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.

Freddie Lee Branch.

Freddie Lee Branch died Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2006, at River Region Medical Center. He was 80.

He was of the Baptist faith.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Melinda Trisby and Elijah Lacey; two sisters, Alice Lacey and Ivora Daniels; and a brother, Richard McNeil.

He is survived by his wife, Asyline Branch of Vicksburg; two daughters, Mekechia Sturdivant Branch and Lucy Branch, both of Vicksburg; two sons, Quincy Branch of Crystal Springs and David Branch of Memphis; five sisters, Mary Rose Lindsey, Elizabeth McNeil, Tennie B. Lodge, Deloris Gooden and Dorothy Brewer, all of Vicksburg; three brothers, Herman McNeil, Frank Jones and Sylvester Lacey, all of Vicksburg; five grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.

Williams Funeral Service has charge of arrangements.

Melvin T. Burkley.

Services for Melvin T. Burkley will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Lakeview Memorial Funeral Home with the Rev. Melvin Bolden officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from noon until 6 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Mr. Burkley died Sunday, Dec. 24, 2006, at River Region Medical Center. He was 51.

He was preceded in death by his father, Juliana Brock Burkley.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara Burkley of Vicksburg; two daughters, Laquitta Cosey Burkley and April Burkley, both of Vicksburg; two stepdaughters, Trina Nailor and Fameca Cosey Kelly, both of Vicksburg; his mother, Marie Nelson of Vicksburg; two brothers, Juliana Burkley and Robert Nelson Jr., both of Vicksburg; five sisters, Sophronia Lyons, Patricia Scales and Katie Hicks, all of Columbus, Ga., Annie Mae Howe of Fort Mitchell, Ala., and Jackie Burkley Lloyd of Los Angeles; 11 grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends, including members of the Cosey, Parish, DeFrance, Hawkins and Pettis families.

Merinda Laura Turner Coleman.

Merinda Laura Turner Coleman died Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2006, in Jackson. She was 87.

A retired sales clerk at The Valley department store, Mrs. Coleman was a member of Mount Zion M.B. Church No. 1.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Percy Coleman; her parents, James Turner and Eva McCoy; a brother, James Turner; and a sister, Johnnie Bernice Turner.

She is survived by three daughters, Shirley Coleman Harris and Johnnie Bernice Johnson, both of Vicksburg, and Jeanie Coleman Washington of Jackson; a sister, Alma Turner of Natchez; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and other relatives, including Jeanie Coleman of Lake Providence.

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

Mary Helen Ferguson.

UTICA – Mary Helen Ferguson died Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2006, at her home in Utica. She was 88.

A lifelong resident of Utica, Mrs. Ferguson was a member of Utica Christian Church and the Utica Better Living Club.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Joe Ferguson.

She is survived by a son, Joe L. Ferguson of Starkville; two daughters, Joy Conerly of Sumrall and Judy Gress of Eagan, Minn.; and five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Utica Christian Church with the Rev. Brad Hartzog officiating. Burial will follow at Utica City Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7:30 tonight at Glenwood Funeral Home in Utica.

Pallbearers will be Mitch Collins, Chris Collins, Marty Collins, Brian Collins, Michael Cox, Bobby Little and Tony Collins.

Memorials may be made to Utica Christian Church, P.O. Box 306, Utica, MS 39175 or Utica Area Habitat for Humanity, P.O. Box 47, Utica, MS 39175.

Kathryn Smith Fountain.

Services for Kathryn Smith Fountain will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church with the Rev. Richard Middleton officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 1 until 6 p.m. Friday at Dillon-Chisley Funeral Home.

Mrs. 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, Kiel Alexander and Kathryn Blue, both of Vicksburg, and Jarrett Beverly and Nadra Robinette, both of Springfield, Ohio; eight great-grandchildren; and other relatives, including Theresa M. Thomas of Vicksburg and members of the Thomas, Blue, Harris, Miles, Field, McGowan, Archer, Bass, Childs, Conner, Alexander, Blackburn, Ellison, Preacely and Green families.

Zellner Sykes Gilliam.

Services for Zellner Sykes &#8220Mama Deater” Gilliam will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Triumph M.B. Church in Kings with the Rev. Larry Nix officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 6 until 7 p.m. Friday at W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home.

Mrs. 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.