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.

Leonard F. Johnson

OCEAN SPRINGS Leonard F. Johnson died Monday, March 1, 2004, in Ocean Springs. He was 78.

A native of Vicksburg, Mr. Johnson was a resident of Ocean Springs. He was a member of St. James United Methodist Church. He retired as a first sergeant from the Army after 30 years of service. He also retired from Ingalls Shipbuilding.

He was preceded in death by his father, Alonzo Johnson; his mother, Francis Clark Johnson; a daughter, Leola Pinion; and two sons, Albert Marshall and Reginald Johnson.

Survivors include his wife, Alberie Marie Johnson of Ocean Springs; one daughter, Phyllis Owens of Ocean Springs; four sons, Mitchell Todd of Ocean Springs, ReneKee Johnson and Reynaldo Johnson, both of Seattle, Wash., and Essic Hands of El Paso, Texas; one brother, Frank Johnson of Vicksburg; two sisters, Annie Johnson Hayes and Willie Ethel Johnson, both of Vicksburg; and six grandchildren.

Services were Friday at Macedonia M.B. Church in Ocean Springs with the Rev. Elsie Barnes officiating. Burial with full military honors followed at Biloxi National Cemetery under the direction of Marshall Funeral Home.

George P. Schrader III

CHARLESTON, W.Va. George P. Schrader III died Sunday, March 15, 2004, in Charleston, W.Va. He was 55.

A resident of Charleston, Mr. Schrader was the chief technical officer of the BCSE division, State of West Virginia DHHR. He was a former Tennessee highway patrolman and a Vietnam veteran and was a member of the choir at Maranatha Fellowship.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Margaret Ellen Ellis Schrader.

Survivors include his wife, Sandy Schrader of Charleston; four sons, Phillip Schrader and Daniel Schrader, both of Vicksburg, and Josh Schrader and Jeremy Schrader, both of Charleston; a daughter, Beth Schrader of Charleston; his father, George Schrader Jr. of Littleton, Colo.; a sister, Nancy Schrader of Centennial, Colo.; a brother, John Schrader of Denver, Colo.; two grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Maranatha Fellowship with James Wright Sr. officiating. Snodgrass Funeral Home in South Charleston, W.Va., has charge of arrangements.

Memorials may be made to Kanawha Hospice Care, 1143 Dunbar Ave., Dunbar, WV 25064.

Robert James Vernon

GREENVILLE Robert James “Mickey” Vernon died Friday, March 12, 2004, at the home of his aunt in Vicksburg. He was 71.

A native of Vicksburg, Mr. Vernon attended Vicksburg Public Schools before moving to Greenville. He retired from Allied Van Line.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary McIntyre Vernon; and his parents, James and Annie Vernon.

Survivors include his aunt, Mary Anderson of Vicksburg; his uncle, the Rev. Richard Vernon of Vicksburg; a cousin, Luster Lawrence; a sister-in-law, Lois Hampton of Greenville; and cousins and friends.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Mount Carmel Church in Greenville with the Rev. Morris McCaskill officiating. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens under the direction of Watson-Edwards & Evans Funeral Home in Greenville.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. Saturday until the service at the church.

Peggy Heggins Wester

DELTA Services for Peggy Heggins Wester will be at 2 p.m. today at Glenwood Funeral Home with the Rev. Mark Rowlen officiating. Burial will follow at Green Acres Memorial Park.

Mrs. Wester died Monday, March 15, 2004, at her home in Delta. She was 66.

Born in Mount Olive, Miss., she lived most of her life in Vicksburg. She had been a resident of Delta for the past 31 years. She was a retired floral designer for Griffith Florists in Vicksburg and was a member of Bowmar Baptist Church.

Mrs. Wester was preceded in death by her husband, Donald C. Wester; her parents, Lyman and Ina Heggins; two sisters, Katie Mathis and Mildred Jones; and two brothers, Joe Heggins and Ronnie Heggins.

Survivors include a son, James Ray Van Etten of Texarkana, Texas; two daughters, Edna Tilden of Vicksburg and Paula Joyce Fielder of Edwards; three brothers, Henry Heggins and Billy Heggins, both of Vicksburg, and Johnnie Heggins of Greenwood; five sisters, Helen Henley of Vicksburg, Jeannie Ogden of Delhi, Ancie Greer of Mozelle, Miss., Louise Gasby of Newark, Texas, and Mettie Alexander of Delta; six grandchildren; a great-grandchild; and nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Bert Boleware, James Abney, Ron Raggio, John Thomason, Robert Ott and Ed Clark.

Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Lee Giffen, Ron Halterson, Charles Blakeney, Paul Barrett, Tim Williams, Bobby Johnson and Larry Gathright.