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.

Estelle Allen

JACKSON – Estelle Allen died Monday, Feb. 21, 2005, at Hinds County Nursing Center. She was 77.

A native of Kilmichael, Mrs. Allen had been a Jackson resident for the past three years. She was a member of St. Paul Church of God.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Moselle Campbell; her husband, William E. Allen; one daughter, Juliette Allen; and two sons, Cleveland Allen and Norman Allen.

She is survived by three sons, Wilson Allen of Carol City, Fla., Willie Earl Allen of Kilmichael and Travis Allen of Jackson; four daughters, Irene Yates of Ackerman, Joycie Bright of Vicksburg and Arma Wesley and Brenda Allen, both of Jackson; three sisters, Benetta Barnes of Miami, Fla., and Juanita Barnes of Orlando, Fla., and Annie Nellum of Indianola; a brother, Oliver Campbell of Kilmichael; 12 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Roberts & Sons Mortuary in Winona. Burial will follow at Lindsey Springs Cemetery in Kilmichael.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. Sunday until the service at the mortuary.

Debra Stevenson Arman

Services for Debra Stevenson Arman will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Williams Funeral Service with the Rev. Walter Pittman officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

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

Mrs. Arman died Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2005, at her home. She was 37.

A Vicksburg native, Mrs. Arman was a former resident of St. Louis, Mo., and also had lived in Louisville and Pearl.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Mary E. “Liz” Stevenson; her maternal grandparents, Christian Dixon and Walter Edd Jenkins; and her paternal grandparents, Rosie Lee Miller, Robert Mark and Aria and Ed Lewis.

Survivors include her husband, Ross L. Arman Sr. of St. Louis; her father and stepmother, Earnest L. Sr. and Willie Mae Stevenson of Vicksburg; two daughters, Patrice Welch and Sylvia Arman, both of Granite City, Ill.; four sons, Ross Arman, Lamount Arman, Randy Arman and Andrew Arman, all of St. Louis; two brothers, Earnest Lee Stevenson Jr. of Granite City and Ernst H. Stevenson Sr. of Vicksburg; three sisters, Tracey Stevenson Kidd of Granite City and Pamela Stevenson and Dawn Stevenson, both of Vicksburg; five grandchildren; and friends and other relatives, including members of the Martin, Caldwell, Miller, Monroe, Palmer, Arman, Welch and Johnson families of Vicksburg.

Chester Blake

Services for Chester Blake will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Greater Mount Olive M.B. Church with the Rev. Douglas Harris officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

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

Mr. Blake died Sunday, Feb. 20, 2005, at River Region Medical Center. He was 58.

Mr. Blake was a construction worker. He attended Faith Baptist Church in Houston, Texas.

He was preceded in death by his father, Willie Blake Sr.

He is survived by his mother, Louise Giles Blake of Vicksburg; six sons, Warren Green, Christopher Green, Leonard Green and Willie Blake, all of Moss Point, Chester Blake Jr. of Greenville and Bobby Blake of Atlanta; four sisters, Viola Cooper of St. Louis, Mo., Thelma J. Sumler of Flora and Dorothy McRunells and Flossie Jones, both of Vicksburg; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Philip B. Gaunt

Philip B. Gaunt died Thursday, Feb. 24, 2005, at Vicksburg Convalescent Home. He was 79.

Mr. Gaunt was a lifelong resident of Warren County. He was a veteran of the Navy, serving in World War II and the Korean Conflict.

He retired from the U.S. Post Office after 25 years and had farming interests in Warren County. He was a member of Vicksburg Church of Christ.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Hayden Delamar and Martha Ethel Beckner Gaunt; and his stepmother, Clara Coddington Gaunt.

Survivors include his brother, Paul D. Gaunt of Vicksburg; his sister, Ruth Gaunt Henry of Vicksburg; and other relatives.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Glenwood Funeral Home with Les Ferguson, John Gardner and Cecil May Jr. officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. Saturday until the service at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be James T. Henry, Rhea Fuller, Chesley Nash, Stanley Swartzel, Roy Wade and Francis Pridoy.

Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Robert Williams, Dr. Thomas Sligh, Dr. Joe Ross, Dr. E.B. Ferris, Leon Henry, Walter Whatley, Perry Young, Hugh Allen, and the elders and deacons at Vicksburg Church of Christ.

Memorials may be made to Mount Olive Church of Christ or to the Berean Children’s Home, P.O. Box 1009, Brookhaven, MS 39602-1009.

Sarah Travis Hall

HOUMA, La. – Sarah Travis Hall died Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2005, at Terrebonne General Medical Center in Houma, La. She was 62.

Mrs. Hall was born in Epps, La., and lived in Houma.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Oliver E. and Zula Acreman Travis; and a brother, Oliver E. Travis Jr.

She is survived by two daughters, Debbie Muse of Transylvania, La., and Joyce Mizell of Holden, La.; one son, David Colvin Jr. of Houma; two sisters, Glynell T. Petersen of Pensacola, Fla., and Annette T. Cockrell of Hamburg, Ark.; a brother, William E. Travis of Foley, Ala.; 10 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.

Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Melbourne Baptist Church in Transylvania with the Rev. Tim Norris officiating. Burial will follow at New Hope Cemetery in Monticello, La., under the direction of Cox Funeral Home in Oak Grove.

Pallbearers will be Robert Alberez, Jimmy Muse, Bo Skipper, Wayne King, Jerry King and Kenneth King.

Wilmer Hudson Howell

MONROE – Wilmer Hudson Howell died Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2005, at St. Francis Medical Center in Monroe. He was 91.

Born in Carthage, Mr. Howell had lived in Jackson for a number of years and was a resident of Monroe. He graduated from Mississippi State College in 1938 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army Reserves. He served in World War II, retiring as a full colonel in 1973.

Mr. Howell retired in 1976 as a certified public accountant.

He was preceded in death by his only child, Margaret Ellen Howell.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Lela Lawrence Howell; and nieces, nephews and other relatives.

Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Crothers-Glenwood Funeral Home in Tallulah with the Rev. John Rushing officiating. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 1 today until the service.

Marcus Neil McDonald

DELHI – Marcus Neil McDonald died Thursday, Feb. 24, 2005, at Richland Manor Nursing Home in Delhi. He was 52.

Mr. McDonald was preceded in death by his father, Leroy McDonald.

He is survived by three daughters, Nicole Dale, Natasha Qureshi and Melinda Ann McDonald, all of West Monroe; one son, Tommy Ellis of West Monroe; his mother, Mary Lou McDonald of Delhi; three brothers, Mike McDonald of Panama City, Fla., Douglas McDonald of Dulac, La., and Kelly McDonald of Paducah, Ky.; six grandchildren; and other relatives.

A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Delhi Church of Christ with Wilford Burgess officiating. Burial will be at Bethel Cemetery in Holly Ridge under the direction of Cox Funeral Home of Delhi.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight at the church.

Leola Teny Wilkerson Pickett

BOONEVILLE – Leola Teny Wilkerson Pickett, formerly of Edwards, died Thursday, Feb. 24, 2005, at her home in the Landmark community. She was 96.

Mrs. Pickett was born in Claiborne County and lived in Edwards for 70 years before moving to the Booneville area. She was a member of the Ashmead Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution and the Edwards United Methodist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, William Austin Pickett; a daughter, Nancy Pickett Dantzler; three brothers, Russell Fisher, George Fisher and Xavier Wilkerson; and three sisters, Aden White, Bertha White and Saydee McLemore.

She is survived by a daughter, Janeil Pickett Stutts of Booneville; and six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at McMillan Funeral Home in Booneville with Dr. Lynn Jones officiating.

Burial will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at Edwards Cemetery following a devotional service at Edwards United Methodist Church.

Pallbearers will be David Dantzler, Bill Stutts, Bob Stutts, Drew Koester, Tommy White, Ryan White and Will Dickerson.

Albert Lee Shingler

Albert Lee Shingler died Thursday, Feb. 24, 2005, at his home. He was 77.

A lifelong resident of Vicksburg, Mr. Shingler was the son of the late Percy T. and Ida Smith Shingler. He was a retired butcher, working 19 years at Black’s Store before moving to Sunflower and retiring from A&P. He was a member of First Baptist Church, where he was in the Boaz Sunday school class.

He is survived by his wife, Catherine P. Shingler of Vicksburg; one daughter, Barbara Lee Nixon of Vicksburg; one son, John Hampton Shingler of Germany; three sisters, Laura Hester, Martha Redding and Margaret Barnes, all of Vicksburg; two brothers, Charles Shingler of West Monroe and Ronald Shingler of Vicksburg; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and other relatives.

Fisher Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

Blandine Gaunt Smith

Blandine Gaunt Smith died Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2005, at her home. She was 91.

Born in Tallulah, Mrs. Smith was a Chicago resident and had lived in Vicksburg for a number of years. She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Matthew and Lucinda Gaunt; eight sisters; and two brothers.

She is survived by nieces, nephews and other relatives, including Debra Buchanan and Delesselyn Broom, both of Vicksburg.

Dillon-Chisley Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

>James Smothers

ROLLING FORK – James Smothers died Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2005, at River Region Medical Center. He was 60.

Mr. Smothers was born in Quitman County and was a former employee of Sunflower Food Store. He was a member of the Mississippi Christian Services and First Baptist Church of Rolling Fork.

He is survived by his wife, Marie Carrol Ellis of Vicksburg; a daughter, Judy Ellis of Greenville; a stepson, Robert Ellis of Shreveport, La.; four brothers, Freddie Koyer of Sardis, Joe Koyer of Columbus, William Koyer of Grenada and Edward Shephard of Louisiana; and three sisters, Camelia Lott of Marks, Doris Flemons of Big Creek and Mary Langford of Vardaman.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church of Rolling Fork with the Rev. Millard Caulder officiating. Burial will follow at Mound Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 1 p.m. Saturday until the service at the church.

Pallbearers will be Nathaniel Johnson, Tony Taylor, Scottie Hoye, Calvin Dickerson, Marvin Vogel and Ernest Harris.

>Marjorie Frances Uzzle

Marjorie Frances Uzzle died Monday, Feb. 21, 2005, at River Region Medical Center. She was 78.

Mrs. Uzzle, a lifelong Vicksburg resident, was the daughter of the late Herbert and Frances Mehlberg Doden. An accountant and bookkeeper, she had assisted her husband at Jerry’s Fish Market since 1984.

She was of the Baptist faith.

Survivors include her husband, Jerry Uzzle Sr. of Vicksburg; one daughter, Wanda Lewis of Murfreesboro, Tenn.; two sons, Jerry E. Uzzle Jr. and Johnny Uzzle, both of Vicksburg; a brother, John H. Doden of DeBeque, Colo.; two sisters, Dorthy D. Faucheaux of New Orleans and Lavonne D. Furr of Monroe; five grandchildren; and nieces, a nephew and cousins.

Private services were Wednesday under the direction of Fisher Funeral Home.