MONDAY OBITUARIES

Prentiss Rowland Ezelle

Services for Prentiss Rowland Ezelle of Baton Rouge, andformerly of Brookhaven, were January 3 in Baton Rouge with burialin Greenoaks Cemetery.

Mr. Ezelle, 58, died Dec. 30, 2000, of a pulmonary embolism athis residence. He was born in Brookhaven on May 18, 1942. Heattended Co-Lin Community College and the University of SouthernMississippi.

He was an engineer with the Illinois Central Railroad, havingworked with the railroad since 1968. He was an Army veteran ofVietnam.

Preceding him in death was his father, Homer Ezelle.

Survivors are his wife, Christine “Dolly” Ezelle of Baton Rouge;his daughters, Elizabeth Ezelle Hughes and Cindy Hobgood, both ofBaton Rouge; his sons, Howard Sadler and Joe Sadler, both of BatonRouge; his mother, Nell Ezelle of Brookhaven; his sister, LyndaDerrick of Madison; and 11 grandchildren.

Lee Roy Laird

Services for Lee Roy Laird of McComb are 2:30 p.m., Tuesday,Jan. 9, at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Franklin County with burialin the church cemetery.

Visitation is today from 5-8 p.m. at Catchings Funeral Home.

Mr. Laird, 84, died Jan. 6, 2001, of heart failure at CamelliaEstates Assisted Living Home in McComb. He was born in Smithdale toJames Madison Laird and Annie Bell McGehee Laird.

He was a retired farmer and cattle rancher. He was a member ofMt. Zion Baptist Church, where he served as treasurer and deacon.He was a member of the Agricultural Stabilization ConservationCommittee for 30 years and served as chairman. He was an Armyveteran of WWII.

Preceding him in death were his parents; his brothers, JohnLaird, Otis Laird and Hubert Laird; and his sister, Nona ReaWalker.

Survivors are his wife, Elaine Ratcliff Laird; his daughters,Patsy Laird Dunlap and Nita Laird Christensen, both of Nashville,Tenn., and Shirley Williams of Clinton; his sisters, Myrtle Channelof Lenore City, Tenn., Retha Williams of Metairie, La., and MableNettles of Brookhaven; his brothers, James Laird and Shelby Laird,both of Groves, Texas; his caretaker, Henrietta Ramsey; and sixgrandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 1900Dunbarton Drive, Suite 1, Jackson, MS 39216 or the Organ Fund ofMt. Zion Baptist Church, 80 Bein Road, Smithdale, MS 39664.

John Kelly Porter

Services for John Kelly Porter of Bogue Chitto are 2 p.m.,Monday, Jan. 8, at Brookhaven Funeral Home Chapel with burial inConcord Baptist Church Cemetery in Franklin County.

Visitation today is until service time at the funeral home.

Mr. Porter, 68, died Jan. 6, 2001, at King’s Daughters MedicalCenter. He was born in McCall Creek on Nov. 8, 1932, to LawrencePorter and Bernice Herring Porter.

He was a retired underground service worker with Louisiana Powerand Light Company. He was a member of Concord Baptist Church. Hewas an Army veteran of the Korean Conflict.

Preceding him in death were his father; and his sister, JulietteWestbrook.

Survivors are his wife, Maxine Smith Porter of Bogue Chitto; hismother, Bernice Herring Porter of Bogue Chitto; his sons, FredTimothy Porter of Slidell, Mark David Porter of Brookhaven, andJohn Anthony “Teddy” Porter and Lawrence Kelly Porter, both ofBogue Chitto; his brothers, Ben Joe Porter and George Porter, bothof Bogue Chitto, and Danny Porter of Brookhaven; his sister, RachelEtienne of Metairie, La.; and three granddaughters and a host ofnieces and nephews.