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.

James Victor Hampton

James Victor &#8221Hamp“ Hampton died Thursday, Oct. 6, 2005, at his home. He was 83.

Mr. Hampton was a native of Holly Bluff. He lived most of his life in Vicksburg. He was employed as a supervisor for Marathon-LeTourneau for 44 years. He was a Mason and a member of Calvary Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mae Belle Hampton; his parents, Robert L. and Margaret Miles Hampton; and one granddaughter, Dianne Evans.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Bennett Hampton; four daughters, Patricia Keen, Sharon Evans, Linda Rowland and Jewel Dean McCain, all of Vicksburg; two sons, James V. &#8221Buddy“ Hampton Jr. and Larry Hampton, both of Vicksburg; two sisters, Elsie Stewart of Vicksburg and Annie Ruth Williams of Texas; two brothers, Wilbur Hampton of Boise, Idaho, and Marion Hampton of Titusville, Fla.; 12 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Fisher Funeral Home with the Rev. Dwight Sibley officiating. Burial will follow at Green Acres Memorial Park.

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

Pallbearers will be Harry Andres, Gene Ray Frith, Shane Rowland, Bobby Stewart, Brian Sikorski, Randy Williams, David Johnson, Earl Brewer and Fred McCain Jr.

Honorary pallbearers will be Claude Bagby, Curtis Brewer Sr. and Walter Beall.

Memorials may be made to the Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Society, Woodholme Medical Building. Suite 515, 1838 Greene Tree Road, Baltimore, MD 21208 or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Dot Melton

Dot Melton died Thursday, Oct. 6, 2005, at her home in Vicksburg. She was 55.

Born in Claiborne County, Mrs. Melton had been a Vicksburg resident most of her life. She was a homemaker and a member of Goodrum Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Catherine Gradwell; a sister, Mary Dunlap; and three brothers, Charles Gradwell, Jimmy Gradwell and Eugene Gradwell.

Survivors include her husband, Russell Melton of Vicksburg; two daughters, Lee Seid of Baldwyn and Alice Bell of Vicksburg; two stepdaughters, Lois Martin of Redwood and Sandy Pettway of Vicksburg; two stepsons, Jimmy Melton and David Melton, both of Vicksburg; three brothers, Robert Gradwell and Willie Gradwell Sr., both of Vicksburg, and William Cade of Port Gibson; four grandchildren; and other relatives.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Goodrum Baptist Church with the Rev. Bob Martin officiating. Burial will follow at Green Acres Memorial Park.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight at the funeral home and Saturday at the church from 1 p.m. until the service.

Pallbearers will be Jason Bell, Dennis Seid, Tim Perry, Edward Gradwell, Jimmy Gradwell Jr., Jamie Bunch and Terry Lee.

Memorials may be made to Goodrum Baptist Church, 4569 Fisher Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180.

Dennis Taylor Jr.

Services for Dennis Taylor Jr. will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Mary’s Center with the Rev. Mincer Minor officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery under the direction of W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home.

Mr. Taylor died Sunday, Oct. 2, 2005, at River Region Medical Center. He was 61.

He retired from International Paper. He was a 1963 graduate of Rosa A. Temple High School. A 1967 graduate of Alcorn State University, he had served as president of the ASU Alumni Association and was past president of the local Democratic party. He was a member of King Solomon M.B. Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Dennis Sr. and Josie B. Nash Taylor; two brothers, James Earl Taylor and Scott Henry Taylor; and his grandparents, Anthony and Priscilla Noble Nash, Mary Sheppard and Scott Taylor.

Survivors include two daughters, LaTonia Denise Taylor of Forrestville, Md., and Shirley Brown of Jackson; two brothers, Alvin E. Taylor of Vicksburg and Anthony Taylor of San Diego; five sisters, Verna T. Davis of Vicksburg, Willie Mary Thompson of Jackson, Jessie Lowry of Mound Bayou, Ruby Barnes of Columbus, Ohio, and Lillian Merriweather of Gary, Ind.; two grandchildren; Barbara R. Nailor of Vicksburg; and other relatives and friends.

Jay R. West

Jay R. West, 64, of Raymond, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2005, at his home in Raymond. A memorial service will be held at 2:30 p.m. today at Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home in Raymond. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. at the funeral home.

Jay was a native of Manchester, Conn., and a longtime resident of Raymond. He started with his father in business in 1961 as a real estate appraisal and brokerage firm. Jay was well-known as a mortgage banker with a career that spans more than 40 years, serving communities throughout the United States including the Virgin Islands. Most recently he was a consultant to many businesses throughout the South.

Friends and neighbors felt free to ask his advice and counsel on both personal and business-related problems. He touched countless lives and inspired success, honesty and integrity with everyone he met.

Jay was a loving husband, father, brother and grandfather. Survivors include his wife, Linda A. West of Raymond; sons, Jeff West of Vicksburg and Brian West of Thornton, Colo.; stepson, Don Rowland of Vicksburg; stepdaughter, Kristi Liggett of Vicksburg; brother, John L. West of Westport, Conn.; sister, Virginia McNamara of Wethersfield, Conn.; grandchildren, Kevin West, Joria West, Jacki West, Julia Liggett, John David Liggett, Hunter Rowland, Tori Rowland, Chandler Rowland; and nephews, Todd McNamara and Colin McNamara.

Memorials may be made to Epilepsy Foundation of Mississippi, 2001 Airport Road, Flowood, MS 39232 or to the American Cancer Society, 1380 Livingston Lane, Jackson, MS 39213.

Charles Henry Williams

Charles Henry Williams died Thursday, Sept. 29, 2005, at Delta Regional Medical Hospital in Greenville. He was 51.

Mr. Williams was employed with Kelly’s Gulf Station for 20 years.

Survivors include his wife, Margaret Williams of Rolling Fork; his mother, Dora Bell of Rolling Fork; two sons, Cedric Williams and DaMarcus T. Williams, both of Rolling Fork; one daughter, Marketa Williams of Rolling Fork; three brothers, Willie J. Bell of San Diego, George E. Williams and Arthur L. Bell Jr., both of Rolling Fork; and six sisters, Freddie M. Sanders of Clearwater, Fla., Charlene Lindsey and Evelyn Bell, both of Rolling Fork, Shirley Watson and Flora Knight, both of Yazoo City, and Bobbie Parker of Calumet, Ill.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Mount Lula M.B. Church in Rolling Fork with the Rev. Elijah Lewis Jr. officiating. Burial will follow at Elmwood Cemetery under the direction of Walker Funeral Home in Rolling Fork.

Thelma Wilson

Thelma Wilson died Sunday, Oct. 2, 2005, at Natchez Community Hospital in Natchez. She was 66.

Mrs. Wilson was a retired harness maker at ITT in Fayette. She was a member of Zion Christian Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ben Berry and Mae Bell Wells; two sons and three brothers.

Survivors include her husband, Nathan Wilson Sr. of Lorman; three sons, Nathan Wilson Jr. and Prentiss Wilson, both of Red Lick, Cleveland Wilson of Alexandria; two daughters, Mayrene Bell and Charlene Wilson, both of Red Lick; one brother, Johnell Berry of Cleveland; 14 grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Rose Hill Christian Church in Lorman with the Rev. Walter Chambers officiating. Burial will follow at Little Zion Cemetery in Blue Hill, Miss., under the direction of Rollins Funeral Home in Fayette.

Visitation will be from 1 until 6 this evening at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Michael Trunell, R.L. Ward, Henery Bell, Carl Shorter, Reggie Scott, Leon Queen, Troy Shelby and Jeremy Hunter.

Honorary pallbearers will be Cleveland Wilson, Nathan Wilson Jr., Prentiss Wilson, Lewis Blake, Antonio Blake, Derrick Wilson, Cedric Wilson, Eric White, Chester Savage and Zyra Blake.