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.

Shellie Brown Cotton

ANGUILLA Shellie Brown Cotton died Monday, March 10, 2003, at Delta Regional Hospital in Greenville. She was 51.

Ms. Cotton was a resident of Anguilla.

Survivors include her parents, Joseph and Minnie Brown of Anguilla; two sons, Christopher Lee and Joseph Cotton, both of Anguilla; a brother, Howard Brown of Tchula; three sisters, Helen Bush of Anguilla and Josephine Brown and Diane Brown, both of Chicago; and a grandchild.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Christian Light M.B. Church in Anguilla with Willie McCray officiating. Burial will follow at Cynthia Diana Cemetery in Anguilla.

Visitation will be from 6 until 7 tonight at Walker Funeral Home in Rolling Fork.

Rosie Duckworth

ROLLING FORK Rosie Duckworth died Saturday, March 8, 2003, at Delta Regional Medical Center. She was 60.

Ms. Duckworth was a resident of Rolling Fork.

Survivors include her mother, Corean Duckworth of Rolling Fork; three brothers, Walter Duckworth Jr. and Daniel Duckworth, both of Rolling Fork, and Juster Duckworth of Vicksburg; six sisters, Johnnie D. Jones of Neptune, N.J., Ellen Thompson of Chicago, Betty Bell of Delta City, Miss., Mary Wilkins of Hammond, Ind., and Marion Williams and Sharion Duckworth, both of Rolling Fork; and other relatives and friends.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Salem M.B. Church in Rolling Fork with the Rev. Elijah Lewis officiating. Burial will follow at Weathers/Duckworth Cemetery under the direction of Walker Funeral Home in Rolling Fork.

Ernest Fields Jr.

NATCHEZ Ernest “Buster” Fields Jr. died Sunday, March 9, 2003, at Central Mississippi Medical Center. He was 56.

Mr. Fields was born in Adams County. He attended St. Francis Elementary, Sadie V. Thompson High School, Tuskegee University and Alcorn State University. He was of the Catholic faith.

He received an honorable discharge from the Air Force and was a teacher and coach with the Natchez-Adams School District.

Mr. Fields was preceded in death by his parents, Ernest Fields Sr. and Marie Fields.

He is survived by a daughter, Evette Marie Fields, a son, Ernest “Tony” Fields; and other relatives and friends.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Zion Chapel A.M.E. Church with the Rev. A.R. Brown officiating. Burial will follow at Pine Hill Memorial Park Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 3 until 9 tonight at West Funeral Home in Natchez with rosary at 8:15 and from 10 a.m. Saturday until the service at the church.

Pallbearers will be Dedrich Harris, Stanley Clark Jr., Wilbert Whitley, Robert Raines, Elbert “Mo” Lyles, John Bates, Travis Rice and G.A. Dunkley.

Honorary pallbearers will be the men of the Class of 1965.

Paula Grayson

Paula Grayson died Wednesday, March 12, 2003, at River Region Medical Center. She was 33.

Ms. Grayson was employed with Tyson Inc. She was of the Baptist faith.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Mary Lee Duck, and a sister, Nevah Duck.

Survivors include four sons, De’Anthony Grayson and De’Arius Grayson, both of Vicksburg, Don Grayson of Missouri and Derringer Grayson of Kentucky; four daughters, De’Martennia Stevenson and Dillateese Grayson, both of Vicksburg, Davita Grayson of St. Louis, Mo., and DeVon Cole of Kentucky; her father, Seywood Grayson of Vicksburg; three sisters, Stacey Duck of Turkey, Cheryl Grayson of Jackson and Pearl Proctor Vaughn of Vicksburg; and friends and other relatives, including Charlotte Taylor, Edna Lee Taylor, Minnie Grayson and Bobby Lee Taylor, all of Vicksburg.

Williams Funeral Service has charge of arrangements.

Helen W. Hearn

Helen W. Hearn died Thursday, March 13, 2003, at her home. She was 65.

A native of Forest, Miss., Mrs. Hearn had been a Vicksburg resident since 1956. She retired in 1999 as head teller for Merchants National Bank after 35 years of service. She was a member of the Eastern Star, Finance Women International Association and Vicksburg Church of Christ.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John D. and Elberta Walley Williamson; and a brother, James C. “Buddy” Williamson.

Survivors include her husband, J.W. Hearn of Vicksburg; two daughters, Nina McBee and Terry Holman, both of Vicksburg; two sons, James “William” Hearn II and Herman “Anthony” Hearn, both of Vicksburg; a stepdaughter, Janice Mitchell of Grenada, Miss.; a sister, Rebecca Cooper of Vicksburg; two brothers, John “Johnny” Williamson of Vicksburg and Raymond Williamson of Quitman, Miss.; and eight grandchildren.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Fisher Funeral Home Chapel with Les Ferguson officiating. Burial will follow at Green Acres Cemetery.

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

Pallbearers will be Brad Abbott, Dustin Abbott, Eric Abbott, Blake Birdsong, Michael McBee, Robert Abbott, Dean Hearn, Jay Mitchell and Greg Mitchell.

Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Martin Newcomb and staff, Dr. James Vrendenburgh; members of Vicksburg Church of Christ; former employees of Merchants National Bank and Hospice Ministries.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Association, P.O. Box 1193, Vicksburg, MS 39181-1193.

John W. Holmes Sr.

BATON ROUGE John W. Holmes Sr. died Thursday, March 13, 2003, at his home in Baton Rouge. He was 82.

A former resident of Utica, Mr. Holmes lived in Baton Rouge. He was an Army veteran serving in World War II and the Korean Conflict. He was a retired pipefitter.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Frances Holmes of Baton Rouge; four sons, Greg Holmes and Johnny Holmes, both of Denham Springs, La., and Larry Holmes and Jimmy Holmes, both of Utica; a daughter, Brenda Kinchen of Baton Rouge; 15 grandchildren; and 24 great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at Rabenhorst Funeral Home in Baton Rouge. Burial will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Utica Cemetery under the direction of Glenwood Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Danny Holsomback, Tommy Reed, Shane Snapp, Jason Holmes, Duane Lewis, Treigh Kees and Trevor Holmes.

Memorials may be made to Brookstown Baptist Church, 6066 Evangeline St., Baton Rouge, LA 70805.