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.

Geneva Blackmon

MEMPHIS — Geneva Blackmon died Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at Graceland Nursing Center in Memphis. She was 86.

Mrs. Blackmon had worked as a beautician for 40 years. She was a member of Springhill M.B. Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Woodrow Blackmon; a son, Samuel L. Blackmon; and her mother, Evelyn Bowman.

She is survived by nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives, including Ruby Jones of Vicksburg.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Mount Pisgah M.B. Church in Memphis.

Esther Mae Brown

LOS ANGELES — Esther Mae “E-Bone” Brown died Saturday, April 19, 2008, in Los Angeles. She was 69.

Born in Vicksburg, Mrs. Brown was a former member of Bright Morning Star Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her father, Frank Scott; her husband, Sam Arthur Brown Sr.; and a son, Sam Arthur Brown Jr.

She is survived by her mother, Mariah Bills of Memphis; two sons, Arthur “Mike” Brown and Charles Brown, both of Los Angeles; three daughters, Jayne Brown, Sharon Brown and LaTonya Brown, all of Los Angeles; a sister, Frankie Loving of Jackson; a brother, John Tyler of Lucerne, Calif.; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives and friends, including Rosie Duckett of Vicksburg and Joanne Kelly of Lynwood, Calif.

Services were Saturday at Angelus Crenshaw Chapel in Los Angeles with the Rev. John Tyler officiating. Burial followed at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, Calif.

Dartanyon Martin Humes

CAMERON, N.C. — Dartanyon Martin Humes died Monday, April 28, 2008, at his home. He was 34.

Mr. Humes was a graduate of Warren Central High School and Central Carolina Community College, where he received an associate’s degree in applied science, RPG programming certificate and COBAL programming certificate.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Steve and Edna Humes, Henrietta Washington and Roy James Yarborough.

Survivors include his mother, Anita Faye Yarborough of Cameron, N.C.; two sisters, Celeste Nanette Humes of Cameron and Wakeelah Sebreem Thompson of Broadway, N.C.; a brother, Altonia Carousel Bland of Cameron; maternal grandmother, Bessie May Yarborough of Charlotte, N.C.; and Sebastian Davis.

Williams Funeral Service has charge of arrangements.

Gary H. Pettway

MORTON — Gary H. Pettway, 62, formerly of Vicksburg, died Monday, April 28, 2008, at University Medical Center in Jackson. Visitation is from 4 until 7 tonight at Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home in Pearl. Funeral services are at 10 a.m. Friday in the funeral home chapel.

Mr. Pettway retired from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in January 2008 after 30 years of service. He was an avid horseman and cattleman and a very loving husband and father.

Survivors include his wife of 19 years, Beth Pettway of Morton; his mother, Alice “Boots” Pettway of Cleveland; sons, Justin Pettway and wife Jackie of Pelahatchie and Walt Harris of Jacksonville, Fla.; daughter, Holly Pettway and husband Ron Hendershot of Orlando, Fla.; brother, Keith Pettway of Cleveland; grandchildren, Darby Ann Harris and Carly Jo Harris, both of Jacksonville; nephews, Dean Pettway of Cleveland and David Pettway of Virginia; and his faithful canine companion, Minnie.

Memorials may be made to Cowboy Church Ministries with Susie Luchsinger, www.susieluchsinger.com.