The Vicksburg Post prints obituaries for residents, former residents and residents’ immediate family members who resided elsewhere when notified by a family member or a funeral home. There is no charge for printing an obituary, but all are edited to meet the newspaper’s requirements.

NORMAN JOSEPH BALLARD

DURHAM, N.C. Norman Joseph Ballard died Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2002, at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. He was 55.

Born in Jefferson County, Mr. Ballard received a bachelor’s degree from Alcorn State University. He lived in Durham and was a self-employed general contractor and a Mason.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James Willie Ballard and Ida Mae Jones; and a brother, James Ballard Jr.

Survivors include three daughters, Tammy Harris of Port Gibson, Nashawnda Ballard of Cordova, Tenn., and Natalie Ballard of Memphis; two brothers, Emmanuel Gaines of Natchez and Robert Thomas Ballard of Lorman; a sister, Mary Ballard McElroy of Dayton, Ohio; a granddaughter; and other relatives and friends including, Carolyn Young of Durham.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Jessamine Ridge M.B. Church in Fayette with the Rev. Fredrick Davis officiating. Burial will follow at Jessamine Ridge Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 1 until 7 p.m. Tuesday with family visitation from 7 until 8 at Rollins Funeral Home Chapel in Fayette.

Pallbearers will be friends of the family.

BERTHA ELMORE

Services for Bertha Elmore will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at New Zion M.B. Church with the Rev. Henry Williams officiating. Burial will follow at New Zion Cemetery under the direction of W.H. Jefferson funeral home.

Visitation will be from 6 until 7 tonight and noon until the service Tuesday at the church.

Ms. Elmore died Thursday, Nov. 14, 2002, at River Region Medical Center. She was 63.

A resident of Vicksburg, she was a member of New Zion M.B. Church and worked at Shady Lawn Nursing Home.

She was preceded in death by her father, George Elmore; and four brothers, Paul Elmore, Willard Elmore, Henry Wright and James Elmore.

Survivors include four sons, Howard Elmore of Jackson, Randy Elmore of Vicksburg and Rowan Elmore and Paul Elmore, both of Killeen, Texas; three daughters, Marilyn Ellis, Joyce Johnson and Yvonne Elmore, all of Vicksburg; her mother, Ethel Elmore of Vicksburg; three sisters, Gwendolyn Carter of Chicago, and Mary Elmore and Alma Parson, both of Vicksburg; nine grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.

MELVIN MATHES JR.

UTICA Melvin Mathes Jr. died Sunday, Nov. 17, 2002, at G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Veterans Hospital in Jackson. He was 74.

A resident of Utica, Mr. Mathes was a veteran of the Air Force, retired from the timber industry and a member of First Christian Church.

Survivors include his wife, Eleanor Mathes of Utica; a son, Gene Mathes of Utica; a daughter, Mary Shuler of Crystal Springs; three brothers, Earle Mathes of Utica, William Mathes of Ponchatoula, La., and David Mathes of Holden, La.; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Services will be at graveside at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Utica Cemetery. Burial will follow under the direction of Glenwood Funeral Home in Utica.

Visitation will be from 5 until 8 tonight at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Matthew Wright, Wayne Mathes, Sidney Mathes, Jim Chandler, Gary Box and Jason Shuler.