Services for Alvin Junald McGowan will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Spring Hill M.B. Church. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery under the direction of Williams Funeral Service.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight at the funeral home.

Mr. McGowan died Saturday, Dec. 6, 2003, at River Region Medical Center. He was 25.

He was preceded in death by his father, Allen McGowan Sr.; a brother, Amos Decell McGowan; grandparents, Eliza Price, Percy and Lillie McGowan, Johnny Woods and Dan Pierce.

Mr. McGowan is survived by his mother, Elsa Brent McGowan of Vicksburg; four sisters, Rosie Davis, Alora Jones, Annie McGowan and Cathy McGowan, all of Vicksburg; five brothers, Allen McGowan, Jim McGowan, Eddie McGowan, Donald McGowan and Calvin McGowan, all of Vicksburg; a grandmother, Ella Lee Woods of Vicksburg; and other relatives and friends, including Rosie Lee Wallace of Vicksburg.

Vibelle Smith Peyton

UTICA Vibelle Smith Peyton died Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2003, at River Region Medical Center. She was 92.

A lifelong resident of Utica, Mrs. Peyton was a homemaker and a member of Utica Christian Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas G. Peyton Sr.; and two sons, Thomas G. Peyton Jr. and John S. Peyton.

Survivors include a daughter-in-law, Sarah Peyton of Utica; a sister, Sara Cobb of Canton, Miss.; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Utica Christian Church with the Rev. Lucian Lee officiating. Burial will follow at Cayuga Cemetery under the direction of Glenwood Funeral Home in Utica.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Fred Peyton, Johnny Cobb, Murray Griffin, Bob Lee Currie, R.C. Mobley and Gene Griffin.

Carmen Louise McRavin Rubin

Services for Carmen Louise McRavin Rubin will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at New Rock of Ages M.B. Church with Dr. Michael Reed officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery under the direction of Dillon-Chisley Funeral Home.

Services were in Houston, Texas, Thursday under the direction of McCoy & Harrison Funeral Home.

Mrs. Rubin, a former Vicksburg resident, died Thursday, Dec. 4, 2003, in Houston. 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.

Emma Shannon

COLUMBUS Emma Shannon died Thursday, Dec. 11, 2003, at The Arrington Retirement Home in Columbus. She was 97.

Born in Sharkey County to the late Joel Armond and Florence Phelps Stevens, Mrs. Shannon was a resident of Columbus and a member of First Assembly of God. She was a former Vicksburg resident. She attended Draughn Business College and worked as a nurse’s aide at Mercy Hospital.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Kimbrough Shannon; three daughters, Jewell Berry Shannon, Josie Shannon and Marie Herring; and two sons, William Shannon and Larry Shannon Sr.

Survivors include a brother, Jim Stevens of Vicksburg; 12 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Green Acres Cemetery in Vicksburg with the Rev. Frank Lescallette officiating. Burial will follow under the direction of Memorial Funeral Home in Columbus.

Visitation will be from noon until 1 p.m. Saturday at Glenwood Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to Baptist Memorial Hospital, Golden Triangle Hospice, P.O. Box 1307, Columbus, MS 39703, or to a favorite charity.

Leo Townsend

Leo Townsend died Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2003, at his home. He was 65.

A native of Alsatia, La., Mr. Townsend had been a resident of Vicksburg since 1963. He was the son of the late Austin E. and Mary Bell Bunyard Townsend. He was a graduate of St. Francisville High School. He served 20 years in the Navy before retiring in 1979 and worked as a storekeeper for Entergy at Grand Gulf for 20 years before retiring in 2001.

Mr. Townsend was a former member of the Old Whitaker Hunting Club, the American Legion and Fleet Reserve and was a member of Calvary Baptist Church.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Mary Lee Townsend; and a twin brother, Lonzo Townsend.

Survivors include his wife, Virginia Townsend of Vicksburg; three sons, Jerry Townsend of Hoschton, Ga., Dr. Dennis C. Townsend of Kingsport, Tenn., and Kevin W. Townsend of Dover, N.C.; a daughter, Stacie Michelle Nipper of Raymond; five brothers, Felton Townsend and Willie Townsend, both of Vicksburg, Melvin Townsend of Wesson, Miss., James Townsend of Centreville and Marlon Townsend of Greenwood; a sister, Audrey Faye Covington of Frederick, Md.; four grandchildren; and four aunts.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Fisher Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Green Acres Cemetery.

Visitation will be from noon Saturday until the service at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Fred Tingle, Corwayne Townsend, Lewis Tingle, Jeb Tingle, Trent Townsend, Robbie Tingle, Brad Townsend and Gerald Saxton.

Honorary pallbearers will be the employees of Grand Gulf Warehouse.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 1193, Vicksburg, MS 39181-1193, or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.