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.

Perry Eatmon Jr.

Services for Perry Eatmon Jr. will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Rock of Ages M.B. Church with the Rev. Henry Williams officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 6 until 7 tonight at W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home.

Mr. Eatmon died Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2005, at St. Joseph Medical Center in Chicago. He was 60.

Born in Vicksburg to Perry Eatmon Sr. and Maggie Baker, Mr. Eatmon attended Warren County Public Schools. He worked as a butcher at Nosser’s Grocery before moving to Illinois in 1970.

He was a member of the 167th Elks Lodge in Lockport, Ill., and Calvary Baptist Church.

He is survived by two daughters, Della Eatmon Caples of Dallas and Anna Johnson of Jackson; one son, Derrick Shields of Vallejo, Calif.; two brothers, Percy Washington of Vicksburg and Sidney Eatmon of Baton Rouge; eight grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends, including Clarence Maxey and Alonzo England of Vicksburg.

Jack Gunter.

OAK GROVE – Jack Gunter died Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2006, at his home in Oak Grove. He was 67.

Mr. Gunter was born in West Carroll Parish. He worked for the Louisiana Department of Transportation Development for more than 23 years and also worked as an electrician for more than 40 years. He was a member of Lanes Ferry Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James Leon Gunter and Mildred Harrison Gunter.

He is survived by his wife, Violet Gunter of Oak Grove; a son, Jackie Gunter of Oak Grove; a grandson; and nieces, nephews and other relatives.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Lanes Ferry Baptist Church with the Rev. Mike Ray officiating. Burial will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Pat Hill, Jason Taylor, Johnny Taylor, Shane Ray, Dennis Seamans, Rowdy Sanderson and Roland Crymes.

Honorary pallbearers will be Jeff Chop, Todd Chop, Louis Chop, Edward Taylor, George Boyte, Burnis Allen, Newton Trichell, Larry Harrison and members of Lanes Ferry Baptist Church.

Sally Jo Higdon.

TALLULAH – Sally Jo Higdon died Monday, Jan. 2, 2006, at Olive Branch Senior Care Center in Tallulah. She was 68.

Mrs. Higdon was born in Natchez and lived in Tallulah. She was a homemaker and a member of the Roman Catholic Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph T. Testa Jr. and Louise S. Testa; and her husband, George &#8220Bo” Higdon.

Survivors include two daughters, Jeannie Jones of Montgomery, La., and Melanie Robinson of Dodson; one sister, Louise Testa Magoun of Tallulah; and six grandchildren.

Services were at 11 this morning at St. Edward’s Catholic Church in Tallulah with the Rev. Ferre D’Cruz officiating. Burial will be at 2:30 at Natchez City Cemetery in Natchez.

Pallbearers will be Robert Rushing, Rusty Jones, Zachary Jones, Clark Robinson, Jonathan Robinson and Sidney Plaisance.

Nettie Kerns Shahan.

Nettie Kerns Shahan died Saturday, Dec. 31, 2005, at Belmont Place, Vicksburg, at the age of 92.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas Amaziah Kerns and Minnie Ellen Rogers; her brothers, Philip, Earl and Edgar Kerns; her sister, Anna Teter; and her beloved husband of 62 years, Neil George Shahan.

She is survived by her daughter, Karen Shahan Calnan, her son-in-law, Michael Baylies Calnan, and three grandchildren: William Neil Calnan of Virginia Beach, Va., Camilla Suzanne Calnan of Asheville, N.C., and Heather Marie Calnan of Vicksburg; sisters-in-law, Mary Isabelle Rodgers of Grafton, W.Va., Helen Kisner Kerns of Fairmont, W.Va., and Barbara Jean Kerns Godfrey of Ravenna, Ohio; brother-in-law, William Aldene Shahan of Fairborn, Ohio; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A native of Grafton, Taylor County, West Virginia, she attended the University of Rhode Island, where she was a nanny for the university president’s children and taught at the Campus Method School. She graduated from Fairmont State College and taught in Arnettsville, W.Va. She moved to Washington, D.C., and taught for 30 years there. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, NEA and the Navy Officers Wives Association.

Upon retirement, she moved to Front Royal, Va., and taught in Rappahannock County, Va. She also was an active member of the Wally Byam Caravan Club for Airstream Owners #3370 for 40 years and DAR chapters in Front Royal, Palm Bay and the Ashmead Chapter in Vicksburg.

She settled in Palm Bay, Fla., for 20 years, then spent the last 4 1/2 years in Vicksburg at Heritage House Assisted Living and Belmont Place.

The Rev. Edward Hightower of Gibson Memorial Methodist Church will officiate a prayer service at the Fisher Funeral Home Chapel at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5, 2006.

Visitation will be 5 p.m. until the service. Burial will be in Grafton, W.Va.

The family is deeply grateful to Mrs. Ida Johnson, Mrs. Carolyn Tolliver, and the wonderful staff at Belmont Place for the love and care that they took for Momma. A heartfelt thank you to Private Home Care Inc., Ms. Mary Edney Jackson, Mrs. Sharon Ladd, Mrs. Kim Farris, Ms. Shannon Crooks, Mrs. Kathy Ellis, Ms. Gloria Griffin, and all those who cared for Mother. Thank you to Ms. Becca Ross and Patient’s Choice Hospice for the extraordinary counseling and care you gave. Thank you to Mr. Robert Greer, Mrs. Betty Black, and all the helpful staff at Heritage House Retirement Center. A sincere thank you to David and Connie Hosemann with Hometown Medical for providing wonderful service for all of Mother’s needs.

A special thank you to Dr. William Wooten and Dr. Daniel Edney for true compassion, faith and healing through these last years. It is because of many special people that Momma is at true peace.