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.

Joseph Maurice Blackwell Jr.

FORT WORTH, Texas – Joseph Maurice Blackwell Jr. died Sunday, July 17, 2005, at Arlington Memorial Hospital in Arlington, Texas. He was 84.

He was born in Belzoni. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and was of the Baptist faith. Mr. Blackwell was a former policeman in Greenville and employed in Vicksburg by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where he retired in 1976. He moved to Fort Worth, Texas, in 2000.

Survivors include one daughter, Dr. Patricia Newcomb of Fort Worth; one son, Charles L. Blackwell of Arlington; one sister, Dorothy B. Evans of Boyle; one brother, Roy Blackwell of Greenville; and three grandchildren.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at County Line Cemetery in Glen Allan under the direction of Boone-Wells Funeral Home in Greenville.

Benny R. May

Benny R. “Buddy” May died July 15, 2005, at his home after a brief illness. He was 70.

He was a longtime truck driver, having driven for Neill Butane, Noble’s Cleaners, Miller Transporters and Red Ball Motor Freight before fulfilling his dreams of becoming a pilot in the early ’70s and was a flight instructor and cropduster pilot until retiring in 1997.

He owned and operated Aeronaut Flying Service in Tallulah from 1974 until 1977 before moving back to Vicksburg, where he owned and operated Pilot Services Co. at the Vicksburg Airport until 2003. He also formed and commanded the first Civil Air Patrol Squadron in Vicksburg and assisted with Boy Scout Troop 105 in the early ’70s. He was a truck driver for Johnny McCool Logging from 1998 until 2004.

Mr. May was a veteran of the Korean War, serving with the 187th Airborne Infantry. He was a Mason, a member of the VFW and Elks Lodge, and a former member of the Teamsters.

Born in Vicksburg, he lived most of his life in Vicksburg. He was of the Baptist faith.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Doris L. May; a daughter, Ann May; his adoptive parents, J.W. and Grace May; and his parents, Natalie Gray and Otis Thompson.

He is survived by a son, Frank May of Vicksburg; a daughter, Becky Joles of Seven Points, Texas; brothers, James May, Steve May and Jimmy Gray, all of Vicksburg, Edwin Gray of Jackson, Tommy Gray of Madison and John Gray of Defuniak Springs, Fla.; sisters, Marcia Saulters of Vicksburg, Brenda Henserling and Patricia Owens, both of Madison, and Shirley Rogers of Monticello; and a niece and caregiver, Lisa M. Tatom of Vicksburg.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Glenwood Funeral Home with the Rev. Rick McAlister officiating. Burial will follow at Green Acres Memorial Park.

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

Pallbearers will be James May, Steve May, David May, Tommy Gray, John Gray and Jimmy Gray.

Honorary pallbearers will be Richard Tucker, Wayne Brown, Dr. Shelah Teeters, Phil Lawson, Ralph Frisbee, Lynn McDuff and Lou McDuff.

Memorials may be made to Hospice Ministries of Ridgeland, 450 Towne Center Blvd., Ridgeland, MS 39157.

William Maurice Reid

LOS ANGELES – William Maurice Reid died on Thursday, June 23, 2005. He was 89.

Mr. Reid was born in Vicksburg. He attended St. Mary’s and Magnolia High Schools.

He was a member of Mount Heroden M.B. Church in Vicksburg. He was employed with Anderson-Tully Lumber Mill. He was employed with Long Beach Navel Shipyard, Long Beach Oil Refineries, Hilton Hotel and Pacific Outdoor Advertisement Company in Los Angeles. He retired after 32 years as a carpenter.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Will Reed and Olivia Reed Holmes; three sisters, Emiley Collins, Pearl Washington and Olivia Lewis; one daughter, LaFaye Reid; and one son, Holston James Reid.

Survivors include his wife, Cerelus Murphy Reid of Los Angeles; two daughters, Cerelus Nuita Davis of Henderson, Nev., and Lois E. Reid of Los Angeles; four sons, Edmond R. Reid, Robert H. Reid and William M. Reid III, all of Los Angeles, and Selwyn Reid of Pasadena, Calif.; two brothers, Charles Reed of Los Angeles and L.D. Reed of Temecula, Calif.; seven grandchildren; nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives including Beverly A. Reid of Pasadena and Linda Reid of Los Angeles.

Services were Thursday, June 30, 2005, at Inglewood Cemetery in Inglewood, Calif.

J.D. Strong

UTICA – J.D. Strong died Tuesday, July 12, 2005, at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Jackson. He was 94.

Mr. Strong was a native of Copiah County. He served in the U.S. Army and was employed at Westinghouse.

Survivors include one daughter, Myrtle Strong of Utica; three sisters, Mossey Nixon of Jackson, Olivette Roberts and Rae Roberts, both of Crystal Springs; three grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and 13 great-great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Stringer Family Funeral Home Chapel in Hazlehurst. Burial will follow at Pine Bluff Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 until 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.