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.

Lona Mae Hearon

COLUMBUS, Miss. Lona Mae Hearon died Saturday, Dec. 6, 2003, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Columbus, Miss. She was 71.

A native of Vicksburg, Miss Hearon was a resident of Columbus. She was a homemaker and was of the Baptist faith.

She was preceded in death by a sister, Virginia Taylor.

Survivors include three sons, Harry Cousins of Mountain Home, Ark., Billy Ray Baxter of Wallingford, Conn., and David Alan Baxter of Columbus; four daughters, Nancy Kirby and Tammy Tyndall, both of Boston, and Sandra Kolb and Lisa Hearon, both of Fort Worth, Texas; two brothers, Otto Rodgers of Yazoo City and Jesse Lee Rodgers of Bentonia, Miss.; three sisters, Christine Cousins of Redwood, Mozell Barnes of Prescott, Ariz., and Gracie Gallagher of Bentonia; 15 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Glenwood Funeral Home with the Rev. J.R. Cousins officiating. Burial will be at 2 p.m. at Stonewall Cemetery in Kosciusko.

Pallbearers will be Brad Cousins, Mark Fischer, Ricky Bryant, Greg Harris, Wayne Rodgers, Michael Cousins, Steve Gangemi, John Gallagher, Benny Guy Shiers.

Frances E. Higginbotham

NEWELLTON Frances E. Higginbotham died Thursday, Dec. 4, 2003, at River Region Medical Center. She was 91.

Born in Fort Necessity, La., Mrs. Higginbotham was a resident of Newellton. She was a member of the Young At Heart Club at First Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday school for 58 years.

She was preceded in death by a daughter, Cloteal Stockstill; her parents, Henry and Annie Barfield; and two brothers, Leonard Barfield and Buster Barfield.

Survivors include two sons, Ray Higginbotham of Newellton and Paul Higginbotham of Mountain View, Ark.; a sister, Lela Warren of Newellton; four brothers, Bill Barfield and Bob Barfield, both of Newellton, David Barfield of LaPorte, Texas, and Quincy Barfield of Mountain View; 10 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; a great-great-grandson; and relatives in Vicksburg.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Fulton McGraw and Larry Foster officiating. Burial will follow at Legion Memorial Cemetery under the direction of Gill First National Funeral Home in Winnsboro, La.

Pallbearers will be Bobby Barfield, Kenny Barfield, Parnell Barfield, Billy Jo Barfield, Ricky Barfield and Mike Parker.

Honorary pallbearers will be the deacons of the church.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or to a favorite charity.

Joe Howard Jr.

PORT GIBSON Joe Howard Jr. died Saturday, Dec. 6, 2003, at River Region Medical Center. He was 44.

A lifelong resident of Port Gibson, Mr. Howard retired in 2001 as a radio dispatcher from the Claiborne County Sheriff’s Department after 23 years of service. He was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church.

He is survived by Brenda Miskelley of Port Gibson; his mother, Katie Myrle Howard of Port Gibson; four brothers, Rocky Howard of Vicksburg and Jeffery Howard, Billy Howard and Casey Howard, all of Port Gibson; two sisters, Patricia Massey of Ferriday, La., and Monica Clyburn of Bossier City, La.; and nieces and nephews.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Glenwood Funeral Home in Port Gibson with the Rev. Michael McKnight officiating. Burial will follow at Wintergreen Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. Wednesday until the service at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Henry Channell, Johnny Watson, Danny Banley, Wayne Carter, Tim Clyburn and Wayne Mitchell.

Carmen Louise McRavin Rubin

Carmen Louise McRavin Rubin, a former Vicksburg resident, died Thursday, Dec. 4, 2003, in Houston, Texas. She was 44.

Mrs. Ruben attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. She was a 1977 graduate of Vicksburg High School and received a bachelor of science degree in business administration from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1981.

She was a former employee of the Mississippi State Department of Human Services in Jackson. She was employed by the Texas State Department of Human Services as a claims investigator in the Office of the Inspector General.

Mrs. Ruben was preceded in death by her grandparents, Willie Sr. and Viola McRavin, and an uncle, Willie McRavin Jr.

She is survived by her husband, Gerald Rubin of Houston; one son, Jarett Sinclair Rubin of Houston; a stepson, Carlos Rubin of Houston; four stepdaughters, Dorseta Williams of Houston and Jessica Rubin, Jo’Van Rubin and Joy Rubin, all of Galveston, Texas; her mother, Addie McRavin of Vicksburg; a brother, Sean McRavin of Houston; and other relatives, including Alice McRaven, Larry McRaven, Della Green and members of the Stewart family, all of Vicksburg.

Dillon-Chisley Funeral Home has charge of local arrangements.