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.

Rachel B. Bingham

PORT GIBSON – Rachel B. Bingham died Friday, July 18, 2008, at River Region Medical Center. She was 81.

Thompson Funeral Home of Port Gibson has charge of arrangements.

Loretta Cox

STUTTGART, Ark. – Loretta Cox of Stuttgart, Ark., died Saturday, July 19, 2008.

She was born June 30, 1940, in Green County, Ark., to Raymond and Viola Wheeler Cox. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Loretta graduated from Paragould High School in 1958 and married Jerry Baldridge. Together they had two sons, Jerry Jr. and Terry. She enjoyed league bowling throughout the 1970s and 1980s based in Clarksdale, Miss. While living there she was owner and operator of Southern Seafood Company, a seafood and catering business. She was a former member of The Gold Wing Road Riders Association and enjoyed motorcycle touring. She lived in Pine Bluff in the early 1990s, where she was employed in retail sales at Sears.

After moving to Stuttgart in 1997, Loretta attended Grand Avenue United Methodist Church where she was active in the adult singles group. She was the former political action chairperson and president-elect of the Stuttgart Regional Medical Center Auxiliary. She was an active member of RSVP, previously serving as secretary. Through RSVP she served at the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce and the Museum of the Grand Prairie. She was a master sewing volunteer with the AR Cooperative Extension Service and had served as a judge for the Southeast AR District Fair. She perfected the art of needlecraft including sewing, knitting, quilting, tatting, smocking and embroidery. In recent years she volunteered at Celtic Fest in Jackson, Miss., where she managed the hospitality suite for performing youth. As a cancer survivor, Loretta lived life to the fullest and enjoyed every moment spent with her family and friends.

Survivors are two sons, Jerry Baldridge Jr. of Stuttgart and Terry Baldridge and wife Leila of Vicksburg; and two grandchildren, Keegan Baldridge of Vicksburg and J.B. Duncan of Whitehall.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, July 25, 2008, at Grand Avenue United Methodist Church in Stuttgart with the Rev. George Rook officiating.

Memorials may be made to the SRMC Auxiliary Scholarship Fund.

The family will be at the home of Tricia Smith, 603 South College, Stuttgart.

James Foster Vantrease

BRANDON – James Foster Vantrease, 85, died Friday, July 18, 2008, at his residence.

Mr. Vantrease, son of the late Mr. Solon Witcher Vantrease and Eva Sarrett Vantrease, was reared in Williamson County, Tenn. He was a member of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Brandon and was a member of the Methodist Men’s Club. He was also a member of the Telephone Pioneers and Leavell Woods Exchange Club.

He was a World War II veteran of the U.S. Air Force and was a crew chief in the South Pacific for a squadron of DC-8 aircraft. He was a specialist sergeant who received two bronze stars for valor and an Oak Leaf Cluster.

He leaves behind his loving wife, Irene Manton Vantrease of Brandon; two sons, James “Jim” Foster Van-trease and wife Becky of Eagle Lake; William David Vantrease Sr. and wife Twila of Vicksburg; a daughter, Jan Vantrease Ford and husband Eddie of Houston, Texas; sister, Margaret Bond, of Franklin, Tenn.; and three grandchildren, William David Vantrease Jr., Matthew Burl Ford and James Patrick Ford.

A brother, Solon Vantrease, preceded him in death.

Visitation will be from 5 until 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 22, 2008, and Wednesday starting at 10 a.m. at Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Brandon. Funeral services are at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 23, 2008, at the funeral home with interment at Lakewood Memorial Park in Jackson.

The family wants to thank the services of Dr. Martin Newcombe, Dr. Paul Vanlandingham, Gilbert’s Hospice and the many friends and family for their support.

Memorials may be sent to St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, Brandon or French Camp.