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.

Bertha Carson

Bertha Carson died Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007, at River Region Medical Center. She was 81.

Mrs. Carson was a homemaker and member of Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witness.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Sam Carson; her son, Joseph Harvey; one sister, Lula Mae Davis; and her parents, Charles and Mentha Martin Kelly.

Survivors include two brothers, William Kelly and Charles David Kelly, both of Chicago; one sister, Agnes Thomas of Vicksburg; one grandson; and nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.

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

Col. Joseph Valley Dawsey Jr.

Retired Col. Joseph Valley Dawsey Jr., 84 and a decorated World War II veteran, passed over Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007, in Vicksburg.

He was born Aug. 23, 1922, in Columbia, Miss., to Joseph Valley Dawsey Sr. and Janie Robbins Dawsey. He graduated from Columbia High School, attended Alabama Polytechnic Institute and Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. He was a combat infantry veteran of the European Theater of Operations (ETO), World War II, from October 1942 to February 1946. Dawsey was one of few NCOs who joined the 102nd Infantry Division Association during the Battle of the Bulge (member No. 735.)

Upon discharge from the Army in 1946, he completed his civil engineering degree from Mississippi State University. He was a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Mississippi, with a career spanning from 1949 to 1986 with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lower Mississippi Valley Division, and Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg. Col. Dawsey served in the U.S. Army Reserve 412th Engineer Brigade and 412th Engineer Command until his retirement in November 1977.

Dawsey was a member of Crawford Street United Methodist Church. He was a member of the Sons of the Revolution and a lifetime member of Masonic Lodge and Wahabi Shrine Temple in Jackson; Disabled American Veterans; and longtime president of the Vicksburg Shrine Club.

His philanthropic passion was working to provide transportation and treatment for burned and crippled children to Shriners Hospitals nationwide.

His decorations and awards include: the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Rhineland and Central Europe Battle Stars, World War II Victory Medal, Vietnam Service Medal (An Loc Offensive), Army Reserve Commendation Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Hourglass Device, Society of American Military Engineers Medal, Expert Infantry Badge, Combat Infantry Badge and Expert Marksmanship Badge.

Col. Dawsey is survived by his wife of 60 years, Julia Gaines Dawsey; one son, Joseph Valley Dawsey III of Atlanta; daughter, Debbie Dawsey-Davis and husband, Hutson Davis, of Beaufort, S.C.; daughter, Suzanne Dawsey Phipps and husband, Scott Phipps, of Vicksburg; and granddaughters, Blythe Dawsey Brown of Charleston, S.C., and Phoebe Suzanne Brown of Beaufort.

Visitation in Vicksburg will be from 5 until 7 tonight at Glenwood Funeral Home. Visitation in Columbia will be from 5 until 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17, at Colonial Funeral Home.

A celebration of life service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18, at Colonial Funeral Home, followed by graveside services at Woodlawn Cemetery with full military honors.

Memorials may be made to Shriners Hospital for Children – Shreveport, La.; Vicksburg Convalescent Home; or Disabled American Veterans – Cincinnati, Ohio.

Kinney Grimes

Kinney Grimes died Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007, at River Region Medical Center. He was 82.

Mr. Grimes was a former resident of Los Angeles.

Lakeview Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

Roy L. Redditt

Roy L. Redditt died Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007, at Heritage House. He was 90.

A lifelong resident of Warren County, Mr. Redditt was a 1935 graduate of Oak Ridge High School. He was the son of the late Robert E. and Annie Martin Redditt.

He served the Vicksburg Police Department as captain of detectives, retiring in 1977 after 20 years of service. He also served 20 years as records officer for the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, retiring in 2002.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two wives, Juanita Allison Redditt and Joan Ferguson Redditt.

Survivors include his wife, Joy Redditt of Vicksburg; a daughter, Faye White of Starkville; a son, Monte Redditt of Vicksburg; one brother, Elbert Redditt of Vicksburg; one sister, Annie Mae Reed of Vicksburg; and five grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Fisher Funeral Home with the Rev. John Miller officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

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

Pallbearers will be David Connerly, P.K. Roberts, Walker Jones, Martin Pace, James Joiner, Brad Redditt, Mark Redditt and Jack Dowe.

Honorary pallbearers will be Sonny Womack, Joe Guin, Paul Barrett, Robert Redditt III, Dr. Daniel Edney, Otha Jones, Marvin Curtis and Donald Cross.

Memorials may be made to the Palmer Home for Children, P.O. Box 746., Columbus, MS 39703.

Mary Louise Ward

Mary Louise &#8220Billie” Ward, a longtime resident of Vicksburg, passed away at Select Specialty Hospital in Jackson on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007, after a short illness. She was 81.

A native of Darlah, Miss., Mrs. Ward retired from Vicksburg Hospital as a hospital business administrator. She accepted Jesus Christ into her heart on Dec. 24, 2006.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Guydeel Ward.

She is survived by a daughter, Dorrie Dunn of Flowood; a sister, Velma Buchanan of Vicksburg; and one grandchild, Charles Dunn of Clinton.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Glenwood Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Mike Fields officiating. Burial will follow at Green Acres Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. Wednesday until the hour of service.

Pallbearers will be Will Dickerson, Perry Cochran, Joseph Tarver, Gabe Nasif, Matt McGregor and John Walker.

De’Arrius Devaughn Christopher Herrington

De’Arrius Devaughn Christopher Herrington, infant son of KaTwalla Anderson of Vicksburg and Derrick Herrington of Port Gibson, died Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007, at River Region Medical Center in Vicksburg.

He was preceded in death by his maternal great-grandparents, Eugene Anderson, Laura Anderson and Tommie Dotson.

In addition to his parents, he is survived by his paternal grandparents, Raymond and Andrea Williams, both of Port Gibson, and Eric Herrington of Texas; maternal grandparents, Wynona Anderson and Curtis Anderson, both of Vicksburg; maternal great-grandmother, Jeanette Dotson of Vicksburg; and other relatives, including Crystal Martin and Wanda Odom of Vicksburg.

Williams Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.