BURLINGTON, Vt. Charles E. Joachim died Friday, Jan. 9, 2004, at Fletcher Allen Hospital in Burlington, Vt. He was 66.

Mr. Joachim was born in Burlington to the late Edmund and Mary Killary Joachim. He graduated in 1955 from Cathedral High School in Burlington and received a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Vermont. In 1977, he received a master’s degree in civil engineering from Mississippi State University.

He served in the Army and was with the Army Corps of Engineers for two years. He had been employed at Waterways Experiment Station since 1962, writing a number of publications on researching explosive effects.

Mr. Joachim was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, National Society of Professional Engineers, Society of American Military Engineers, Society of Explosives Engineers and Association for Computing Machinery.

He is survived by four brothers, David M. Joachim of Fairfax, Vt., Philip C. Joachim of Brevard, N.C., Paul S. Joachim of Winooksi, Vt., and John E. Joachim of Williston, Vt.; nieces; nephews; aunts; uncles; and other relatives and friends.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be said at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Christ the King Roman Catholic Church in Burlington. Burial will follow at Resurrection Park Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 2 until 4 today and from 7 until 9 tonight at Ready Funeral Home South Chapel in Burlington.

Memorials may be made to a favorite charity.

Kate Wilkerson Metz

Kate Wilkerson Metz died Saturday, Jan. 10, 2004, at Belmont Place. She was 87.

Born in Lake Village, Ark., Mrs. Metz had lived in Vicksburg since 1932. She retired from Merchants National Bank. She was a member of Vicksburg BPW and First Baptist Church, where she was in the church choir.

She was preceded in death by her husband, George Metz Jr.; a son, Billy Metz III; and a daughter, Carole Metz.

She is survived by two sisters, Mattie C. Willie of Nashville and Beatrice Cameron of Panama City, Fla.

Services will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Glenwood Funeral Home with Dr. John G. McCall officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 until 8 tonight at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Johnny Stout, Ronald Moore, Phil Solomon, Charles Koestler, Richard Wilkerson and John Palmerton.

Cleta H. Meade

Cleta H. Meade died Saturday, Jan. 10, 2004, at Heritage House Nursing Home. She was 92.

Mrs. Meade was a native of Rogersville, Ala., and had lived in Vicksburg for 70 years. She was a charter member of Hawkins United Methodist Church and was a longtime member of Hyland Chapter Order of the Eastern Star.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Andrew and Martha E. Howard; her husband, James H. Meade; two brothers, Charlie Howard and Dewey Howard; and three sisters, Gertrude Proctor, Susie Mullins and Zillah Harter.

Survivors include a daughter, Jean M. Rule of Vicksburg; a son, James H. Meade Jr. of Starkville; and seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Fisher Funeral Home with the Rev. Mitchell Hedgepeth, pastor of Hawkins United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will follow at Green Acres Memorial Park.

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

Pallbearers will be James Bishop, Michael Bishop, Tabb Meade, Thomas Meade, Gregory Head and Paul Lewis.

Honorary pallbearers will be members of Hawkins Charter Circle.

Memorials may be made to Hawkins United Methodist Church, 3736 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180 or to the Hyland Chapter Order of Eastern Star, 309 Monk Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180.

Minnie R. O’Neal

DELHI Minnie R. “Mel” O’Neal died Saturday, Jan. 10, 2004. She was 89.

Mrs. O’Neal was born in Choudrant, La. A resident of Delhi, she was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church. She was a former bank teller with First National Bank of Delhi and was a former cafeteria manager for Delhi High School.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Felton Lavon O’Neal; and a son, Kenneth Layne O’Neal Sr.

She is survived by a son Ronald R. O’Neal of Houston, Texas; a daughter-in-law, Peggy Joyce O’Neal of Delhi; and five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the First Baptist Church in Delhi with Dr. Marcus Murphy officiating. Burial will follow at Faith Memorial Park Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 until 8 tonight at Cox Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be deacons of First Baptist Church of Delhi.

Honorary pallbearer will be Frankie Rash.

Willis Parrott

PORT GIBSON Willis Parrott died Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2004, at Central Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. He was 85.

A resident of Port Gibson, Mr. Parrott was a member of China Grove M.B. Church and was an Army veteran.

Survivors include three nephews, Billy Parrott of New York, Bennie Parrott Jr. of Hattiesburg and Robert H. Parrott of League City, Texas; a niece, Dr. Anita Elizabeth Decuir George of Starkville; and other relatives and friends, including Victoria Chambers and Albert Trim, both of Port Gibson.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at China Grove M.B. Church in Russum, Miss., with the Rev. Leon Nelson officiating. Burial will follow at McCay Cemetery in Russum under the direction of Thompson Funeral Home Inc. in Port Gibson.

Visitation will be from 1 until 5 p.m. today at the funeral home and from 10 a.m. Tuesday until the service at the church.

Billy Steward

PIONEER, La. Billy Steward died Sunday, Jan. 11, 2004, at St. Francis Medical Center in Monroe. He was 77.

Mr. Steward was a lifelong resident of Pioneer, La.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James Madison Steward and Effie Elizabeth Steward; three brothers, Claude Stewart, Olen Steward and Robert Stewart; and a sister, Omie Blackmon.

Survivors include his wife, Myrtle Elizabeth Steward of Pioneer; two sons, Billy Ray Steward of Oak Grove and David William Steward of Pioneer; two daughters, Sharon Gail Smith and Pamela Renee Shelton, both of Oak Grove; a brother, Marvin Stewart of Bastrop, La.; two sisters, Alice Brewster of West Monroe and Dorothy Abernathy of Lake Charles, La.; and eight grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Cox Funeral Home in Oak Grove with the Revs. Annie Mae Farmer and Kevin D. Veasey officiating. Burial will follow at New Forest Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Jack McNeil, Larry Drurey, Rod Drurey, Dale Ainsworth, Daron Ainsworth and Tommy Black.

Honorary pallbearers will be Doug Owens, Buddy Owens, Roy Daniels and Chester Lucus.