Vicksburg Post's free newsletters

Check which newsletters you would like to receive
  • Vicksburg News: Sent daily at 5 am
  • Vicksburg Sports: Sent daily at 10 am
  • Vicksburg Living: Sent on 15th of each month

He was preceded in death by his father, the late Rev. Ben Brown Sr.; and two brothers, Bradford Williams and Bennie Brown.

He is survived by his mother, Martha Brown of Vicksburg; five sisters, Mary Daniels, Roberta Williams, Rose James and JoAnn Moore, all of Vicksburg, and Johnnie Rush of Houston, Texas; three brothers, Ben Brown Jr. of Vicksburg, Willie Brown of Rocky Face, Ga., and Isaac Brown of Baltimore; and nieces, nephews and other relatives.

Robbins Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

LEO EDWARD LOVIZA

MONROE, La. Leo Edward Loviza died Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2001, at Gulfport Memorial Hospital. He was 70.

Born in Monroe, Mr. Loviza was a graduate of Northeast College there and Louisiana Tech University in Ruston. He worked for the Illinois Central Railroad before moving to Soda Springs, Idaho, where he was an engineer and later manager at Monsanto Chemical Plant. He had recently retired to Biloxi.

He was a licensed Realtor and was a member of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served in Korea.

Mr. Loviza was preceded in death by a son, Jeff Loviza, and his father, Leo P. Loviza.

He is survived by his wife, Joan Wood Loviza; a daughter, Debbie Loviza of Chicago; two sons, Mark Loviza of Albuquerque, N.M., and Mike Loviza of San Diego, Calif.; a brother, Welman Joseph Loviza of Seabrook, N.H.; his mother, Blanche Johnson Loviza of Monroe; and other relatives, including members of the Loviza, Vedros, Curro, Lefoldt, McStravick, Johnson, McMaster, Horton, Bori, Irby and Kennedy families of Vicksburg.

Services were at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church in Monroe. Burial followed under the direction of Mulhern Funeral Home.

FRANK SMITH

Services for Frank Smith were Thursday at Warrenton Independent Baptist Church with the Revs. Johnny Welborn and Roy Williams officiating. Burial followed at Green Acres Memorial Park under the direction of Fisher-Riles Funeral Home.

Mr. Smith died Monday, Jan. 22, 2001, at ParkView Regional Medical Center. He was 64.

He had lived in Vicksburg most of his life. He was a veteran of the Air Force and a member of Warrenton Independent Baptist Church. He retired as a millwright from Vicksburg Chemical Company.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James H. and Ruby Hensley Smith; and a granddaughter, Skylar Delane Smith.

Survivors include his wife, Gayla M. Smith of Vicksburg; two daughters, Vicky Lynn Penny and Debra Louise Graham, both of Vicksburg; two sons, Jimmy Smith of Murray, Ky., and Gary W. Smith of Cartersville, Ga.; two sisters, Catherine Hollowell and Linda Hull, both of Vicksburg; five brothers, Bobby J. Smith, Richard E. Smith, William G. Smith and Charles H. Smith, all of Vicksburg, and L. Wayne Smith of Madison; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and other relatives.

Pallbearers were Bobby Joe Smith, Richard Earl Smith, William G. Smith, L. Wayne Smith, Robert Hollowell and James Hull.

Honorary pallbearers were the men of Warrenton Independent Baptist Church.

Memorials may be made to Warrenton Independent Baptist Church, 829 Belva Drive, Vicksburg, 39180 or to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 1193, Vicksburg, 39181-1193.

ROBERT VARDAMAN STOKES

LOUISVILLE Robert Vardaman Stokes died Thursday, Jan. 25, 2001. He was 83.

Mr. Stokes was an Army veteran of World War II. He was a retired carpenter and a member of Vernon Assembly of God Church in Louisville.

He was preceded in death by a son, Darrel Stokes; a daughter, Evelyn Stokes; and a granddaughter, Sherri Craft.

He is survived by his wife, Minnie R. Stokes of Vicksburg; a son, Milton Stokes of Greenville, Tenn.; three daughters, Dorothy D. Livingston of Vicksburg, Betty Pecanty of Vidalia, La., and Becky Hatcher of Rolling Fork; two brothers, Vance Stokes of Pineville, La., and Virgil Stokes of Greenville; 14 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren.

Services were at 2 p.m. Saturday at Vernon Assembly of God Church in Louisville with the Rev. Mark Thompson officiating.

Pallbearers were Dr. Michael Baker, Dwight Baker, Robert Stokes, Darin Pecanty, Robert Monk and Rodney Porter Jr.

Honorary pallbearers were Dr. Lee Giffin, Louis Hatcher, Jason Sykes, Allen Pecanty, Buddy Kelly, Clyde Stokes, Junior Roberson, Tony Thompson, Herman Roberson, Steven Roberson, Harold Roberson and Barron Roberson.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.

EDDIE D. UPSHAW JR.

YAZOO CITY Eddie D. “Shaw” Upshaw Jr. died Thursday, Jan. 25, 2001, at his home. He was 33.

Mr. Upshaw was a construction worker and a member of Parkview Church of God.

He is survived by his wife, Kellye Upshaw of Yazoo City; two sons, Preston Upshaw and Easton Upshaw, both of Yazoo City; a daughter, Elizabeth Ryan Upshaw of Yazoo City; his father, Eddie Upshaw Sr. of Pickens; his mother, Beth Vollstedt of Vicksburg; a brother, Shane Upshaw of Vicksburg; two sisters, Kim Bishop of Vicksburg and Tessie Harris of Biloxi; and a grandmother, Ruth Carey of Pickens.

Services were at 2 p.m. Saturday at Stricklin-King Funeral Home in Yazoo City with the Rev. Ken Lynch officiating. Burial followed at Quiet Ridge Cemetery in Pickens.

Pallbearers were Chat Ragland, Ches Gordon, Jess Woods, Michael Bagwell Jr., Mark Saxton and Britt Harris.

Memorials may be made to Shaw Upshaw Family Trust, c/o May & Co., 110 Monument Place, Vicksburg, MS. 39180.