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.

Johnnie Mae Hunt

Johnnie Mae Hunt died Tuesday, June 10, 2008, at her home. She was 72.

Mrs. Hunt was a member of Gospel Temple M.B. Church, where she served on the Mother Board and was president of the Usher Board for 40 years.

She was employed in health care for 39 years, working in nursing at Mercy and ParkView hospitals and as a secretary/monitor technician at River Region Medical Center.

Mrs. Hunt was preceded in death by her parents, Ida Mae Turner Davis and Johnnie Burnett Sr.; six brothers, Ben Yancy Jr., Charlie Davis, Ernest Burnett, Frank Burnett, William Burnett and Johnnie Burnett Jr.; and two sisters, Modell Slaughter and Rosie Lee Evans.

Survivors include a son, Elijah Hunt Jr.; seven daughters, Bonnie Boyd and Cesia Hunt, both of Houston, Texas, Charlene Squire of Vicksburg, Carolyn Holden of Muskegon, Mich., Paula Hunt of Euless, Texas, Donna Moore of Sugarland, Texas, and Samantha Robinson of Missouri City, Texas; three sisters, Lee E. Turner of Richmond, Calif., Margaret Little of Meridian and Mary Burnett of Atlanta; three grandchildren, Brianna Moore and Taylor Moore, both of Sugarland, and Joseph D. Squire of Chula Vista, Calif.; and nephews, nieces, cousins and other relatives and friends, including the Slaughter, Turner and Burnett families.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Travelers Rest M.B. Church with the Rev. Walter Edley officiating. Burial will follow at Green Acres Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 1 until 6 tonight at Williams Funeral Service with family hour from 5 until 6 and at the church Saturday from 10 a.m. until the service.

Memorials may be made to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, or the American Cancer Society.

Sister Mary Elise Todd, RSM

Sister Mary Elise Todd, RSM, died Sunday, June 8, 2008, at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Mercy in St. Louis, Mo. She was born Aug. 8, 1922, in Webb, Miss., graduated from St. Francis Xavier Academy in Vicksburg and entered the Sisters of Mercy in St. Louis in 1940.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Edythe Hamilton Todd and Charles Lovell Todd; aunt, Sister Elizabeth Todd, RSM; brother, Sam Todd; and two sisters, Charlene Todd Yoste and Edythe Kestenbaum.

She is survived by nephews, Harry Yoste Jr., Charles T. Yoste, Robert Yoste, Peter Kestenbaum and Kenneth Kestenbaum; and several great-nephews and great-nieces, as well as numerous cousins.

She received her bachelor of science from Loyola University in New Orleans and received her master’s from Catholic University in Washington, D.C., and Mississippi State University in Starkville. She taught for 50 years in the Mercy schools in Mississippi, spending 25 years teaching math and science at St. Joseph High School in Jackson. She also taught in Vicksburg, Hattiesburg, Gulfport, Biloxi and Greenville. After retiring from the Catholic School system, she was involved in tutoring adults in math and literacy. She tutored Vietnamese and high school drop outs from the detention center in Jackson. She is remembered as a very dedicated teacher.

The Mass of Christian burial was celebrated today, June 13, 2008, at 10 a.m. at St. Peter the Apostle Cathedral in Jackson. The celebrant was one of her colleagues, the Rev. Al Camp, assisted by her former student, Deacon David Warrnier of the New Orleans Archdiocese. A wake service was held at 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Peter’s Cathedral. Visitation began at 5 p.m. Thursday, June 12, 2008, and an hour before Mass today. Burial will be at Cedar Hill Cemetery at 2:30 p.m. today with Monsignor Patrick Farrell of St. Paul Catholic Church officiating.

Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.

Pallbearers are Harry Yoste Jr., Charles T. Yoste, Robert Yoste, Peter Kestenbaum, Kenneth Kestenbaum and Troy Todd Kestenbaum. Honorary pallbearer is Samuel H. Todd II.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the St. Joseph High School Chapel Fund, P.O. Box 2027, Madison, MS 39130-2027 or to the Sisters of Mercy Ministry Fund, 2039 N. Geyer Road, St. Louis, MO 63131.