Vicksburg has lost two treasures.

Cross the now-bloated Mississippi River into Louisiana, turn to the right and admire the Stars and Stripes proudly flying atop the U.S. 80 bridge over the Mississippi River. Then say a quiet thank you to Vicksburg’s Blanche Millsaps.

Millsaps, who died at age 80 Wednesday, made it one of her life’s missions to keep a giant flag flying high on the span that was built a year before she was born.

“Everywhere I travel, from New Orleans to Memphis, when people hear where I’m from, they talk about the great big flag on top of the bridge here,” Millsaps told this newspaper a few years ago. She was dedicated — and proud — as she should have been.

At first, the flag flew to honor U.S. servicemen, and she footed the bill each time one had grown too tattered — about $600 each. Now, money is raised or donated by someone wanting to fly a flag in memory of a loved one.

Blanche Millsaps was a tireless worker for her causes — the flag and, for years before, voters’ rights and her political beliefs.

She did well by the bridge, Old Glory and Vicksburg.

So did Johnny Brewer.

On May 27, Brewer died at age 74. In football-crazed Vicksburg, not many names were as big as Brewer’s. The strapping country boy had been born on a houseboat near Steele Bayou and led a physically grueling childhood that led him to become one of the most dominating athletes this county has ever seen.

“He was a football coach’s dream. You just put him on the field and he did the rest,” his high school coach, J.C. Dorman said.

He played at Ole Miss during the glory years — 1956 to 1960 — and helped the Rebels to a pair of national championships. He played professionally with the Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints before returning home to work in private business and serve the county on the election commission.

Millsaps and Brewer enriched this community in life.

In death, their memories will carry on.