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.

Henrietta Jackson Ellis.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Henrietta Jackson Ellis died Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2006, in Kansas City, Mo. She was 72.

Mrs. Ellis was born in Vicksburg to Charlie and Bernice Jackson. A former member of St. Mark Freewill Baptist Church in Vicksburg, she attended Palestine Missionary Baptist Church of Jesus Christ in Kansas City, where she was a member of the mass choir, Sunday school and Bible class.

She had worked as a home health nurse.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, James E. Ellis; and two brothers, her twin, Henry Jackson, and James Austin Jackson.

She is survived by one sister, Mary J. Ballard of Milwaukee, Wis.; two adopted sisters, Patricia C. Jones of Vicksburg and Edna Ruth Adams of Jackson; two grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and other relatives, including Penny Jones Branch of Vicksburg.

Services were Dec. 16 at Palestine M.B. Church of Jesus Christ. Burial followed at Mount Moriah Cemetery.

Kathryn Smith Fountain.

Kathryn Smith Fountain died Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2006, at River Region Medical Center. She was 80.

Mrs. Fountain was a member of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jimmie Fountain; her parents, Lucius and Annie Smith; two daughters, Ena Ann Beverly and Ava Enid Robinette; a sister, Albertha Howard; four brothers, Robert Smith, George Smith, Charles Smith and Norman Smith; and two granddaughters and a grandson.

She is survived by two daughters, Elva Smith of Vicksburg and Darlinda Slater of Jackson; five grandchildren she reared, Eros Smith of Jackson, Kyle Alexander and Kathryn Blue, both of Vicksburg, and Jarrett Beverly and Nadra Robinette, both of Springfield, Ohio; eight great-grandchildren; and other relatives, including the Thomas, Blue, Harris, Field, McGowan, Bass, Childs, Conner, Alexander and Blackburn families.

Dillon-Chisley Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

Zellner Sykes Gilliam.

Zellner Sykes &#8220Mama Deater” Gilliam died Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2006, at River Region Medical Center. She was 85.

Mrs. Gilliam retired as owner and operator of Garfield’s Grocery. She was a member of Triumph M.B. Church, where she was on the mother board and was a member of the senior choir. She was a member of the Knights and Daughters of Tabor.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Garfield Gilliam; a daughter, Delmarie Burns; two brothers, Moses Sykes and Ed Sykes; four sisters, Gene Ford, Rosetta Miller, Millie Sykes and Augusta Galloway; and her parents, Sullivan and Sirlinoir Hendricks Sykes.

Survivors include four sons, James &#8220Bay” Kemp, Cozell Gilliam, Jesse Ray Gilliam and Victor M. Gilliam, all of Vicksburg; three daughters, Evelyn Montgomery, Christine Gilliam &#8220Che Che” Stewart and Debra Gilliam Johnson, all of Vicksburg; one brother, John W. Sykes of Vicksburg; one sister, Vera Carter of Vicksburg; 22 grandchildren; a number of great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and nieces and nephews.

W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

Edith S. Hager.

TALLULAH – Edith S. Hager died Sunday, Dec. 24, 2006, at her home in Tallulah. She was 57.

Born in Victoria, Texas, Mrs. Hager lived in Lake Providence most of her life and had been a Tallulah resident for 1 1/2 years. She was a homemaker and member of Trinity Episcopal Church of Tallulah.

She is survived by her husband, Jon Mark Hager of Tallulah; one son, Christopher Mark Hager of Hendersonville, Tenn.; one daughter, Michal Ann Fortenberry of Tallulah; her parents, W.H. &#8220Cotten” and Mary Ann Smith of Lake Providence; one brother, Sammy Smith of Shreveport, La.; and a grandson.

Memorial services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Trinity Episcopal Church with the Rev. Bill Echols officiating.

Crothers-Glenwood Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

Memorials may be made to Trinity Episcopal Church of Tallulah.

Norma Ruth Kellum.

JACKSON – Norma Ruth Kellum, 81, died Saturday, Dec. 23, 2006, at home in Jackson.

Mrs. Kellum was a longtime resident of Vicksburg and had been living in Jackson for several years.

Graveside funeral services will be at 2 p.m. today at Trinity Mausoleum at Parkway Memorial Cemetery in Ridgeland. Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Eugene and Betty Allred of Haynesville, La.; her brother, Eugene Allred; and her beloved son, Kerry Kellum.

She is survived by a son, Eddy Kellum of Jackson; a son and daughter-in-law, Keith and Vicki Kellum of Baton Rouge and their children, Keith, Katie and John; and special friend, Bob Clinton of Jackson.

Memorials may be made to Jacob’s Ladder Learning Center, 1017 Harrison St., Vicksburg, MS 39180.

Willie Lewis III.

Willie &#8220Bill” Lewis III died Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2006, at River Region Medical Center. He was 66.

Mr. Lewis was born in Redwood. He retired from Cooper Lighting and was a member of Mount Zion M.B. Church, Ballground.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Willie II and Luellen Dolly Lewis.

He is survived by his wife, Pauline G. Lewis of Redwood; one son, Robert Lee Lewis of Phoenix, Ariz.; four daughters, Gloria Hall and Ilean Linzy, both of Vicksburg, Lou Ellen Lewis of Brandon and Merry Smith of Hutto, Texas; two brothers, Joseph Floyd Lewis Sr. of Redwood and Warren Lewis of Kankakee, Ill.; one sister, Ellen Jean James of Vicksburg; 19 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.

W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

Alice Laura Rather.

JACKSON – Alice Laura Rather, 72, died Sunday, Dec. 24, 2006, at her home. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in the chapel of Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home on High Street with burial following at Natchez Trace Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 4 until 8 tonight and will resume at 10 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

Mrs. Rather, a longtime resident of Jackson, retired from the Mississippi Highway Patrol after 23 years of service and was a member of Byram Baptist Church.

She will be remembered by her family and friends as a loving wife, a devoted mother and a cherished grandmother, great-grandmother and sister.

She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Buddy Rather, who lovingly and compassionately cared for her during her illness; son, Eddie Rather and his wife, Sharon, of Wadsworth, Texas; daughter, Grace Nieckula of Cary, N.C.; daughter, Barbara Eldridge and her husband, Thomas, of Pearl; son, Craig Rather and his wife, Diane, of Richland; brother, Creighton McKinley and his wife, Gracie, of Nashua, N.H.; sister, Isabell Skirkey and her husband, Joey, of Nashua; sister, Catherine Lovett and her husband, L.A., of Raymond; and three granddaughters, four grandsons and seven great-grandchildren.

Pauline Z. Smith.

GREENVILLE – Pauline Z. Smith, 87, passed away Dec. 25, 2006, at River Region Medical Center after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Visitation will be at Trinity United Methodist Church parlor, 850 McAllister St. in Greenville, from noon until 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 28. Funeral services will be held at Trinity United Methodist Church at 2 p.m. the same day. Burial will immediately follow the funeral at the Greenville Cemetery on Main Street. Boone-Wells Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Polly Smith, as everyone knew her, was born Jan. 24, 1919, in Meridian to Walter and Lela Mae Zachry. As a longtime resident of Greenville, Polly was a hairdresser for more than 40 years and a faithful member of Trinity United Methodist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Raleigh M. Smith of Greenville; brother, Jack Zachry of Jackson; and brother, Bobby Zachry of Meridian.

She is survived by her sister, Louise Zachry Peery of Meridian; son, R. Zachry Smith of Greenville; daughter, Patricia L. Smith of Hot Springs, Ark.; daughter, Stephanie Smith Crudup and grandson, Nathan Thomas Crudup of Vicksburg.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation, (One Intrepid Square, W. 46th St. and 12th Ave., New York, NY 10036). Please mark donations for Curing Early-Onset Alzheimer’s.

John Lee Traylor Sr.

CARY – John Lee Traylor Sr. died Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2006, at his home in Cary. He was 69.

A retired carpenter, Mr. Traylor was of the Baptist faith.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Theola Ousley Traylor; one son, Michael Traylor; a brother, James Eddie Traylor; and his father, William Sam Traylor.

He is survived by five sons, John Lee Traylor Jr., Tyrone Traylor and Gerome Traylor, all of Cary, and Tony Traylor and Roderick Traylor, both of Omaha, Neb.; three daughters, Jennifer Traylor, Janice Traylor and Chandra Traylor, all of Cary; his mother, Willie Mae Carter Traylor of Cary; three sisters, Delois Traylor and Delola Traylor, both of Cary, and Earlean Traylor of Chicago; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.

W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

Audrey C. White.

Audrey C. White died Sunday, Dec. 24, 2006, in New Orleans. She was 96.

Born in Stevens, Ark., Mrs. White had been a resident of Vicksburg since 1968. A homemaker, she was a member of First Baptist Church, Women’s Missionary Union and Friendship Club.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ellis White.

She is survived by a son, James Ellis White of New Orleans; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Glenwood Funeral Home chapel with the Revs. John G. McCall and Matt Buckles officiating. Burial will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Bethesda Cemetery in Camden, Ark.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. Thursday until the service at the funeral home.