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Ernest Carroll Blackwell

Ernest Carroll Blackwell died Monday, Feb. 18, 2008, at St. Dominic Jackson Memorial Hospital. He was 64 years old.

Born July 2, 1943, in Laurel, Miss., he was the son of the late Felix Pico and Melvia Rogers Blackwell. Mr. Blackwell graduated from Bay Springs High School in the Class of 1961.

Moving to Vicksburg in 1965, he was employed by LeTourneau for many years. He was later employed by M.S. Rubber Company, retiring in 2006.

Mr. Blackwell was a member of the Ridgeway Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by a son, David Carroll Blackwell; and a sister, Bobby Neil Blackwell.

He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Margaret Kearns Blackwell; daughter, Angela Kay Hill and her husband, Jack Hill Jr. of Vicksburg; a son, Brian “Rusty” Blackwell of Vicksburg; grandchildren, Ben Hill, Lee Hill, Hannah Hill, Hailey Blackwell and Courtney Blackwell, all of Vicksburg; one brother, Ezell Blackwell and his wife, Rosalie of Hattiesburg; and one sister, Bernice Drake of Bay Springs.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Riles Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be at Cedar Hill cemetery under the direction of Riles Funeral Home.

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

Pallbearers will be J.O. Smith III, Ronnie Fleming, Ben Hill, Lee Hill, Jason Derryberry and Vaughn Blackwell.

Honorary pallbearers will be J.B. Haden, Dr. Manu Patel, Dr. Lamar McMillin, Jesse Tabor and George Scott.

Memorials may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 408 Fontaine Place, Suite 104, Ridgeland, MS 39157.

Rev. Richard G. Burns

The Rev. Richard G. Burns died Monday, Feb. 18, 2008, at Shady Lawn Nursing Home. He was 99.

A retired minister, the Rev. Burns was former pastor of New Mount Elem M.B. Church. He was a member of Cedar Grove M.B. Church.

He was a retired employee of R.G. LeTourneau, Magnolia Trailer Company and Waterways Experiment Station.

He received a bachelor of theology and a master of theological studies from Mississippi Baptist Seminary. He served as president of the Warren County Sunday School Institute, moderator of the Warren County District Association, founding board member of the Vicksburg Center of the Mississippi Baptist Seminary, secretary of the Warren County Baptist Association, worshipful master of St. Peter Lodge No. 5, advisory council member for Mississippi Action for Progress Head Start and grand secretary of Successful Grand Lodge for 50 years.

He also served as a board member of Fisher Ferry Water District for 29 years and for ParkView Regional Home Health and Jackson Street Branch YMCA. He was a patron of St. Mary’s Chapter No. 2 Order of Eastern Star and a member of the NAACP.

Rev. Burns was preceded in death by his parents, Alexander Burns and Bertha Anderson Burns; his wives, Estella Parson Burns and Addie Barker Burns; a daughter, Carrie Thompson; five sisters, Josephine Stevens, Nell Preacely White, Mabel Glover Balentine, Savannah McCorkle and Florine Williams; and one brother, the Rev. Alex A. Burns Jr.

Survivors include his wife, Alfreda Burns of Vicksburg; five daughters, Nellie Moseley and Delores Neal, both of Chicago, Katie Caston of Detroit, Savannah B. Hill of Monticello and Mary Helen Hall of Vicksburg; three sons, Richard Burns Jr. of Evans, Ga., Willie H. Burns of Detroit and Elder Joseph Burns of Vicksburg; five stepchildren, Elsie Hemmings of Vicksburg, Rose Thomas of Springfield, Ill., David Ward of Montgomery, Ala., Bennie Ward of Covington, Ga., and Shirley Murphy of Atlanta; 47 grandchildren; 68 great-grandchildren; 27 great-great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Lakeview Memorial Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

Rubye M. Dotson

Rubye M. Dotson died Friday, Feb. 15, 2008, at River Region Medical Center. She was 75.

Mrs. Dotson was a retired licensed practical nurse from Kuhn Memorial Hospital. She was a member of Bright Morning Star M.B. Church and Rose of Sharon Chapter, Order of Eastern Star.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Samuel and Olivia Robinson; and her husband, L.C. Dotson.

Survivors include her son, James Dotson Sr. of Adamsville, Ala.; one daughter, Linda Dotson of Greenville; three brothers, Curley Robinson and Mickey Robinson, both of Detroit, and Jackie Robinson of Greenville; four sisters, Marvie Bennett of Detroit and Bobbye Sharkey, Annette Webster and Olivia Bacon, all of Greenville; five grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.

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

Betty Joyce Ingram Hanson

BRANDON — Betty Joyce Ingram Hanson, 78, died Friday, Feb. 15, 2008, at River Oaks Hospital in Flowood. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008, at Liberty Baptist Church in Flowood under the direction of the Rev. John Cofer.

Mark Seepe Funeral Directors & Crematorium of Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Hanson was a native of Rome, Ga. An accomplished seamstress, she had resided in Vicksburg for many years where she was a member of First Baptist Church. Mrs. Hanson moved to Brandon in 1990 to be near her family. She will be remembered as a devoted and selfless mother and grandmother.

Mrs. Hanson is preceded in death by her parents, two sisters and a brother.

Survivors include a son, Buford “Pete” Hanson of Colefills, Md.; daughters, Sherry Hanson Chevalley of Arlington, Va., and Tamara Hanson of Brandon; her brother, Buford Ingram of Rome; grandchildren, Summer Hanson of Los Angeles, Rani Oswalt of Brandon, Eric Gordon of Jackson, and David and Jonathan Chevalley of Arlington; and great-granddaughter, Ava Ryleigh Oswalt of Brandon.

Thelma Paulding Russell

Thelma Paulding “Dot Lou” Russell died Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008, at River Region Medical Center. She was 75 years old.

Mrs. Russell, a lifelong resident of Vicksburg, was retired from Walgreens Drug Company with over 25 years of service and was an employee of J.C. Penney Co. for 12 years. She was a 1953 graduate of Bowman High School and a faithful member of Word of Faith Christian Center in Vicksburg.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Master Sgt. Paul L. Russell; and a daughter, Sharon Renda Russell; her mother, Cleo Ferguson Paulding Williams; father, Thomas Paulding; and stepfather, Fred Williams.

Survivors include daughter and son-in-law, Janita Russell Stewart and Larry Stewart of Clinton; sister and brother-in-law, Irene P. Maxey and John L. Maxey of Vicksburg; sister and brother-in-law, Dorothy P. and Fred Wright of Albion, Mich.; brother-in-law, James Russell of Los Angeles; a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, cousins and other relatives and friends, including Gerald Michael Maxey, Pinkye Stewart, spiritual son Kelvin Williams and members of the Bass, Ferguson and Walker families.

Visitation will be Tuesday, Feb. 19, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., and viewing will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 20, from noon to 1 p.m. with funeral services immediately following at 1 p.m. Visitation, viewing and funeral services will all be held at Word of Faith Christian Center, 1201 Grove St., Vicksburg. Smith Mortuary Services of Clinton is in charge of arrangements.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Word of Faith Christian Center; Trinity Broadcasting Network, P.O. Box A, Santa Ana, CA 92711-2101; or to a charity of one’s choice.