September 5, 2006

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, September 5, 2006

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.

Luther T. Barber.

Luther T. Barber, 73, died Sept. 4, 2006, at River Region Medical Center following a long illness. Luther had made Warren County his home since 1966.

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Luther was preceded in death by his father, Harve B. Barber of Philadelphia, Miss., and his mother, Lillian B. (Barber) Tanner of Vicksburg.

Luther is survived by his wife, Velma S. Barber; two daughters, Wanda Delane Pipkin and Valorie Sue White; one granddaughter, Velma McAllister and her husband, Charles McAllister; and three great-grandchildren, Dustin, Angelynn and Jacob McAllister, all of Vicksburg.

Luther had been a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union Local No. 480 in Jackson since 1964. He was a member of Bovina Baptist Church.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, 2006, at Glenwood Funeral Home with the Revs. Chip Starnes and Thomas Dixon officiating. Burial will follow at Green Acres Memorial Park.

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

Pallbearers will be Charles McAllister, Coby Virgen, Edward E. &#8220Buddy” Douglas, Darwin Smith, Larry Steed and Ike Jackson.

Honorary pallbearers will be Sheriff Martin Pace, Dr. Martin Newcomb, Dr. Steven Zachow, Dr. Hildon Sessums, Dr. Glenn Taylor, Doug Traxler, Jake Moak, Ronnie Carroll, H.C. &#8220Bud” Smith, Levi Smith, Carl Upton, Prentiss Long, Jim Coutier, Larry Thompson, Lowery Oneal White Jr. and Dan Hall.

Virginia W. Hall.

Virginia W. Hall died Monday, Sept. 4, 2006, at Olive Branch Nursing Home in Tallulah. She was 80.

Mrs. Hall was born in Drew, Miss., and had lived in Vicksburg since 1959. She retired from the Corps of Engineers in December 1985.

She was preceded in death by a daughter, Candis Harvey; a son, David Edward Hall; and her husband, Henry Edward Hall Jr.

She is survived by a daughter, Dollie Harrison of Vicksburg; her sister, Frances Fulkerson of Victor, Texas; and three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Glenwood Funeral Home with the Rev. Chip Starnes officiating. Burial will be at Green Acres Memorial Park.

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

Sister Mary Cyrena Harkins.

JACKSON – Sister Mary Cyrena Harkins, a Sister of Mercy, age 89, died at St. Dominic Hospital after a short illness. A Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2006, at St. Richard Catholic Church with burial at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Vicksburg.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight and from 9:30 a.m. Wednesday until the service at the church. A wake service will be held at 7 p.m.

Born in the St. Anne’s community near Carthage in Neshoba County, she was one of 12 children born to Mike and Mary Harkins. As a teenager, she attended St. Francis Xavier Academy in Vicksburg and after graduation entered the Sisters of Mercy Convent. She received her degree from Incarnate Word College in San Antonio, Texas, and her master’s from Catholic University in Washington, D.C. The first 17 years of her ministry were spent teaching in St. Francis Elementary School of Vicksburg. After this tour of duty she became the founding principal of St. Richard Elementary School in Jackson, where she served for 14 years. Later she was principal of Sacred Heart School in Hattiesburg.

For 26 years, she was employed by the Catholic Diocese of Jackson as head of educational services. She worked tirelessly for the young who needed special help and sought the training for helping these children. Subsequently, she established programs in all the parochial schools of the state. One of her favorite interests was the Special Kids’ Program at St. Richard School. After her retirement from the Office of Education, she remained as a consultant.

In 1992, after Mercy Hospital in Vicksburg was sold, she wanted the Sisters to continue in health services of the Church, so she sought the help of the Sisters of Mercy Health System of the St. Louis Region to establish the Mississippi Health Advocacy Program (MHAP) in Jackson. As a volunteer she provided daily guidance and leadership for the persons in charge of this ministry. She spent many hours lobbying in the State Capitol for programs to assist needy children.

In 1994, Sister Cyrena introduced the Parents as Teachers Program in Bolivar and Sunflower counties. In 1997, the St. Gabriel Mercy Center opened in Mound Bayou, Miss. The Sisters there have expanded the ministries to include programs for the elderly, after-school care, GED, computer training and staffing of the Bolivar County Public Library.

Sister Cyrena is survived by her two sisters, Teresa Waggener Beckham and husband, Winn, and Lalande Harkins; a brother, Ansley Harkins and wife, June; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Family members who preceded her in death were her parents and siblings: John Harkins, Beulah Luckett, Robert M. Harkins, Grace Hickey Callahan, Agnes Caffey, Thomas M. Harkins, Bennie Harkins and Rose Harkins.

Memorials may be made to the St. Gabriel Mercy Center in Mound Bayou or to the Special Kids’ Program at St. Richard Catholic Parish, Jackson.

Pallbearers will be John Harkins, Walter Harkins, Richard Luckett, John Luckett, Bobby Craten Luckett, Mike Hickey, Jimmy Harkins, Mike Harkins, Mike Waggener, Steve Waggener, Patrick Waggener and Tommy Harkins.

Ivory Aretha Sevier Honore.

Ivory Aretha Sevier Honore died Sept. 4, 2006, at River Region Medical Center. She was 95.

Mrs. Honore was born in Tallulah to the late Virginia White and Albert L. Sevier. She was a retired seamstress from New Orleans and an elevator operator from The Hotel Vicksburg and The Valley Dry Goods Store. She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Fred Honore; and a sister, Lucille White.

She is survived by four nephews, Ernest Brown Jr. of Vicksburg, Vincent Brown of Chicago, Robert L. Brown of Charlotte, N.C., and Mose Brown of New Orleans; a niece, Lucille Brown of Norwalk, Conn.; and other relatives, including the Irwin, Barnes and Brown families.

Dillon-Chisley Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.