November 27, 2006
Published 12:00 am Monday, November 27, 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.
Elizabeth L. Bass.
Elizabeth L. Bass died Sunday, Nov. 26, 2006, at Promise Specialty Hospital. She was 70.
A homemaker, Mrs. Bass was a member of Wayside Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Minnie Westerfield; two sisters, Ida Herald and Frankie Whittington; two brothers, Lamar Westerfield and Andrew Westerfield; and her husband, Jeff D. Bass Sr.
She is survived by two sons, Jerry Bass of Benton, Ark., and Jeff Bass Jr. of Vicksburg; three daughters, Marie Holdiness and Sherry Worrell, both of Vicksburg, and Diane Smith of Richland; and 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Glenwood Funeral Home with the Revs. Larry Haggard and Sam Dunaway officiating. Burial will follow at Utica City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5 until 8 tonight at the funeral home.
Pallbearers will be Tony Worthy, Kyle Whitehead, Victor Worrell Jr., Phillip Bass, Eddie Hollowell and Dell Holdiness.
Honorary pallbearers will be Jerry Bass Jr., Justine Bass, Dr. Paul Pierce and Bruce Hollowell.
Craig H. Neilsen.
LAS VEGAS – It is with great sorrow and loss that the family of Craig H. Neilsen announces his passing on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2006, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was chairman and chief executive officer of Ameristar Casinos, owner of Neilsen & Company and founder of The Craig H. Neilsen Foundation.
Craig Hart Neilsen was born in 1941 in Logan, Utah, and moved with his family to Twin Falls, Idaho, as a child. Following graduation from Twin Falls High School, he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Utah State University, then went on to complete his master’s in business administration and law degrees at the University of Utah.
Shortly after that, he joined his father, Ray L. Neilsen, in his construction and real estate development firm in Twin Falls. Tragically, after only one year, Ray L. Neilsen passed away suddenly. At that time, Craig started Neilsen & Company, which soon became the region’s largest and most successful construction and real estate development company. Neilsen & Company was responsible for the construction of many of Twin Falls’ major buildings, as well as the renovation of the Lynwood Shopping Center and the creation of the Breckenridge residential subdivision. Most recently, Neilsen & Company was involved with the upscale Canyon Park lifestyle center. Future development plans at Canyon Park include a hotel and convention center.
Through his father’s estate, the family held one-third interest in Cactus Petes and The Horseshu casinos in Jackpot, Nev. At first, the family was a passive investor; however, in the early 1980s, Craig became more involved in casino operations, and the entrepreneur in him envisioned the two properties becoming major resorts. That vision started to become a reality shortly after Craig became president of the Jackpot properties in 1984.
In early November 1985, as Craig was driving back to Twin Falls from Jackpot, he was involved in a serious car accident that left him paralyzed. By mid-1986, he was back on the job – if possible, with even more determination than ever. In 1993, he took the Company public to help fuel its growth. Since that time, Ameristar has expanded outside of Nevada to five other properties in four additional states, and truly has established a reputation as a premier gaming entertainment company.
Another important part of Craig’s legacy was his wonderful generosity and community spirit. He established The Craig H. Neilsen Foundation in 2003, and since then has contributed millions of dollars, primarily toward spinal cord injury research at the nation’s leading institutions. In addition, he led the way for the company’s charitable giving programs, and supported its workplace giving program generously through matches both from the company and his foundation.
In 2002, he was honored as “Best Performing CEO” by the American Gaming Association, and in 2005 he was inducted into the American Gaming Association’s Gaming Hall of Fame. In 2006, he was named Outstanding Business Leader by the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis. Craig also served on the Board of Directors of the American Gaming Association.
Everyone who knew Craig respects him tremendously as a business leader with inexhaustible passion for Ameristar. He was an entrepreneur with incredible vision who took the company public and who led its strong growth. Further, he inspired all of us with his courage, determination and dignity. He has also left a lasting impact on the lives of so many others through his generosity and community spirit.
Craig is the son of the late Ray L. Neilsen and Gwen Hart Neilsen Anderson. He is survived by his son Ray H. (Nancy) Neilsen; stepdaughters, Jaime Stam and Amanda (Howard) Byrd.
Visitation is from noon Tuesday until 7 p.m. at Palm Mortuaries and Cemeteries, 6701 N. Jones Blvd., Las Vegas. On Wednesday, there will be a public celebration of Craig’s life and reception at 5 p.m. in the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Ballroom E. Funeral and burial services will be private.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, 550 Blue Lakes Blvd. North, Twin Falls, ID 83301-4033, Attn.: Tributes; or to Mississippi Methodist Rehabilitation Center, 1350 East Woodrow Wilson, Jackson, MS 39216, Attn.: Janice McGee.
Louis R. Theobald Jr.
Louis R. Theobald Jr. died Sunday, Nov. 26, 2006, at his home. He was 77.
Born in Vicksburg, Mr. Theobald was the son of the late Louis R. Theobald Sr. and Bernadette Miller Theobald. He was a 1947 graduate of St. Aloysius High School and University of Southern Mississippi. Having served in the Army, he was founder and owner of Theobald Insurance Agency, retiring in 1990. He was a member of Elks Lodge No. 95, Knights of Columbus Council 898 and numerous professional insurance associations. He was a communicant of St. Paul Catholic Church.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, John Theobald; and two brothers, Bill Theobald and Mac Theobald.
He is survived by his wife, Marion “Fronia” Theobald of Vicksburg; three daughters, Dette Vedros and Carol Mims, both of Vicksburg, and Rosie Barrett of Apex, N.C.; three sons, Ricky Theobald, Andrew Theobald and Louie Theobald, all of Vicksburg; a brother, Bernard Theobald of Vicksburg; 10 grandchildren; and two-great grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Paul Catholic Church with the Rev. Patrick Farrell officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight at Riles Funeral Home. Knights of Columbus Prayers begin at 6:45, followed by a wake service. The family will assemble at the church from 9:30 a.m. Tuesday until the hour of service.
Pallbearers will be Jimmy Waring, Sam Lusco, Gerald Braddock, Joe Theobald, John Theobald, Beau Theobald, Kyle McCaskill and John Kiser.
Honorary pallbearers will be Sal Petary, Dr. Ed Evans, Donald Stewart, George Evans, Jim Westbrook, John Hennessey, Jack O’Neill, Pete Summers, Crosby Simmons Jr., Lynn McDuff, Jack Pickett, A.L. Sullivan, Levi Williams, Dave Thornton and members of the Knights of Columbus Council 898 and Elks Lodge No. 95.
Memorials may be made to Vicksburg Catholic Schools, 1900 Grove St., Vicksburg, MS 39183 or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Willis W. Wheeler.
CARY – Services for Willis W. Wheeler will be at 2 p.m. today at Mound Cemetery in Rolling Fork with Tim Beard officiating. Burial will follow under the direction of Glenwood Funeral Home. Visitation is from noon until the service at the funeral home.
Mr. Wheeler died Friday, Nov. 24, 2006, at his home. He was 85.
Mr. Wheeler was a native of Pontotoc and was a retired farmer. A resident of Ocean Springs for 15 years, he had lived in Cary for the past year and a half.
Survivors include his wife, Juanita M. Wheeler of Cary; four sons, Larry Wheeler and Marty Wheeler, both of Ocean Springs, and Jack Wheeler and Richard Wheeler, both of Cary; a sister, Ruth Gillis of Memphis; and six grandchildren.