The Vicksburg Post prints 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.

Thomas Gaddis Barksdale

JACKSON – Thomas Gaddis Barksdale died Tuesday, July 12, 2005, in Jackson. He was 68.

Mr. Barksdale was born in Jackson to Jack and Mary Bryan Barksdale. He graduated in 1955 from Central High School and in 1959 from the University of Mississippi, where he was a member of Kappa Alpha and studied geological engineering. He was an officer in the Navy for three years, serving on the Shangri La and Roosevelt aircraft carriers.

He moved to Dallas in 1962, working at Republic National Bank before moving to Vicksburg in 1973 to serve as chairman and president of Merchants National Bank. He returned to Republic National Bank, serving there from 1979 until 1988.

Mr. Barksdale moved back to Jackson in 1989, working at Community Bank and serving on its board. He was on the board of directors of what became SkyTel, Gulf Guaranty and the Ramey Agency. He served on the faculty of the LSU School of Banking and was a member of the Young Presidents Organization.

He also served on the Salvation Army’s national board from 1987 until 1997 and was president of the United Way and Chamber of Commerce in Vicksburg. He served as finance chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, vice chairman of the Mississippi Oil and Gas Board and president of the Mississippi Arthritis Foundation. He was a member of the Chancellor’s Trust for the University of Mississippi.

Mr. Barksdale was a communicant of St. James Episcopal Church in Jackson and served on the vestry of Church of the Holy Trinity in Vicksburg.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Jack Barksdale.

Survivors include his wife of 42 years, Ann Wheat Barksdale; a daughter, Ann House of Fort Worth, Texas; a son, Tom Barksdale of Dallas; four brothers, Jim Barksdale, Rees Barksdale, Bryan Barksdale and Claiborne Barksdale; five grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. James Episcopal Church, 3921 Oakridge Drive in Jackson.

Visitation will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in the parish hall of the church.

Memorials may be made to the Salvation Army, St. Catherine’s Village, the Arthritis Foundation, the University of Mississippi or a favorite charity.

Pearl Lee Cooper Ellis

PORT GIBSON – Services for Pearl Lee Cooper Ellis will be at noon Saturday at Tillman Chapel Christian Church in Port Gibson with the Rev. Walter Chambers officiating. Burial will follow at Pine Grove Cemetery in Port Gibson.

Visitation will be from noon until 5 p.m. today at Robbins Funeral Home and Saturday at the church from 10 a.m. until the service.

Mrs. Ellis died Monday, July 11, 2005, at River Region Medical Center. She was 98.

A resident of Port Gibson, she was member of Tillman Chapel Christian Church. She was a missionary worker and a member of the Union Aid Society.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Elijah Ellis; one brother, Robert Cooper Sr.; and her parents, James Cooper and Deliah Cooper.

She is survived by four daughters, Jessie Thomas, Bobbie Rankin and Ethel Grady, all of Port Gibson, and Annie B. Hosey of Laurel; one son, Delta Henderson of Laurel; and nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.

Beverly Pearl Powers

NEW ORLEANS – Beverly Pearl Powers died Tuesday, July 5, 2005, in New Orleans.

Ms. Powers was born in Utica and moved to Slidell, La., in 1994. She was a graduate of Utica High School and Whitfield College in Hazlehurst. She was a lifelong member of Utica United Methodist Church.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Oscar C. Powers and Irene Brown Powers; and one sister, Marjorie Powers Lovell.

Survivors include two nephews, Albert A. Lovell Jr. of Marion, La. and the Rev. Clinton Powers Lovell of Greenwood, La.; and one niece, Anne Deaton of Mexia, Texas.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Utica Town Cemetery with the Rev. Clinton Powers Lovell officiating.

Memorials may be made to Utica United Methodist Church

Odelle McPherson Tatum

DELHI – Odelle McPherson Tatum died Wednesday, July 13, 2005, at her home in Delhi. She was 79.

Mrs. Tatum was born in Epps, La., and was a resident of Delhi.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Willie Tatum Sr.; her parents, Roy McPherson Sr. and Louise Masters McPherson; two sisters, Juanez Duchesne and Betty McHand; and a granddaughter, Jodi Tatum.

She is survived by a son, Willie Tatum Jr. of Delhi; a daughter, Sue Bassett of Bossier City, La.; a brother, Roy McPherson Jr. of Sterlington, La.; a sister, Lou Duchesne of Monroe; two grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Cox Funeral Home of Delhi with the Rev. Bernard Duchesne Jr. officiating. Burial will be at the Delhi Masonic Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Roy Duchesne, Garry McPherson, Danny Sanders, Brett Tannehill, Dwain Robbins, Norman Rockett, Warren Duchesne and Tommy Rockett.

Ruby Lee Walker

PORT GIBSON – Ruby Lee Walker died Friday, July 8, 2005, at the University Medical Center in Jackson. She was 80.

Mrs. Walker was a member of Watson Chapel A.M.E. Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Addie Coleman; one son, Emmerick Burks; and 22 brothers and sisters.

Survivors include two sons, John L. Walker Jr. of Port Gibson and Antoine L. Walker of Seagoville, Texas; six daughters, Perlie Walker, Ruby Thompson, Linda R. Burks and Lorine Derby, all of Port Gibson, Esselean B. Gordon of Shreveport, La., and Carrie Machell Burks of Nagakute-cho, Alchi-gun Japan; one brother, Arthur Coleman of Dayton, Ohio; one sister, Julia Jones of Port Gibson; nine grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and other relatives and friends including Florence Longmire and Bertha Gaines, both of Port Gibson.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Mount Olive M.B. Church in the Westside Community in Port Gibson.

Burial will follow at Carbondale Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1 until 6 this evening at Thompson Funeral Home in Port Gibson and from 10 a.m. Saturday until the hour of service at the church.

Charles Ray Wolfe

FAYETTE – Charles Ray Wolfe died Saturday, July 9, 2005, at Natchez Community Hospital in Natchez. He was 58.

Mr. Wolfe was born in Jefferson County. He retired as a maintenance worker at Alcorn State University. He was a member of Shiloh First Baptist Church in Fayette.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Gary Wolfe and Margaret Coleman; three brothers, Shedrick Wolfe, Garrett Edward Wolfe and Prince Henry Wolfe.

Survivors include his wife, Alice Marie Green Wolfe of Fayette; one son, Eric LaShun Wolfe; two brothers, Samuel Wolfe of Port Allen, La., and Leon Wolfe of Fayette; four sisters, Willie Bell Richard and Lucille Watts, both of Baton Rouge, Marie Sander of Fayette and Mary Spurlock of Port Gibson; one adopted sister, Eileen Wolfe of Baton Rouge; four grandchildren; and other relatives and friends including Rondo R. Green and Antoinette M. Green, both of Omaha, Neb.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Shiloh First Baptist Church in Fayette with the Rev. Larry Jackson officiating. Burial will follow at Jessmine Ridge Cemetery in Lorman.

Visitation will be from noon until 6 this evening at Rollins Funeral Home Chapel in Fayette.

Pallbearers will be friends of the family.