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.

Katherine Ruth Slay Garrett

MADISON – Katherine Ruth Slay Garrett, a loving wife, mother and grandmother, went to be with the Lord on Monday, April 23, 2007, after a brief battle with cancer. She was 76.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Old Rice Road Baptist Church with burial at Natchez Trace Memorial Park. Visitation will be held from 6 until 8 tonight at Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home in Ridgeland and again on Friday beginning at 10 a.m. at the church.

Mrs. Garrett was retired as school cafeteria manager for Madison-Ridgeland Academy. She was a faithful, loving servant and charter member of Old Rice Road Baptist Church, where her love for cooking led her to serve on the kitchen committee.

Mrs. Garrett was preceded in death by her true love, P.C. &#8220Boots” Garrett Jr., on March 1; also by a son, P.C. Garrett III; her parents, Alonzo D. and Matilda Gertrude Slay; a sister, Merle Leach; and brothers, Robert and Charlie Slay.

She is survived by daughters, Glenda Bruce and husband Thomas, of Cleveland and Kathy Jones and husband Mike, of Vicksburg; son, Bruce Garrett and wife JoAnn, of Brookhaven; 10 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; brother, Jack Slay and wife, Teresa, of Starkville; devoted sister-in-law, Dorothy Scruggs of Ridgeland; and brother-in-law, Mike Garrett and wife Hilda, of Alvin, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Old Rice Road Baptist Church Building Fund or, because of Katherine and P.C.’s love for missions, donations may be made through your local Baptist church to the Margaret Lackey State Mission Fund.

Samuel Henry Johnston Jr.

WEST MONROE – Samuel Henry &#8220Sammy” Johnston Jr., formerly of Vicksburg, died Tuesday, April 24, 2007. He was 55.

Mr. Johnston was a retired riverboat captain of West Monroe, La.

Sammy was preceded in death by his father, Samuel H. Johnston Sr.; and his brothers, William David Kitchens and John Samuel Johnston.

He is survived by his wife, Kathy Johnston; his mother, Bobbie Jean Johnston; his children, Bobbie Jean Hamilton and husband Wade, Kacie Johnston, David Gene Johnston; a stepdaughter, Robyn; six grandchildren; two sisters, Jeanne Goodson and husband John D., and Susie Stauts and husband Robbie; and a brother, Joseph Paul Johnston and wife Lynn.

Memorial services will be at 4 today at Cedar Crest Baptist Church in West Monroe.

Memorials may be made to Salvation Army or Louisiana School for the Blind in Ruston.

Allen Gilbert Reno

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Allen Gilbert Reno, formerly of Vicksburg, died Monday, April 23, 2007, at Veterans Administration Hospital in Nashville, Tenn. He was 68.

Born in Monroe, La., Mr. Reno was a retired Realtor and served in the Navy.

He is survived by his wife, Juanita Reno; his children; and his grandchildren.

Frank A. Burns Funeral & Cremation Services in Nashville has charge of arrangements.

Irene T. Walls

Services for Irene T. &#8220Precilla” Walls will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Calvary M.B. Church on Klein Street with the Rev. Robert L. Miller Sr. officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 6 until 7 p.m. Friday at W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home and Saturday at the church from noon until the service.

Ms. Walls died Sunday, April 22, 2007, at her home. She was 70.

She retired from Warren-Yazoo Mental Health. She was a member of Calvary M.B. Church, where she was in the adult choir. She also sang at Locust Grove M.B. and Brown Chapel M.B. churches. She was a member of Rainbow Chapter No. 51 Order of Eastern Star.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Alex Walls Sr. and Mandy Newsome; two brothers, Alex Walls Jr. and Hosie Shanklin; and two sisters, Sallie Moore and Annie Pearl Styles.

She is survived by a son, Anthony Walls of Vicksburg; three daughters, Mary W. Brown of Memphis, Arlene W. Johnson of Vicksburg and Beverly Walls-Webb of Ozark, Ala.; a daughter she reared, Jacqueline Walker of Vicksburg; a sister, Lillie Carpenter of Waukegan, Ill.; 12 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren; nieces; nephews; and other relatives and friends, including Bobbie Hunter, Virgie Ellis and Lucy Johnson of Vicksburg.

Manuel Williams Sr.

LOS ANGELES – Services for Manuel Williams Sr. will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Andrews Baptist Church under the direction of Angeles Funeral Home, 3875 W. Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008.

Mr. Williams died Thursday, April 19, 2007, in Los Angeles. He was 65.

Mr. Williams graduated from Rosa A. Temple High School in 1962, when he moved to Los Angeles. He was employed for the Los Angeles Transit Authority and was a member of St. Andrews Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by a son, David Williams; his parents; three brothers; and three sisters.

He is survived by his wife, Christine Williams; one son, Manuel Williams Jr. of Los Angeles; two brothers, John Williams and Charlie Williams, both of Los Angeles; two sisters, Alberta Tolliver and Annie Mae Tossint; and aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives, including Jackie and Bennie Miller and members of the Green, Middleton and Harris families of Vicksburg.