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.

Wiley Burton Jr.

PORT GIBSON Wiley Burton Jr. died Thursday, May 6, 2004, at Claiborne County Nursing Center. He was 96.

Mr. Burton was a resident of Port Gibson.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Jessie Bailey-Burton; a daughter, Shirley Burton; and his parents, Wiley and Feebie Burton.

Survivors include two sons, Sylvester Burton of Las Vegas and Wiley Davis of Port Gibson; two stepsons, Calvin Bailey of Vicksburg and McLawrence Bailey of Port Gibson; two grandsons whom he reared, Kevin Burton of Port Gibson and Vincent Burton of Houston, Texas; a brother, Boston Burton of Port Gibson; 15 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

Services will be at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at Christian Chapel Church in Port Gibson with T.E. Harris officiating. Burial will follow at McCay Cemetery under the direction of Thompson Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 1 until 5 today at the funeral home and from 10:30 a.m. Wednesday until the service at the church.

Louis Gray

Louis Gray died Thursday, May 6, 2004, at Buffalo General Hospital in Buffalo, N.Y. He was 71.

A former Vicksburg resident, Mr. Gray lived in Buffalo. He was of the Baptist faith and was a retired construction worker.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jimmy Hicks and Alice Buck Allison; a brother, Albert Allison; and a sister, Willie Mae Williams.

Survivors include his wife, Katie Gray of Vicksburg; three sons, Herbert Davis, Jimmy Gray and Larry Gray, all of Vicksburg; two daughters, Donna Gray and Belinda Gray, both of Vicksburg; a sister, Rosie Lee Thomas of Buffalo; two brothers, James Giles and Henry Giles, both of Buffalo; 19 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and other relatives and friends, including Betty Davis and Geraldine Cosby, both of Vicksburg.

Williams Funeral Service has charge of arrangements.

James Elwood Hancock Sr.

Services for James Elwood “Ramrod” Hancock Sr. will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Fisher Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Green Acres Memorial Park.

Visitation will be from 6 until 8 tonight at the funeral home.

Mr. Hancock died Sunday, May 9, 2004, at his home in Vicksburg. He was 77.

A native of Yazoo County, Mr. Hancock was the son of the late Samuel B. and Nettie Warnock Hancock. He had lived in Vicksburg since 1945. He was a retired logger and owned and operated All-American Carpet Cleaning Co. for 15 years.

He is survived by his wife, Alice Pettway Hancock of Vicksburg; two daughters, Jean Alice Whatley and Janice Mae Wipperling, both of Vicksburg; one son, James Elwood Hancock Jr. of Vicksburg; six brothers, Roy Hancock and Lamar “Bubba” Hancock, both of Bentonia, Sammy Hancock and Jimmy Hancock, both of Gulfport, Lonnie Hancock of Phoenix and Pete Hancock of Memphis; and five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Glen Kittrell, Joey Cooper, Johnny Raney, Rodney Porter, Jack Pace and Steven Ford.

Honorary pallbearers will be Mike Hancock, Joey Hancock, Tommy Hancock, David Hancock, Dr. S. Randell Easterling, Dr. Lee Voulters, Roy Pettway and hospice employees.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 1193, Vicksburg, MS 39181-1193.