OAK GROVE Willis Howard Maxwell died Monday, Jan. 3, 2005, at West Carroll Memorial Hospital in Oak Grove. He was 84.

Mr. Maxwell was a lifelong resident of West Carroll Parish. He was a member and deacon at Hill Baptist Church. He owned and operated Kilbourne Hardware for 33 years.

A veteran of World War II, he was a sergeant and served as squad leader of Company D, 129th Infantry Division in the Pacific Theatre. He was awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

Mr. Maxwell was a member and past master of Oak Grove Lodge No. 284 F&AM. He was a member of Oak Grove Chapter RAM No. 90, Oak Grove Council R&SM No. 31, Monroe Commandery No. 7 of the Knights Templar and the Monroe Chapter of the Red Cross of Constantine.

He was preceded in death by a son, Carey Dean Maxwell, and his parents, Ivy James Maxwell and Audrey Alma Hill Maxwell.

Survivors include his wife, Rosa Lee Newell Maxwell of Oak Grove; two sons, Willis Keith Maxwell of Oak Grove and Roger Lee Maxwell of Kilbourne, La.; one daughter, Rhonda Densmore of Oak Grove; two brothers, James T. Maxwell and Bobby Gene Maxwell, both of Oak Grove; a sister, Erna Mae Harper of Oak Grove; and nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Hill Baptist Church in Oak Grove with the Revs. Leslie Yates and Eric Maxwell officiating. Burial will follow at Kilbourne Cemetery under the direction of Cox Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Josh Maxwell, Richard Lewis, Mike Norsworthy, Shane Maxwell, Eric Maxwell, Jim Densmore, Justin Densmore and Joey Densmore.

Honorary pallbearers will be deacons of Hill Baptist Church.

Memorials may be made to the Gideons or to Hill Baptist Church Building Fund.

Ola Nails

OAK GROVE Ola Nails died Monday, Jan. 3, 2005, at West Carroll Memorial Hospital in Oak Grove. She was 93.

Mrs. Nails was born in Arkansas and was a resident of Oak Grove.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, John E. Nails and James Tolar.

She is survived by a son, J.D. Barnhill of Alexander, Ark.; a daughter, Wanda Welch of Beaumont, Texas; four grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at New Prospect Baptist Church with the Rev. Bob Schlemmer officiating. Burial will follow at Unity Cemetery in Epps under the direction of Cox Funeral Home in Oak Grove.

Visitation will be after 2 p.m. today at the church.

Zilpha Copes Pickett

DELHI Zilpha Copes Pickett died Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005. She was 76.

Mrs. Pickett was a former teacher and employee of her family’s grocery store. She was a resident of Delhi.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Combs Copes Sr. and Nannie Lynn McVoy Copes, and a brother, Combs Copes Jr.

She is survived by her husband, L.W. Pickett of Delhi; one son, Larry W. Pickett of West Monroe; one daughter, Marilyn Dosher of Delhi; and five grandchildren.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church of Delhi with Drs. Connie Ward and Marcus Murphy officiating.

Visitation will be from 6 until 8 tonight at Cox Funeral Home in Delhi.

Pallbearers will be Wayne Worsley, Rob Arledge, Martin deGravelle, Adam Pickett, Heath Davis and Ben Burch.

Thelma Lee Drayton Watkins

INGLEWOOD, Calif. Thelma Lee Drayton Watkins died Monday, Dec. 27, 2004, in Inglewood, Calif. She was 71.

Mrs. Watkins was born in Vicksburg to Robert and Emma Lee Drayton. She attended Bowman High School and Hollygrove Baptist Church, where she sang in the choir.

In 1967, she moved to Los Angeles and worked at John Burroughs Junior High School for 18 years. She moved in 1972 to Inglewood, where she was a member of Atherton Baptist Church and its Women’s Missionary Ministry.

Mrs. Watkins was preceded in death by her husband, Leon Watkins.

She is survived by a son, Charles Major of Inglewood; a daughter, Pamela Major-Payton of Ternecula, Calif.; her mother, Emma L. Williams of Vicksburg; two sisters, Del Anderson-Handy of Oakland, Calif., and Belvia Muhammad of Chicago; one brother, Joe L. Drayton of Vicksburg; five grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.

Services were at 1 p.m. Monday at Atherton Baptist Church in Hawthorne, Calif., with the Rev. Larry D. Weaver officiating. Burial followed at Inglewood Park Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Reggie Waller, Tye Waller, Kevin Waller, Jesse Waller, Lewis Franco and Charles Johnson Jr.

William P. Wheeler

ZACHARY, La. William P. “Sweet William” Wheeler died Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005. He was 61.

Mr. Wheeler was a native of Woodville and a resident of Zachary, La. He was former owner of Zachary TV and VCR Repair. A musician, he performed throughout the Baton Rouge area.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Bessie Wesberry Woods; his father, Charles Wheeler; and five brothers, Charles Wheeler Jr., Lester Wheeler, Melvin Wheeler, Marvin Wheeler and Jimmy Wheeler.

He is survived by his wife, Iris A. Wheeler of Zachary; a daughter, Paula Wheeler Satterwhite; a stepdaughter, Kathy Anne Thomason; a stepson, Johnny Jordan; one sister, Kathryn Stevens; two grandchildren; five stepgrandchildren; and one stepgreat-grandchild.

Services will be at noon Wednesday at Greenoaks Funeral Home in Baton Rouge. Burial will follow at Greenoaks Memorial Park.

Visitation will be from 5 until 9 tonight at the funeral home and from 10 a.m. Wednesday until the service.