Rainey Chatman

Rainey Chatman died today, April 15, 2005, at her home. She was 72.

Miss Chatman was a member of Locust Grove M.B. Church. She retired as a cook from ParkView Regional Medical Center after 40 years of service.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Anderson and Victoria Chatman.

Survivors include an uncle, Ben Williams of Daily City, Calif.; an aunt, Cora Stevenson of Vicksburg; and friends and other relatives, including members of the Brown, Crump, Grady, Holt, Johnson, Kelly, Lewis, Reed, Walker and Williams families of Vicksburg.

Williams Funeral Service has charge of arrangements.

Matthew W. Ellis

KILN, Miss. – Matthew W. “Matt” Ellis died Saturday, March 26, 2005, in Baltimore, Md. He was 43.

Born in Lake Providence, Mr. Ellis had been a resident of Kiln, Miss., for the past 11 years.

He was preceded in death by his father, George F. Ellis Sr., and two brothers, George F. “Bubba” Ellis Jr. and Richard “Bo” Ellis.

Survivors include his daughter, Julia Claire Ellis of Luling, La.; his mother, Julia Clement Ellis of Monroe; four brothers, James Ellis of Kiln, Buddy Ellis of Lewisburg, Tenn., Johnny Ellis of West Monroe and Daniel Ellis of Monroe; four sisters, Genia Arthur and Sharon Kavanaugh, both of Vicksburg, Linda Ellis of Monroe and Lynn Moravetz of Dallas, Ga.; and nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at Christian Life Church in Monroe.

Dorothy Lee Hollingsworth

MILPITAS, Calif. – Dorothy Lee Hollingsworth died Friday, April 8, 2005, in Milpitas, Calif. She was 80.

Mrs. Hollingsworth was born in Eupora, Miss.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Everett Calvert Gunter and Carrie Harrison Gunter Robertson; her husbands, Phil Hollingsworth and James Marvel; and one son, Everett Calvert Marvel.

Survivors include four sons, Mike Marvel of Redding, Clayton Marvel of Sacramento, Tommy Lee Marvel and Chester Marvel, both of Milpitas; two half-brothers, Joe Gunter of Oak Grove and Jimmy Rigal of West Monroe; five brothers, Doug Gunter, Jerry Gunter and Johnny Gunter, all of Oak Grove, William Gunter of Forest, La., and David Robertson of Lake Providence; two sisters, Jo Ann Carr of Oak Grove and Nancy Cushing of Watson, La.; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 today at Oak Grove Cemetery in Oak Grove, La. with the Rev. Gayle Riles officiating.

Pallbearers will be nephews.

Willie Beatrice McKenzie

Willie Beatrice McKenzie died Tuesday, April 12, 2005, at Claiborne County Nursing Home. She was 82.

Mrs. McKenzie was born in Edwards to Clifton Adel McKenzie and Matilda Jackson McKenzie. She graduated high school from the Southern Christian Institute in Edwards

A homemaker, she was formerly employed in a Vicksburg dental office.

She is survived by a daughter, Marie McKenzie Morgan; one brother, Frajoe McKenzie; two sisters, Emma Montgomery and Matilda Cook, both of Chicago; and nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Services will be at noon Saturday at Little Zion Baptist Church in Edwards. Burial will follow at Little Zion Cemetery.

Visitation will be from noon until 7 tonight at Lakeview Memorial Funeral Home.

Muriel Marie Meredith

DELL, Ark. – Muriel Marie Meredith died Wednesday, April 13, 2005, at her home in Dell, Ark. She was 76.

She was preceded in death by her parents, James Bryant Blair Sr. and Keturah Elizabeth Blair; her son, Jimmy Meredith; her brother, James Bryant Blair Jr.; and her sisters, Betty Brown, Hettie Nance and Mary Watkins.

Survivors include her husband, William T. “Sonny” Meredith of Lake Providence; one daughter, Joan Bullard of Lake Providence; two sons, Bill Meredith of Rodgers and Ray Meredith of Prairieville, La.; two brothers; three sisters; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and other friends and relatives.

Services will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at Providence Worship Center in Lake Providence with the Rev. Don Boyett officiating. Burial will follow at Bett Cemetery in Senatobia, Miss.

Visitation will be from 3 until 8 this evening at Cox Funeral Home in Lake Providence.

Pallbearers will be Dude Halley, Gene Haley, Dale Miller, Lamar Perry, David Smith and Johnny Johnson.

Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Meredith, Ray Meredith, Ryan Meredith, David Meredith, Pete Meredith and Matt Meredith.

Walter Lee Morrow

Services for Walter Lee Morrow will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at New Poplar Grove Independent Methodist Church with the Rev. James O. Bowman Sr. officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery in Edwards under the direction of Lakeview Memorial Funeral Home.

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

Mr. Morrow died Thursday, April 7, 2005, at his home in Vicksburg. He was 56.

Mr. Morrow was born in Hinds County to Peter W. and Edna Clark Morrow. He was a member of New Poplar Grove Independent Methodist Church.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Edna Clark Morrow; a brother, George Upson; and a sister, Alma Kinnard.

Survivors include his father, Peter W. Morrow of Edwards; a daughter, Phyllis A. Brown; four sons, Terrell Funches, Steven Funches Sr., Anthony McClendon and Tony Whitaker of Los Angeles; two brothers, Larry Morrow of Raymond and Johnny Morrow of Vicksburg; five sisters, Margaret Ann Jamison of Inglewood, Calif., Margaret Jean Lemon of Opelousas, La., Ida Odems and Rosie Noel, both of Edwards, and Esther Cole of Utica; four grandchildren; and aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends, including Ula Berry of Vicksburg.

Rev. C.P. Nelson

UTICA – The Rev. C.P. Nelson died Tuesday, April 12, 2005, at University Medical Center in Jackson. He was 62.

Rev. Nelson was a retired truck driver.

He is survived by his wife, Berdia Nelson; a daughter, Patricia Nelson Jones; seven sons, Willie Nelson, Ricky Nelson, Ralph Nelson, Adrian Nelson, Jonah Nelson, Joshua Nelson and Roderick Nelson; one sister, Estella Wilson; one brother, Eddie Willie Nelson; 15 grandchildren; and other relatives.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at St. John M.B. Church in Utica with Elder James Roby Jr. officiating. Burial will follow at St. John Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. at Westhaven Funeral Home in Utica.

Beverly J. O’Neal

Services for Beverly J. O’Neal will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at Vicksburg City Auditorium with the Rev. Casey Fisher officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from noon until 7 p.m. Saturday at Lakeview Memorial Funeral Home.

Mrs. O’Neal died Saturday, April 9, 2005, at St. Dominic Memorial Hospital in Jackson. She was 48.

Mrs. O’Neal was a member of Greater Grove Baptist Church. She was a computer programmer at Waterways Experiment Station.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Mary Smith.

Survivors include her husband, Louis O’Neal Jr. of Vicksburg; one daughter, Tenesha O’Neal Lacey of St. Louis, Mo.; her father, Albert Sweet of Vicksburg; seven brothers, Albert Sweet Jr., Jimmy Sweet, Raymond Sweet, Larry Sweet and Anthony Sweet, all of Vicksburg, Michael Sweet of Jackson and Anthony Sweet of Tupelo; three sisters, Dorothy Felix and Vanessa Thompson, both of Vicksburg, and Mary Brown of Shreveport, La.; and two grandchildren.