The Vicksburg Post publishes obituaries in news form for area residents, their family members and for former residents at no charge. Families wishing to publish additional information or to use specific wording have the option of a paid obituary.

Talmadge Terrel Blake

MONROE – Talmadge Terrel Blake died Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2005, at Northeast Louisiana War Veterans Home in Monroe. He was 87.

A retired farmer, Mr. Blake was a former resident of Delhi and a lifelong member of Lamar Baptist Church. He was a veteran of the Army.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Edna Ruth Baucum Blake; and his parents, David Wyatt Blake and Lula Diane Gunter Blake.

He is survived by two sons, Lynn Blake of Delhi and H.C. Blake of Tallulah; four daughters, Rita Clark of West Monroe, Pam Marshall of Delhi, Ann Garley of Flora and Sandra Williams of Daytona, Fla.; a sister, Daisy Bacon of West Monroe; and 14 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Cox Funeral Home in Delhi with the Revs. Marion Collier and Jack Baucum officiating. Burial with military honors will be at Faith Memorial Park Cemetery in Delhi.

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

Grandsons will serve as pallbearers.

Evelyn Cecilia Cheek McDaniel

OAK GROVE – Evelyn Cecilia Cheek McDaniel died Thursday, Feb. 3, 2005, at Carroll Nursing home in Oak Grove. She was 88.

Mrs. McDaniel was born in Mangham, La., and was a resident of Oak Grove.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Captain McDaniel; and her parents, Addie and Harvey Osborn Cheek.

She is survived by two daughters, Nippie Philley of Oak Grove and Dubbie Spangler of Monroe; a brother, Herman Cheek of Alexandria, La.; three sisters, Odell Allen of Clarks, La., Myrtis Clack of Holly Ridge, La., and Agnes Auldie of Batesville; and nine grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Fiske Union Assembly of God with the Rev. Geary Phillips officiating. Burial will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery.

Visitation will be at the church Saturday before the service.

Pallbearers will be Tony Robian, Steve Rye, Jason Reeves, Kevin Key, Daniel McCarthy and Jeremy McAlpin.

Honorary pallbearers will be Larry Dean Dartlon, Jack McNeil, Doug Jennings, Ralph Clack, Paul Lee and J.T. Raymond.

Joe J. Tuccio Sr.

Joe J. Tuccio Sr. died Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2005, at his home. He was 89.

A native of Hermanville, he was the son of the late Ben and Mary Anzalone Tuccio.

Mr. Tuccio had made Vicksburg home for most of his life. He was retired from the U.S. Postal Service with more than 30 years of service. He was a U.S. Army veteran during World War II serving in the European Theater, seeing action at the Battle of the Bulge and the liberation of Dachau Prison in Germany.

He was a member of St. Paul Catholic Church.

Mr. Tuccio was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Dorothy L. Tuccio in 1987; a granddaughter, Jennifer Nelson in 2001; a brother; and three sisters.

He is survived by a daughter, Dorothy Tuccio of Vicksburg; three sons, Joe J. Tuccio Jr. of Brandon, Paul E. Tuccio of Washington, D.C., and Ben D. Tuccio of Lexington, S.C.; two granddaughters, Rebecca Nelson of Hattiesburg and Amy Armstrong of Vicksburg; five grandsons, Riley Nelson Jr. of Vicksburg, Anthony P. Tuccio of Falls Church, Va., Lance K. Tuccio of Santa Barbara, Calif., Lawrence Burns of Mauldin, S.C., and Joe J. Tuccio III; and three great-grandchildren.

A funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Patrick Farrell, pastor, officiating.

Visitation will be from 6 until 8 tonight with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. at Frank J. Fisher Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Mr. Tuccio’s grandsons: Lance Tuccio, Lawrence Tuccio, Joe J. Tuccio III, Riley Nelson Jr. and Anthony Tuccio.

Honorary pallbearers will be Walter May, Wil Dornbusch, Mike Franco and Firemen of Station No. 7.

Frank J. Fisher Funeral Home has charge of all arrangements.

Katie Mae Cummings Vernon

Services for Katie Mae “Bluejay” Cummings Vernon will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Cedar Grove M.B. Church with the Rev. Willie Hardy officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight at Williams Funeral Service.

Mrs. Vernon died Sunday, Jan. 30, 2005, in Chicago. She was 93.

Mrs. Vernon was a member of Cedar Grove Baptist Church, where she had served as president of the Usher Board. She worked as a cook at both Waterways Experiment Station and the Grange Hall community’s Head Start, which she also helped found.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James Vernon; a daughter, Johnnie Mae Jenkins; 11 siblings; and her parents, Greene and Mariah Cummings.

Survivors include two grandchildren, Larry Maurice Jenkins of Hammond, Ind., and Toni Darden of Hickory Hills, Ill.; six great-grandchildren; 14 great-great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews and other relatives, including members of the Buck, Braboy, Brown, Funches, Harris and Scott families of Vicksburg.

Sammie Williams

Services for Sammie Williams will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home with the Rev. L.A. Hall officiating. Burial will be Monday at National Cemetery in Natchez.

Mr. Williams died Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2005, at Vicksburg Convalescent Home. He was 85.

Mr. Williams was a custodial worker and veteran of World War II. He was a member of Mount Heroden M.B. Church, where he was in the choir. He was a member of American Legion Post No. 213.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Sam and Mary M. Williams, and seven brothers, Andrew Williams, Eddie Williams, Alison Williams, Arthur Williams, Ernest Williams, Ardell Williams and John Williams.

He is survived by his wife, Sadie Braxton Williams of Vicksburg; a stepson, Melvin E. Redmond Sr. of Vicksburg; two sisters, Loaner Neely of Vallejo, Calif., and Bernice Crawford of Compton, Calif.; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.