ROY LEE ALLEN

Roy Lee Allen died Saturday, Sept. 15, 2001, at Madison Parish Hospital. He was 71.

Mr. Allen was born in Kilbourne, La., and had lived in Tallulah since 1968. He was a member of Parkview Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe Lee and Mittie Allen; a daughter, Rachel Allen; a sister, Nancy Lee Stone; and a brother, Joe Ed Allen.

He is survived by his wife, Althea Jones Allen of Tallulah; five daughters, Louise Glass of Tallulah, Mary Ann Vining of Ridgecrest, La., Alice Carson of Sulphur, Edith Mitchell of Madison, Miss., and Cindy Guidry of Thibodeaux, La.; three sons, James Jones of Tallulah, Billy Ray Jones of Rhome, Texas, and Eugene Allen of New York; four brothers, Ernest L. Allen of West Monroe, Melvin T. Allen of Benton, La., J.L. Allen of Kilbourne, La., and Carl E. Allen of Hobbs, N.M.; three sisters, Evelyn Langston of Kilbourne, Betty Sue Fulmer of Rayville, La., and Helen Ann Bolton of Hobbs; 10 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; nieces; and nephews.

Services for Mr. Allen were Monday at Parkview Baptist Church in Tallulah with the Revs. John Rushing and Cletus Moak officiating. Burial followed at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Harold Bolton, Brian Panquin, Tommy Dunning, Joe Jobe, Steve Whitley, Don Butler, Bruce Clack and Joel Stone.

Honorary pallbearers were Dr. L.P. Neumann Jr. and Mr. Allen’s grandsons: Odell Vining Jr., Brad Smith, Todd Glass, Scott Vining, Randy Guidry, John Guidry, Eugene Guidry and Cody Gately.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 2121 Fairfield Ave., Shreveport, LA, or Parkview Baptist Church, Kimbrough Drive, Tallulah, LA 71282.

BESSIE STAMPLEY GAINES

Services for Bessie Stampley Gaines will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Calvary M.B. Church with the Rev. R.T. Strong officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Mrs. Gaines died Thursday, Sept. 13, 2001, at ParkView Regional Medical Center. She was 83.

Mrs. Gaines was a member of Calvary Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Ella Norton Stampley; three brothers, Curley Stampley, Francis Stampley and Freddy Stampley; and two sisters, Helen Jackson and Mary Butler.

She is survived by her husband, Robert Gaines of Vicksburg; one son, Karl Gaines of Vicksburg; one brother, George Stampley of Athens, Ga.; nephews; nieces including Dot Daniel of Vicksburg; and other relatives.

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

ANN GATES LAKOWICZ

Ann Gates Lakowicz died Saturday, Sept. 15, 2001, at Mountain Area Hospice Solace Center in Asheville, N.C. She was 69.

Mrs. Lakowicz, formerly Ann Gates Jolly, is a former Vicksburg resident but had lived in Asheville for 29 years. She was a graduate of Clinton High School and received her diploma as a registered nurse from Mercy Hospital, Street Memorial School of Nursing, in Vicksburg.

Mrs. Lakowicz worked as a federal occupational health nurse for the Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from 1972 until 1995. She previously had worked as an occupational health nurse for the Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg, as a registered nurse for the International Paper Co. in Redwood and as an operating room nurse for Mercy Hospital.

She is survived by a son, Robert M. Jolly of Evanston, Ill.; two daughters, Karen J. McDonald of Jacksonville, Fla., and Elizabeth J. Kelley of Clinton; a brother, W.T. Gates of Brandon; five grandchildren, Wesley McDonald and Meghan McDonald, both of Jacksonville, and Scott Kelley, Jamie Kelley and Ashley Kelley, all of Clinton.

Services for Mrs. Lakowicz will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church in Asheville.

Visitation will be at 7 p.m. Friday at the Groce Funeral Home in Asheville.

MARY AMBORN MELSHEIMER

Mary Amborn Melsheimer died Sunday, Sept. 16, 2001, at ParkView Regional Medical Center. She was 84.

A lifelong resident of Vicksburg, Mrs. Melsheimer was a past president of the Middle Mississippi Girl Scout Council and was a member of various community and cultural organizations.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Edwin S. Melsheimer Sr.

She is survived by a daughter, Mary M. Fowler of Vicksburg; a son, Edwin S. “Sam” Melsheimer Jr. of Neotsu, Ore.; five grandchildren, Joan Fowler of Silver Spring, Md., Virginia McKeen Butler of Brownsville, Tenn., and Laura Callaway, Amy Fowler-Horne and Eric Fowler, all of Vicksburg; and three great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Melsheimer donated her body to the UMC donor program.

Visitation will be from 1 until 4 p.m. Sunday at the family home, 2 Melborn Place.

Memorials may be made to a favorite charity.

THOMAS BRADFORD MITCHELL

Thomas Bradford “Brad” Mitchell died Sunday, Sept. 16, 2001, in Sevierville, Tenn. He was 42.

Mr. Mitchell was a native of Chattanooga, Tenn. He graduated in 1978 from Warren Central High School after receiving a scholarship in the Tri-State and National welding competitions.

He attended Hinds Junior College and worked at International Paper for 22 years. He was also a former Wal-Mart employee. He was a member of Wayside Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his father, Kelsey Henry Mitchell.

Survivors include two daughters, Sharon Mitchell and Kelsey Mitchell, both of Vicksburg; his mother and stepfather, Flora and Harry Sherard of Vicksburg; and a sister, Karen Mitchell of Vicksburg.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Fisher-Riles Funeral Home with the Revs. Larry Haggard and Carl Barnes officiating. Burial will follow at Wayside Baptist Church Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Wayne Bishop, Mike Hudson, Trey Gordon, Jeff Grimes, Roger Roland, Bob Anderton, Don Roland and Gary Anderton.

Honorary pallbearers will be Steve Cooper, Jerry McCarthy, Paul Harbin, Gwin Taylor and Stanley Porter.

Memorials may be made to Wayside Baptist Church Building Fund, 6151 Jeff Davis Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180.

WALTER H. MITCHELL JR.

Walter H. “Walt” Mitchell Jr. died Sunday, Sept. 16, 2001, at his home. He was 54.

A native of Athens, Ga., Mr. Mitchell was reared in Orlando, Fla. He graduated from the University of Georgia in Athens and was an outdoorsman. He served as development representative for Dupont Agricultural Products, working in Georgia, North Carolina, New York and Texas.

He had lived in Vicksburg for the past 17 years. He was a member of Taylor Lake Hunting Club and owner of Freer East Hunting Club in Ebenezer. He was a member of Hawkins United Methodist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Sue Manley Mitchell of Vicksburg; two sons, Walter H. “Mitch” Mitchell III and Josh H. Mitchell, both of Vicksburg; his mother, Helen Durham Mitchell of Blakely, Ga.; a sister, Peggy Enfinger of Blakely; and other relatives.

Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Hawkins United Methodist Church with the Rev. Mitchell Hedgepeth officiating.

Visitation will be from 5 until 8 tonight at Fisher-Riles Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the Hawkins United Methodist Church Building Fund, 3736 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180.