June 13, 2003

Published 12:00 am Friday, June 13, 2003

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.

John W. Alexander Jr.

John W. Alexander Jr. died Thursday, June 12, 2003, at Heritage House Nursing Home. He was 66.

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A native of Vicksburg, Mr. Alexander had lived in Florida most of his life before returning to Vicksburg in 2002. He was an Army veteran, having served in the Korean War, and an auto mechanic. He was of the Baptist faith.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John W. Alexander Sr. and Jessie Taylor Alexander; a sister, Faye Stalls; a brother, George Alexander; and a stepfather, James Trimble.

Survivors include a son, Johnny Alexander of Vicksburg; a daughter, Debbie Newman of Vicksburg; a brother, Sammie Alexander of Vicksburg; two sisters, Carolyn Thompson of Huntsville, Ala., and Jessie Thompson of Vicksburg; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews; and other relatives.

Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Cedar Hill Cemetery with Dr. W. Frank Lescallette, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will follow under the direction of Fisher Funeral Home.

Thomas E. Bedgood

TALLULAH Thomas E. Bedgood died Wednesday, June 11, 2003, at River Region Medical Center. He was 55.

A resident of Tallulah, Mr. Bedgood was a retired farmer and a member of Willow Bayou Baptist Church.

Survivors include three sons, Mike Bedgood, Chris Bedgood and Tracy Bedgood, all of Tallulah; a stepson, Adrian Cooksey of Vicksburg; a daughter, Brandy Bedgood of Vicksburg; three brothers, John Bedgood of Heflin, La., James Bedgood of Jamestown, La., and Benny Bedgood of Tallulah; two sisters, Eva McCoy of Tallulah and Patricia Henson of Spencer, Tenn.; and four grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Crothers-Glenwood Funeral Home in Tallulah with the Revs. Charles Gaston and Cletus Moak officiating. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Jimmy Cook, Adrian Cooksey, Bert Batchelor, Thomas Russell, Rusty Bedgood, Timmy Bedgood, Carl McCoy and Paul Henson Jr.

Honorary pallbearers will be Harry Herman, Billy Wilson, Drs. Michael Davis and Daniel Edney, and the employees of Madison Parish Dialysis Center.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, P.O. Box 50, Memphis, TN 38101-9929.

Dante Donald Ganzerla

Dante Donald Ganzerla died Thursday, June 12, 2003, at his home. He was 77.

Born in Monroe, La., Mr. Ganzerla lived most of his life in Vicksburg. He was the son of the late Dante Virgil and Felecia Bendinelli Ganzerla. He was a 1944 graduate of St. Aloysius High School.

He served in the Marines in World War II, where he was in the battle of Iwo Jima. In 1977, he retired from the City of Vicksburg Fire Department after 20 years of service, and later retired from the Vicksburg Traffic Department in 1987.

He worked as custodian at St. Paul Catholic Church for more than 15 years. He was a former member of the Knights of Columbus and was a hospice volunteer. He was a member of the American Legion, Mississippi River Beekeepers Association and St. Paul Catholic Church.

In addition to his parents, Mr. Ganzerla was preceded in death by a son, Michael Ganzerla.

Survivors include his wife, Katherleen Ganzerla of Vicksburg; two daughters, Benita Temple of Dripping Springs, Texas, and Veronica Coffing of Vicksburg; two sons, John Ganzerla of Madison and Donald Ganzerla of Jackson; four sisters, Matilda Moyer and Ethlyn Lashley, both of Vicksburg, Felecia Wolverton of Brandon and Grace Kish of Parlin, N.J.; nine grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

A Mass of the Resurrection will be said at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul Catholic Church with the Rev. Patrick Farrell, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight at Fisher Funeral Home with wake at 7 p.m.

Pallbearers will be Brad Temple, Daniel Temple, Kenny Lashley, Glen Allen, Preston Jackson Jr. and Roy Nelson.

Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Anderson, Ben Horton, Jimmy Speyerer, Joe Crow, Joe Gerache, Sid Tucker, Ed Lawler, Millie Lewis, Toni Dickerson, Sam Lusco, John Cesare, George Roesch, Diane Washington, Nadine Rozier, Paul Dolan, Louis Renaud, Nick Lavecchia, Rachael Crawford, Bobby Smith, Preston Jackson Sr., Rodgers Coffing Sr. and Keith Howle.

Memorials may be made to St. Paul Catholic Church, 713 Crawford St., Vicksburg, MS 39180; Patients Choice Hospice and Palliative Care, 1911 Mission 66, Suite C, Vicksburg, MS 39180; or to Vicksburg Catholic School, 1900 Grove St., Vicksburg, MS 39183.