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.

Wirt L. Bond

Wirt L. Bond died Tuesday, July 6, 2004, at Heritage House Nursing Center. He was 96.

Born in Warren, Ark., Mr. Bond was the son of Floy Newton and Suzanne Rachael Williams Bond. He was employed at Greif Brothers Cooperage Corp., which later became Greif Brothers Corporation and Sottera Inc. He moved to Jonesboro, Ark., and, in 1934, was instrumental in moving the company’s district offices to Jackson.

He served as mill manager at the Bay Springs office before transferring to Greenville in 1937. He moved to Vicksburg in 1945 and was promoted to general superintendent of Greif Brothers Mills, serving on the timber committee.

Mr. Bond was appointed chief forester in charge of timberlands of the Southeastern United States. He was a consultant on the timberlands of Canada. He worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to computerize an inventory of hardwood forestry. With his wife, he donated 32 1/2 acres of managed tree farm to the Louisiana Tech School of Forestry in 1991.

He received a number of awards. He was a charter member of the Southern Hardwood Group and a fellow of the American Foresters Association. He was a 32nd-degree Mason.

Mr. Bond retired in 1999 after 73 years of service.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Althea E. Bond, and a brother, Pat N. Bond.

Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Douglas E. Bond of Golden, Colo., and a sister, Ella Ross Buerkle of Stuttgart, Ark.

A celebration of life will begin at noon Friday at Riles Funeral Home. Burial will follow at 2 p.m. at Green Acres Memorial Park with the Rev. Jim Hess officiating.

Pallbearers will be Keith Bass, Johnny Baker, Don Scott, Mike Livingston, Jimmy Peterson, Bill Burks, Arel Simpson, Chris Irons and Frank Doughty.

Memorials may be made to Alzheimer’s Research, 15824 Shady Grove Road, Rockville, MD 20850.

Mary Warren Johnson

Services for Mary Warren Johnson will be at noon Saturday at Mount Calvary M.B. Church with the Rev. Mincer Minor officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery under the direction of Lakeview Memorial Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 1 until 7 p.m. Friday, with family hour from 6 until 7, at the funeral home and from 11 a.m. Saturday until the service at the church.

Mrs. Johnson died Sunday, July 4, 2004, at her home in Vicksburg. She was 87.

She was a homemaker and a member of Mount Calvary M.B. Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jesse Johnson Sr.; a son, Willie Leon “Micky” Johnson; and a daughter, Lois Lee.

Survivors include two sons, Jesse Johnson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla., and Darrell Johnson of Vicksburg; five daughters, Myrtle D. Chong of Vicksburg, Esther Taylor of San Diego, Calif., Doris Jacobs of Vacherie, La., Gayle Johnson of Jackson and Brenda Johnson of Saugus, Calif.; an adopted daughter, Claudette Luke of Vacherie; a brother, William Warren of Vicksburg; nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends.