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.

Veola Baker

CHICAGO – Veola Baker died Saturday, July 5, 2008, in Greenwood. She was 75.

Formerly of Anguilla, Mrs. Baker retired from the Chicago Public Schools after 32 years. She was a member of Third Baptist Church of Chicago, where she was a member of the Prison Ministry and Discipleship and served as president of the missionary board.

She is survived by three sons, Eric Newman of Country Club Hills, Ill., William Baker of Chicago and Stanley Baker of Anguilla; one daughter, Janet Baker of Rolling Fork; one brother, Warren Smith of Chicago; one sister, Josie Butler of Chicago; and five grandchildren.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Third Baptist Church of Chicago. Burial will follow at Beverly Cemetery in Blue Island, Ill.

Visitation will be from 6 until 8 tonight at Walker Funeral Home in Rolling Fork.

Gerald Antonio Christian

FLOWOOD – Services for Gerald Antonio “Tony” Christian will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Triumph M.B. Church with the Rev. Dexter Jones officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery under the direction of W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home.

Mr. Christian died Sunday, June 29, 2008, at his home in Flowood. He was 44.

Born in Vicksburg, Mr. Christian was a 1981 graduate of Warren Central High School. He received a bachelor of science degree in 1990 from the University of Mississippi, where he was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. He was a veteran of the Army and had worked as a land surveyor and map technician in Flowood. He was of the Baptist faith.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Melphonsia T. Joshua and Jeff Christian; and his father.

Survivors include his mother, Jeffretha M. Christian of Vicksburg; and other relatives, including Judith Stampley, Dorothy Carson and Jacquith Neal, all of Vicksburg; Lisa Christian of Florida; and Mabel Thomas of Canton, Ohio.

George A. Hutchinson

BOONEVILLE – George A. Hutchinson, formerly of Vicksburg, died Saturday, July 5, 2008, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis. He was 77.

The son of the late R.D. and Alma Wiltshire Hutchinson, Mr. Hutchinson was a graduate of J.Z. George High School in Carrollton. He was a veteran of the Korean War, serving in the Air Force. He was a member of the Mississippi State Guard. He was a bluegrass musician and a ham radio operator. He was retired from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, working in Vicksburg for a number of years. He was a resident of Booneville.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three sisters, Lois G. Tharp, Eva M. Hendershot and Robby H. Story.

Survivors include four daughters, Peggy Hutchinson of Booneville, Marie Riley of Sumrall and Joyce Plunkett and Janice Coates, both of Tillar, Ark.; one sister, Lucille Alford of Coila; four grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

Services with military honors will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Coila Cemetery with Willie Plunkett officiating. Burial will follow under the direction of Oliver Funeral Home of Winona.

Memorials may be made to the Coila Cemetery Fund, c/o Nell Tate, Coila, MS 38923.

An online guestbook may be signed at www.ofhwinona.com.

C.L. Jeffers

CENTRAL, La. – C.L. “Buddy” “Jeff” Jeffers died Sunday, July 6, 2008, at The Guest House in Baton Rouge. He was 79.

A native of Redwood, Mr. Jeffers was a resident of Central, La. He retired as a meter instrument technician after 40 years of service at DSM Copolymer Inc. He was a hunter and fisherman and was a member of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church.

He was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Terri Lynn Jeffers; his parents, William and Glennie Jeffers; two brothers, Johnny Jeffers and William Jeffers; and three sisters, Lorene Fant, Gladys Braxton and Jamie Jeffers.

He is survived by his wife, Ida “Boo” Jeffers; three daughters, Brenda Odom, Patti Guedry and Cindy DeLaughter; a son, Jeff Jeffers; two sisters, Lucille Begue and Billie Ruth Barnett; a brother, Lavon Jeffers; and seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church with the Rev. Mike Moroney officiating. Burial will follow at Greenoaks Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 5 until 9 tonight at Greenoaks Funeral Home, 9595 Florida Blvd. in Baton Rouge, with rosary at 6 p.m. and at the church Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. until the service.

Memorials may be made to Alzheimer’s Services of the Capital Area, 3772 North Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70806-3822.

Doris Ann Puckett Mathes

UTICA – Doris Ann Puckett Mathes died Sunday, July 6, 2008, at Hospice Ministries in Ridgeland. She was 79.

Born in Utica, Mrs. Mathes traveled for 29 years with her husband before returning to Utica in 1974. She was a member of Utica Baptist Church, where she was in the choir and other activities.

She is survived by her husband, Earl Mathes of Utica; three daughters, Dianne Tingen of Dunn, N.C., Peggy Lee Mathes of Eugene, Ore., and Pamela Fryer of Clinton; three brothers, Douglas “Sonny” Puckett and Lawrence Puckett, both of Utica, and Bruce Puckett of Terry; one sister, Patsy Boyd of Utica; and four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Utica Baptist Church with the Rev. Ben James officiating. Burial will follow at Utica Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 until 8 tonight at Glenwood Funeral Home in Utica.

Pallbearers will be Larry Boyd, Brad Boyd, Robert Boyd, James Tingen, Lowell Thomas, Phillip Fryer, Jim Ewing and Ed Garro.

Thomas Lee Middleton

Thomas Lee Middleton went to be with his Lord on Saturday, July 5, 2008. He was 67 years old.

He was born in Vicksburg and was a 1958 graduate of Carr Central High School. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and a retired chemical operator for Vicksburg Chemical Co. He was a member of the Church of Christ.

He was preceded in death by his parents, David Richard and Josie Leist Middleton; a son, Richard Lee Middleton; a brother, David Middleton; a sister, JoAnn Williamson; an uncle, Marion Leist; and a nephew, Mark Williamson.

He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Vickey Templeton Middleton of Vicksburg; two daughters, Mardi Odom and husband Danny of Vicksburg and Leslie Neal and husband Emmett of Paducah, Ky.; a daughter-in-law, B.J. Middleton of Oakland, Calif.; two honorary sons, Butch Harris and Matt Williams of Vicksburg; two honorary daughters, Aletha Crouse and Jeanne Kent of Vicksburg; seven grandchildren, McKenzie Neal, Chynna Neal and Emmett Hamilton Neal II of Paducah, Ashley Neal, Zane Kellicut-Odom and Karley Odom of Vicksburg and Kaylee Jo Middleton-Saverman of Valdez, Alaska; and a sister, Darlene Williams and husband Jay of Lufkin, Texas.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Yokena Cemetery with Perry Young and nephew Jimmy Williams officiating. Interment will follow at Yokena Cemetery. Visitation will be from noon until the hour of the service at Glenwood Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Zane Kellicut-Odom, Josh Lawrence, Joe Leist, Joseph Williams, Paul Pearson and David Keen.

Honorary pallbearers will be C.J. Cogan, who introduced Tommy to Vicky 47 years ago; Dr. Bill Pierce, a lifelong friend and physician; Billy Joe Heggins; Ernest Harris; T. Michael Middleton; and lifelong friend, Perry Young.

James F. Vinson Sr.

Services for James F. Vinson Sr. will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Glenwood Funeral Home with the Revs. Dean Cook and Charles Houston officiating. Burial will follow at Green Acres Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight at the funeral home.

Mr. Vinson died Saturday, July 5, 2008, at Covenant Health and Rehab. He was 80.

Born in Oxford, Mr. Vinson had been a resident of Vicksburg since 1962. He was a veteran of the Korean Conflict, serving in the U.S. Army. He was a retired operator for Vicksburg Chemical Company and a member of Northside Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by a son, Donald W. Vinson; a granddaughter, Victoria Vinson; two brothers, Floyd Vinson and Al Vinson; and two sisters, Sue Vinson and Marie Bullock.

Survivors include his wife, Betty Jo Vinson; three sons, James F. Vinson Jr. of Memphis and Larry C. Vinson and Barry D. Vinson, both of Vicksburg; two daughters, Rebecca Abbott of Vicksburg and Rita Ann Blankenship of Memphis; a brother, Bobby M. Vinson of Arkansas; a sister, Virginia Ann Rogers of Texas; seven grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.

Pallbearers will be Jerry Cook, Ben Luckett, Ricky Pennington, John Johnston, Shane Rowland and Greg Mitchell.

Honorary pallbearers will be L.C. Nielsen, Thomas Warnock, Ricky Jones, Wendy Wilson and Jerry Davidson.