Melvin M. King

Melvin M. King died Thursday, Jan. 15, 2004, at River Region West. He was 71.

A former Greenville resident, Mr. King had lived in Vicksburg since 1960. He retired as a press operator for Oliver Electric Company in 1984. He was a member of New Vision Family Worship Center.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara King of Vicksburg; two sons, Anthony King of Granite Falls, Wash., and Sando Newell of Vicksburg; two brothers, Ray King and James Howard King, both of Greenville; a sister, Willie Earl King of Little Rock, Ark.; and four grandchildren.

Fisher Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

John Oscar Nelson Sr.

LAKE PROVIDENCE, La. John Oscar Nelson Sr. died Thursday, Jan. 15, 2004, at East Carrol Parish Hospital in Lake Providence, La. He was 94.

Mr. Nelson was a native and lifelong resident of Lake Providence where he was a member of the First United Methodist Church.

He owned and operated Nelson Oil Company for over 45 years. He was a faithful member of the Lake Providence Rotary Club.

Mr. Nelson was also a member of the Pecan Grove F. & A.M. and the Barak Shrine.

He was preceded in death by his father, John Nels Nelson and his mother, Mary Magdeline Nelson.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Elizabeth “Elsie” Nelson of Lake Providence; his sons, John O. Nelson Jr. and Thomas Edward Nelson, both of Lake Providence; his daughters, Cecilia “Squeek” Thrush of Oak Grove, La., and Christie Nelson Lowry of Shreveport, La.; six grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Services will be at 3 p.m. today at First United Methodist Church in Lake Providence with the Rev. Bill McLain officiating. Burial will follow at Providence Memorial Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Wallace Oliver, Grady Brown, Don Hicky, Ed Antici, Brown Nelson, Chris Nelson and Eric Thrush.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Tom Shields, Bill Harbour, Charlie White, Tommy Ellis, LaBane Clement and members of the Lake Providence Rotary Club.

Louis A. Nettles Jr.

TALLULAH, La. Louis A. Nettles Jr. died Friday, Jan. 16, 2004, at the Olive Branch Senior Care Center in Tallulah, La. He was 83.

Mr. Nettles was born in Charleston, S.C., and lived in Tallulah for 70 years.

He was an Army veteran of World War II with the rank of Tech Sergeant. He owned and operated L.A. Nettles & Son Contracting in Tallulah.

Mr. Nettles was a member of Tallulah Masonic Lodge #308 and First Baptist Church. He was retired from the Madison Parish School Board Maintenance Department.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Blanchard Nettles of Tallulah; three daughters, Donna Ervin of Tallulah, DeNise Batlow of Jonesboro, La., and DeNeille Guillet of Atikokan, Ontario, Canada; his son, Louis B. “Bubba” Nettles of Tallulah; his brother, Kenneth Nettles of Dillon, Mont.; his sister, Teresa Shames of Rogersville, Mo.; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday in the chapel of Crothers-Glenwood Funeral Home in Tallulah with the Rev. John Rushing officiating. Burial will follow at Silver Cross Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Freddy Gaumnitz, John Storey, Don Miller, Robert Charles Brown, Marshall Sevier, Bill Gilfoil, James Reeves and John Toney.

Honorary pallbearers will be Edgar Lancaster, T.A. Neumann, Perry Williams, Bill Windham, Joe Cupit and Jack Folk.