YAZOO CITY Annie Bell Rather died Thursday, June 12, 2003, at King’s Daughters Hospital in Yazoo City. She was 91.

A former resident of Vicksburg, Mrs. Rather lived in Yazoo City. She was a homemaker and a member of Wayside Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, J.T. Rather; a son, Cecil Rather; and a daughter, Alice Blackwell.

Survivors include four sons, Buddy Rather of Jackson, Charles Rather of Edwards, Fred Rather of Baytown, Texas, and Joe Rather of Ridgeland; two daughters, Julie Keene of Yazoo City and Lois Cumberland of Crosby, Texas; 19 grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren; 17 great-great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home in Raymond. Burial will follow at Lebanon Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 until 8 tonight and from noon until the service Saturday at the funeral home.

Hattie Mae Smith

Hattie Mae Smith died Tuesday, June 10, 2003, at River Region Medical Center. She was 88.

A domestic worker, Mrs. Smith was a member of Progressive Baptist Church in Gulfport, where she was on the Mother’s board.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Jimmy and Lula Besters; three sisters, Classie Thompson, Mary Terrell and Lucy Besters; three brothers, Willie Besters, Buddy Besters and Hosey Besters; a son, Thomas B. Johnson; and her husband, James Smith.

She is survived by Grace Gamble of Gulfport and a son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Gloria Johnson of Vicksburg.

Williams Funeral Service has charge of arrangements.

Harry Uttley Jr.

TATUM, Texas Harry Uttley Jr. died Wednesday, June 11, 2003, at Marshall Manor Nursing Home in Marshall, Texas. He was 90.

A resident of Tatum, Texas, Mr. Uttley was a Navy veteran, having served in World War II, and was the owner of a furniture and upholstery store until his retirement. He was a fourth-degree Knight of Columbus and a member of the NRA. He served in the choir and as a lector and Eucharistic minister at St. Joseph Catholic Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry Uttley Sr. and Mayme Clare Collie Uttley; a son, Bill Putnam Jr.; and a brother, William Thomas.

Survivors include his wife, Marion R. Finch Putnam Uttley of Tatum; two sons, John Lee Putnam of El Paso, Texas, and Harmon L. Putnam of Marshall, Texas; three daughters, Sylvia Rogers of Tatum, and Regina Agent and Frankie Putnam, both of Marshall; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; a great-great-grandchild; nieces and nephews in Vicksburg; and other relatives.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marshall with the Rev. Denzil Vithanage officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery.

Visitation will follow a scripture service at 6 tonight in the chapel of Sullivan Funeral Home in Marshall.

Pallbearers will be Rickey Clark, Wayne Agent, Bruce Hale, Danny Ray Abbott, Jay Abbott, Chuck Abbott, Mike Muse and Tony Putnam.

Honorary pallbearers will be the Knights of Columbus, George Rogers, Melton Turlington, Roy Cole, James Young, Jack Jennings, Millard Finch, Lloyd Fite and Drs. David Geary, John Berry, Keith Alcox, James Logan and Odet Santa.