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.

Norma Faye Gowan

EPPS Norma Faye Gowan died Sunday, July 25, 2004, at Homer Memorial Hospital in Homer, La. She was 88.

Mrs. Gowan was a resident of Epps.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Chatman Gowan; a son, James Earl Gowan; and her parents, Buss and Bessie Marsh.

Survivors include a son, Paul Gowan of Katy, Texas; and four grandchildren, Kathryn Perea of Katy, Atresa Gowan of Columbus, Ohio, Maris Gowan of New Orleans and Christopher Gowan of Sterlington, La.

Services were at 10 a.m. today at Epps Baptist Church with the Rev. Pat Loftin officiating. Burial followed at Epps Cemetery under the direction of Cox Funeral Home in Delhi.

Norma Jean Leach

Services for Norma Jean Leach will be at 2 p.m. today at Cedar Hill Cemetery with Ronnie O’Quinn officiating. Burial will follow under the direction of Fisher Funeral Home.

Mrs. Leach died Monday, July 26, 2004, at her home. She was 49.

A lifelong resident of the Oak Ridge community, she had been a school bus driver for the past five years. She was of the Baptist faith.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Gerald and Ruby Taylor Rushing.

Survivors include her husband, George Leach of Vicksburg; two daughters, Rhonda Day and Janet Taylor, both of Vicksburg; a son, Gerald Leach of Vicksburg; two sisters, Mary Ellen Henry and Geraldine Bufkin, both of Vicksburg; two brothers, Ronnie O’Quinn and Larry Traylor, both of Vicksburg; and four grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be James Wavrin, Bobby Leach, Billy Leach, J.L. Hall, Chris Henry and Mackey Taylor.

Mary Gray Heltzel

RICHMOND, Va. Mary Gray Heltzel died Sunday, July 25, 2004, in Richmond, Va. She was 84.

Mrs. Heltzel was a resident of Richmond.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Samuel Buchanan and Rachel Bowen Thompson; and a son, Robert Edgar Heltzel Jr.

Survivors include her husband, Robert E. Heltzel of Richmond; a son, Samuel B. Heltzel of Vicksburg; five grandchildren; and a great-grandson.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Cedarfield Chapel in Richmond under the direction of Bennett Funeral Home West Chapel in Glen Allen, Va.

Memorials may be made to the Arthritis Foundation of Virginia, 3805 Cutshaw Ave., Richmond, VA 23230.

Luther M. Martin Jr.

STATE LINE Luther M. “Blue” Martin Jr. died Monday, July 26, 2004, at Wayne County Hospital in Waynesboro. He was 76.

A lifelong resident of Utica, Mr. Martin had lived in State Line for the past three years. He was retired from the Hinds County Highway Department and was a former farmer and cattleman. He was a member of the Utica Masonic Lodge No. 98, where he was a third-degree Mason, the Utica Volunteer Fire Department and Faith Baptist Church in Utica.

Survivors include three sons, Milton Ray Martin of State Line, Randy Louis Martin of Utica and Neill Davis of Denham Springs, La.; a daughter, Wanda Dixon of Petal; and two sisters, Bernice Foster of Vidalia, La., and Ouida Merle Kemp of Raymond.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Faith Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Faith Baptist Church Cemetery under the direction of Glenwood Funeral Home in Utica.

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

Pallbearers will be Chris White, Sammy White, Richard Horn, Scott Denny, Bobby Neill and Tommy Shelton.

Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Utica Volunteer Fire Department.

Luther Lewis Nowell

Luther Lewis Nowell died Sunday, July 25, 2004, at River Region Medical Center. He was 46.

A lifelong resident of Vicksburg, Mr. Nowell had been a self-employed floor mechanic for 20 years. He was of the Baptist faith.

He was preceded in death by his father, Commie Rubin Nowell Sr.; and a sister, Ruby Lee Nowell Wilson.

Survivors include his wife, Deloris Nowell of Vicksburg; two daughters, Candace Diana Nowell and Anna Nicole Nowell, both of Vicksburg; his mother, Mary Lee Nowell of Redwood; four brothers, Rufus Dan Nowell of Redwood, Commie Rubin Nowell Jr. of San Antonio, Texas, and Eugene Nowell and James Earl Nowell, both of Vicksburg; two sisters, Irene Harper and Betty Nevels, both of Vicksburg; a granddaughter; and nieces and nephews.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Fisher Funeral Home with Bill Fredrick, pastor of Living by the Word Fellowship, officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

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

Pallbearers will be Jessie Abrams, Mark Long, Calvin Hearn, Robert Schaffer, Tommy Huntley Jr., and John Williams.

Honorary pallbearers will be John Kappler and Kandy Sanderford.

Memorials may be made to Living by the Word Fellowship, 801 Clay St., Vicksburg, MS 39180.

Julia Cocilova Rossetti

SHAW Julia Cocilova Rossetti died Tuesday, July 27, 2004, at Belmont Gardens in Vicksburg. She was 91.

Born in Acona, Italy, Mrs. Rossetti was a resident of Shaw and was a housewife.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd Rossetti; her parents, Joe and Emma Cocilova; five brothers, Bob Cocilova, Elio Cocilova, Sam Cocilova, Johnny Cocilova and Costa Cocilova; and a sister, Jenny Rossetti.

Survivors include two sons, Floyd Rossetti Jr. of Vicksburg and James Rossetti of Houston, Texas; two daughters, Mary Ann Haley of Vicksburg and Linda Brocato of Tampa, Fla.; two brothers, Viro Cocilova of Shaw and Nick Cocilova of Vicksburg; four sisters, Bea Rocconi of Cleveland, Pat Blardnelli and Mary Gentry, both of Vero Beach, Fla., and Kathy Espinoza of Hobbs, N.M.; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

A funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Shaw. Burial will follow at Shaw Cemetery under the direction of Ray Funeral Home of Cleveland.

Visitation will be from 6 until 7 p.m. Thursday, with a rosary at 7 at the church.

Pallbearers will be Larry Cocilova, Michael Aguzzi, Trey Griffin, Jason Brocato, Stephen Brocato, Grey Provise, Kenneth Rossetti and Tommy Giachelli.

Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Paul Pierce, Dr. Bill Porter and Dr. Steven Clarke and employees of Patient’s Choice Hospice of Vicksburg.

Memorials may be made to Patient’s Choice Hospice, 1911-A Mission 66, Vicksburg, MS 39180.