Bertha “Mother Dear” Wade died Thursday, July 31, 2003, at her daughter’s home. She was 83.

Mrs. Wade was a member of Bethel A.M.E. Church, where she served as pianist for a number of years. She was also pianist at Travis Chapel A.M.E. Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Calvin Wade.

Survivors include five daughters, Dollie Harris of New Orleans, Sylvia Daniels and Alberta Matthews, both of Shreveport, La., and Patricia Sturgis and Lois Brown, both of Vicksburg; 11 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and other relatives.

Dillon-Chisley Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

Emily V. Wright

Emily V. Wright died Tuesday, July 29, 2003, at the University of South Alabama Medical Center in Mobile. She was 19.

Born in Vicksburg, Miss Wright attended Vicksburg High School and was enrolled at Hinds Community College. She was of the Baptist faith.

She was preceded in death by her great-grandfathers, J.W. “Bill” Neiman and Claud Piersall.

Survivors include her mother, Dana N. Wackerbarth of Orlando, Fla.; her father, Dewey M. Wright II of Vicksburg; a brother, Dewey M. “Aaron” Wright III of Vicksburg; her maternal grandparents, Bill and Judy Neiman of Austin, Texas; her paternal grandparents, Roena Mullins of Tahlequah, Okla., and Dewey M. Wright of Vicksburg; and great-grandmothers, Leona Neiman of St. Cloud, Minn., and Elouise Piersall of Tahlequah.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Yokena Cemetery with the Rev. Terry White, pastor of Bowmar Baptist Church, officiating.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight at Riles Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.