Vinkley Leroy Boone

Vinkley Leroy Boone died Monday, Nov. 10, 2003, at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Jackson. He was 78.

Mr. Boone was born in Vicksburg and was the son of the late John William and Mary Whitten Boone. He was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War, serving in the Navy.

He was preceded in death by two sisters, Margie Boone Foley and Louise Boone Mullen; and five brothers, James William Boone, John Austin Boone, Daniel Boone, Vernon Lawrence Boone and Wilfred Boone.

Mr. Boone is survived by two daughters, Vera Boone of Providence, R.I., and Mary B. Stephens of Crystal Springs; two sons, Peter L. Boone of Vicksburg and John L. Boone of Manchester, N.H.; three sisters, Leona Boone Beesley, Laura Boone Hunter and Margaret Boone Pagan, all of Vicksburg; a granddaughter, Hannah Stephens; and nieces and nephews.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Riles Funeral Home with Pastor John Novic officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery with full military honors. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. Tuesday until the hour of the service.

Wilburn Chrisman

OAK GROVE Wilburn “Bill” Chrisman died Friday, Nov. 14, 2003, at West Carroll Care Center in Oak Grove. He was 86.

Mr. Chrisman was a graduate of Louisiana Tech University and was a member of Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity. He served as a justice of the peace for Ward 4 of West Carroll Parish. He owned an accounting and tax service and was a Farm Bureau Insurance agent in Oak Grove. He was a veteran of World War II and was a staff sergeant in the Army during the liberation of the Philippines. He was a 50-year member of the Oak Grove Lodge No. 284 F&AM.

He was a member of First Baptist Church of Oak Grove, where he was a Sunday school teacher, deacon and church treasurer for many years.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Zuba Maxine Hollingsworth Chrisman; his parents, Joseph Allen and Grace Pearl Webb Chrisman; and a sister, Jean Mooney.

He is survived by his son, Joe Chrisman of Walker, La.; two daughters, Sharon Gammill of Oak Grove and Judy Milam of Shreveport; two brothers, Robert Allen Chrisman of Kerens, Texas, and Bruce Chrisman of Fort Worth, Texas; two sisters, Edith Jo Scott of Indiana and Dean Armstrong of Palestine, Texas; and six grandchildren.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church in Oak Grove with Dr. Jeff Jinks officiating. Burial will be at Oak Grove Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Wesley Gammill, Cade Milam, Christopher Chrisman and Spencer Chrisman.

Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church in Oak Grove.

Zelma Christine Bracken Johnson

VARDAMAN, Miss. Zelma Christine Bracken Johnson died Friday, Nov. 14, 2003, at her daughter’s home in Vardaman. She was 76.

Mrs. Johnson was born in Hickory, Miss. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Vardaman and retired from Seminole Manufacturing Company after 25 years of service. She also was retired as an associate at Wal-Mart in Houston, Miss.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Oren Van Johnson; a son, Buddy Johnson; and her father, Ebb Bracken.

Mrs. Johnson is survived by two daughters, Sharon Johnson Bailey of Vardaman and Judy McDevitt of Clinton and formerly of Vicksburg; one son, John Steve Johnson of Vardaman; her mother, Jannie Bracken of Calhoun City; a brother, Robert Bracken of Brandon; and five grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Vardaman First Baptist Church in Vardaman with the Revs. Dale Easley and Jeff Gilder officiating. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery in Vardaman with Parker Memorial Funeral Home of Vardaman in charge. Visitation was Saturday.

Pallbearers will be Rodney Gillespie, Brent Harrell, Jim McBreger, Randle Wright, Ray Sutherland and Jim Blue.

Oliver James Lewis

Services for Oliver James “Mr. Buddy” Lewis will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Greater Mount Olive M.B. Church with the Rev. Douglas Harris officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery with Robbins Funeral Home in charge.

Visitation will be all day Monday at the funeral home and from 10 a.m. until the service Tuesday at the church.

Mr. Lewis died in Atlanta, Ga., on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2003. He was 94.

He was a native of Natchez, but had lived in Vicksburg many years. He retired from Warren Central High School, where he worked as custodian for more than 20 years.

Mr. Lewis was a member of Greater Mount Olive M.B. Church, where he was a Sunday school teacher, a member and president of the choir and head deacon and church caretaker.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Julia Sims Lewis.

Mr. Lewis is survived by his son, Dr. Oliver J. Lewis Jr. of Atlanta; three grandchildren, Sonjia Niccole Lewis Gamble, Oliver James Lewis III and Starla Nanita Ethelyn Lewis, all of Atlanta; six great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends, including Craig and Keisha Glover of Vicksburg.

Howard Michael Mathis

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Howard Michael “Mike” Mathis of Albuquerque, N.M., died Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2003, in Albuquerque. He was 24.

Mr. Mathis was born in Alexandria, La., and was a graduate of Tallulah Academy in Tallulah.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He was an EMT Basic and Volunteer at Belen Fire Department and was a member of the U.S. Parachuting Association and a member of Skydive New Mexico.

Mr. Mathis is survived by his wife, Amanda Rose Kaski Mathis of Albuquerque; two daughters, Emma Athena Mathis and Nadia Eilian, both of Albuquerque; his parents, Charles and Joan Mathis of Shreveport; a brother, Charles Mathis Jr. of Columbia, N.C.; nieces and nephews.

Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Melbourne Baptist Church with the Rev. James Hayes officiating. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery in Tallulah with Crothers-Glenwood Funeral Home in charge.