January 14, 2007
Published 12:00 am Sunday, January 14, 2007
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.
James A. Coker
CARY – James A. Coker died Friday, Jan. 5, 2007, at his home. He was 66.
Mr. Coker worked in farming and construction, including with Ballard Construction Company. He was a veteran of the Navy and was of the Baptist faith.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Earl Coker and Lucy Warren.
Survivors include his wife, Joyce Coker; two sons, Bert Coker of Starkville and Martin “Bubba” Coker of Birmingham, Ala.; and one brother, John Coker of Vicksburg.
Services were Jan. 7 at Stricklin-King Funeral Home Chapel. Burial followed at Midway Methodist Cemetery in Yazoo County.
Pallbearers were Bob Lee, Quint Woods, Spence Street, Mikie Street, Israel Ortega, Jamie Street, Bryan Street and Hunter Street.
Malquin Schauf DuCrest
NEWELLTON, La. – Malquin Schauf DuCrest died Friday, Jan. 12, in the Tensas Care and Rehabilitation Center. She was 92.
Mrs. DuCrest was born in Vicksburg and had lived in St. Joseph most of her life. She was a retired pianist and a member of the Roman Catholic faith.
Survivors include two grandsons, David L. DuCrest of St. Joseph and Jon Stephen DuCrest of Pleasant Shade, Tenn.; three great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Legion Cemetery with the Rev. Micle Poovathumkudy officiating. Visitation will be from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Monday at Crothers-Glenwood Funeral Home of Tallulah. The funeral procession from Tallulah to Newellton will leave at 12:30.
Pallbearers will be David Blencke, George W. Gray, Paul Schauf and Lawrance P. Schauf.
James Grant
ROLLING FORK – James Grant died Friday, Jan. 12, 2007, at Heritage Manor in Rolling Fork. He was 86.
Mr. Grant was a lifelong resident of Issaquena County, where he did upholstery and farmed. He was of the Baptist faith.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Gladys Bailey Grant; his second wife, Vada Spurgeon Grant; his parents, Lawrence and Lula Miller Grant; and three brothers, Lawrence Grant of Monroe, La., and Ervin Grant and Lester Grant, both of Vicksburg.
Survivors include one sister, Lenora Grant Burnett of Mobile, Ala.; four brothers, Joe Grant of Kilmichael, Charles Grant of Vicksburg and Clarence Grant and Jerry Grant, both of Rolling Fork; and nieces and nephews.
Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Monday at Glenwood Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Rolling Fork with the Rev. Millard Caulder officiating. Burial will follow at Mound Cemetery. Visitation will be from 12:30 p.m. Monday until the hour of the service at the funeral home.
Carra Sue Lestage
Carra Sue Ingram Lestage died at River Region Medical Center on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007, under the care of Patient’s Choice Hospice. She was 64.
Born in Clarksdale, Miss., she had lived in Vicksburg for the past 32 years.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Mrs. Susie Gwynette Ricks Ingram.
She is survived by her father, W.A. Ingram of Pineville, La.; her husband of 43 years, Charles R. Lestage; three daughters, Kelly Gunnels of Fort Mill, S.C., Susan Monistere of Palm Harbor, Fla., and Karen Roof of Arcata, Calif.; five grandchildren, Aubrey and Nathan Gunnels, Douglas and Daniel Monistere and Connor Roof; and one sister, Janie Ingram Tilton of Luling, La.
Sue worked with Welcome Wagon, was involved with the Girl Scouts of America for many years, was the owner of Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio for 10 years, was active in the Openwood Garden Club and volunteered at River Region Medical Center.
Mrs. Lestage is a member of St. Michael Catholic Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation, 230 W. Monroe St., Chicago, IL, 60606, www.wcn.org; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Patient’s Choice Hospice; or St. Michael Catholic Church Building Fund.
An 11 a.m. funeral Mass will be said Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007, at St. Michael Catholic Church with the Rev. P.J. Curley officiating. Burial will follow at Green Acres Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at St. Michael Catholic Church from 10:30 a.m. Tuesday until the hour of the service. Visitation will be at Riles Funeral Home on Monday, Jan. 15, from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m.
Pallbearers will be Bob Lestage, Harold Whatley Jr., Vick Agostinelli, Max Reed, Robert Voorhees and Joe Gerache.
Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. George Abraham; Ms. Beth McDowell, R.N.; and Dr. James Moore of Jackson.
Ruth Ferguson Parman
PORT GIBSON – Ruth Ferguson Parman, 94, died Friday, Jan. 12, 2007, at the Claiborne County Nursing Center.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in the chapel of Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home in Clinton with burial at Lakewood Memorial Park. Visitation will be held from 2:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. Sunday and will resume at 1 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Mrs. Parman was born on June 15, 1912, in Simpson County, the daughter of the late Wayne Plummer Ferguson and Bessie Mae Sandifer Ferguson. A resident of Port Gibson since 1956, she was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Vicksburg and loved spending time with her church family.
Mrs. Parman was an avid gardener and was known for the beautiful flowers she grew, both in her home and her children’s home. She will be remembered by her family and friends as a loving mother and a cherished and devoted grandmother and great-grandmother.
Mrs. Parman is preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Daniel Parman, and her daughter, Linnie Louise Parman.
Survivors include three sons, Joseph William Parman, and his wife, Barbara, of Las Cruces, N.M.; Wallace Wayne (Buddy) Parman and his wife, Annell, of Port Gibson; one daughter, Alice Ruth Sharpe and her husband, Don, of Kernersville, N.C.; 15 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Immanuel Baptist Church, Vicksburg, Miss., or Wycliffe Bible Translators, Huntington Beach, Calif.