PHILADELPHIA — A celebration of life service for Pearl Stokes will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010, from the chapel of McClain-Hays Funeral Home in Philadelphia with the Rev. Ray Luke officiating. Burial will follow at North Bend Methodist Cemetery in Neshoba County.

Mrs. Stokes, 79, died Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010, at University Medical Center in Jackson.

She was born and reared in Neshoba County and made her home in the Bond community most of her life. She was a member of North Bend United Methodist Church.

Mrs. Stokes retired after more than 20 years as admission clerk at Neshoba County General Hospital.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Andy Stokes; and a grandson, Joey Stokes.

Survivors include daughters, Torona Stokes of Rome, Ga., and Betty Laura Stokes Hardy and her husband, Walter, of Vicksburg; son, Everette Arnold Stokes and his wife, Sonya, of Philadelphia; granddaughter, Shannon Hoover of Vicksburg; grandsons, Andy Paul Hardy of Vicksburg, Stephen Nicolou of Rome, Ga., Kyle Stokes of Philadelphia and Mark Nicolou of Tallahassee, Fla.; great-grandchildren, Logan Hardin of Vicksburg and Brett Hoover of Vicksburg; and sister, Joyce Hardy and her husband, Bobby, of Philadelphia.

Pallbearers are Art Fulton, Al Fulton, Mike Hardy, Michael Hardy, Bill Cox and Hugh Barrier.

Honorary pallbearers are Ralph Stokes, Marwood Nance, Joe Allen Hegwood and Mike McKay.

Visitation will be Thursday from 9 a.m. until service time at McClain-Hays Funeral Home in Philadelphia.