Gail J. Neal died Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2004, at her home. She was 53.

A native of Claiborne County, Mrs. Neal had been a Vicksburg resident most of her life. She graduated from Warren Central High School and Hinds Junior College School of Nursing, receiving a degree as a registered nurse.

She worked for River Region Medical Center for more than 30 years, completing ACLS and PALS certification. She was a member of the Warrenton Church of Christ.

Survivors include her husband, Gene Neal of Vicksburg; twin daughters, Kimberly Jabour of Vicksburg and Angela Vaughn of Bossier City, La.; a son, Eric Neal of Brandon; her parents, J.D. and Dorothy Jean Jobe of Vicksburg; one sister, Faye Neihaus of Vicksburg; three brothers, Jeff Jobe, Dave Jobe and Terry Jobe, all of Vicksburg; five grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Riles Funeral Home with Donnie Cain of Midway Church of Christ in Utica officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Melvin Pugh, Jamie Jabour, Dr. Walter Johnston, Carl Neihaus, Shaun Neihaus, Robert Wayne Greer, Mike Crawford, Clem Griffin and James Wilson.

Honorary pallbearers will be doctors and staff of River Region Medical Center and the staff of Patient’s Choice Hospice and Palliative Care.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 1193, Vicksburg, MS 39181 or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Benton Ross Jr.

Services for Benton Ross Jr. will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Zion Travelers Baptist Church with Alfred Lassiter Jr. officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery under the direction of Lakeview Memorial Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 1 until 6 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

Mr. Ross died Monday, Aug. 16, 2004, at River Region Medical Center. He was 65.

Born in Vicksburg, he was a member of Zion Travelers Baptist Church. He was retired from Kansas City Southern Railway.

He was preceded in death by his father, Benton Ross Sr.; and a sister, Jessie Mae Ross.

Survivors include his wife, Georgia Carson Ross of Vicksburg; his mother, Mittie Ann Ross of Madison; six sons, Angelo Benton Ross of San Francisco, Kenneth Earl Ross of Jackson and Jeffery Lee Ross, Benton Ross III, Jason Eugene Ross and Robert Earl Collins, all of Vicksburg; seven daughters, Patricia Wright of Arlington, Texas, Carla Renea Conley of Jacksonville, Fla., Mary E. Jones of Memphis and Shirely Jean Ross, Wanda Kay Demby, Bernice Collins and Tiffany Beneedra Ross, all of Vicksburg; a brother, Robert Henry Ross of San Francisco, Calif.; eight sisters, Wilma Jean Jones, Willie Mae Brown and Esther Jiles, all of Jackson, Bobbie Jean Ross and Mittie Ann Ross, both of Saginaw, Mich., Alice Venyah of Columbia, S.C., Mamie Barnes of Utica and Louise Hamilton of Pine Bluff, Ark.; 17 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends, including Chester Ross of Vicksburg.

Carolyn C. Temple

MERIDIAN Carolyn C. “Rene” Temple died Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2004, at her home in Meridian. She was 74.

Mrs. Temple was a homemaker.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bobby Temple; her mother, Sue Garrison James; and a daughter, Susan Robinson.

She is survived by two sons, Paul Robinson of Vicksburg and Andy Robinson Sr. of Meridian; three grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and other relatives.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Forest Lawn Cemetery with the Rev. Chris Winkleman officiating. Burial will follow under the direction of Barham Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Andy Robinson Jr., Jeff Mercer, Eulus Dyess, Jason Dyess, Shaun Galyean and Michael Busby.

Honorary pallbearers will be Jody Dyess, Gene Ray Moore, Kenny Moore, Gary Moore and Hospice South caregivers.

Memorials may be made to Hospice South, 4825 Poplar Springs Drive, Meridian, MS 39305.

Wilma Louise Wicker

TALLULAH Wilma Louise Wicker died Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2004, at River Region Medical Center. She was 69.

A Vicksburg native, Mrs. Wicker had lived in Tallulah for nine years. She was the daughter of the late Herbert A. and Martha Lauderdale Poole. She attended Berachah Baptist Church.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Murphy Eugene Wicker; a son, Terry Wicker; and five brothers, Billy Poole, Johnny Poole, Francis “Bubba” Poole, Lenard “Shortie” Poole and Tommy Poole.

Survivors include six sons, Jerry Wicker and Danny “Joe” Wicker, both of Tallulah, Mike Wicker of Vicksburg, David Wicker of Magee, James “Jamie” Wicker of Las Vegas and William “Rusty” Wicker of Clinton, Ga.; a brother, Herbert Poole of Vicksburg; five sisters, Jo Ann Coate, J’Nell Ross and Juanita Seiberling, all of Meridian, Linda McLeod of Crystal Springs and Dorothy Lowe of Crestview, Fla.; 14 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Fisher Funeral Home with the Revs. Norman Beard and James Parker officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

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

Pallbearers will be Marcus Wicker, Matthew Bingham, Michael Ware, Jerry Wade Wicker, Daniel Shuster, Francis Jackson, Aaron Wicker and James Barmer.