Obituaries for Tuesday, January 20

Published 6:00 am Tuesday, January 20, 2004

Geneva Thompson Cockerham

Services for Geneva Thompson Cockerham of the Tangipahoacommunity in Summit are 11 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 21, at TangipahoaBaptist Church with burial in the church cemetery. Services will beconducted by the Rev. Troy Mercer.

Visitation is Tuesday from 5-9 p.m., at Hartman Funeral Home ofMcComb, and Wednesday from 9-11 a.m., at the church.

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Mrs. Cockerham, 66, died Jan. 18, 2004, at Select SpecialtyHospital in Jackson. She was born in Lincoln County on Aug. 11,1937, to Johnny Alexander Thompson and Para Lee Smith Thompson.

She worked for Kellwood Manufacturing for many years as aseamstress. She was a member of Tangipahoa Baptist Church, and wasa graduate of Enterprise School.

Preceding her in death were her parents; and two brothers,Robert Alexander and Versie W. Buddy Thompson.

Survivors are her husband, Robert A. Cockerham of Summit; hersons, Robert A. Cockerham Jr. of Summit, and Vernon Cockerham Sr.of Osyka; her sisters and brother-in-law, Ruby “Sis” Watts ofBrookhaven, and Peggy and Prentiss Lee of Monticello; her brothersand sisters-in-law, Loyd Thompson and Gene and Myrtle Thompson, allof Bogue Chitto, Johnny Roy and Gail Thompson of Brookhaven, Nelsonand Sheila Thompson of Monticello, and Doris Thompson of Ruth; andher grandchildren, Vernon Jr., Amanda, Kirstie, Zachary, Ashley,Heather and Corey Cockerham.

Pallbearers will be James H. Lewis, Dennie Brown, Noel Andrews,Bob Freeman, Michael Freeman and Travis Taylor. Honorary pallbearerwill be Vernon Cockerham Jr.

Memorials may be sent to Tangipahoa Baptist Church BuildingFund.

Shirley Higgs Sills

Services for Shirley Higgs Sills of Monticello are 2 p.m.,Wednesday, Jan. 21, at Wilson Funeral Home Chapel with burial inKees Cemetery in Lincoln County.

Visitation is Tuesday from 5-9 p.m., at the funeral home.

Mrs. Sills, 66, died Jan. 18, 2004, at Lawrence County Hospital.She was born in Wanilla on Oct. 23, 1937, to Johnnie Higgs andMargaret Irene Watson Watts.

She was a retired sales person with Wal-Mart. She loved to paintand to plant flowers.

Preceding her in death were her parents and her stepparents,Myrtle Miller Higgs and Carl Edward Watts.

Survivors are her husband, James E. Sills of Monticello; herdaughters, Jo Hyde and Sherry Rushing, both of Monticello, andKathy Nickerson of Deming, N.M.; her sons, Michael Gaffney ofRichland, Steven Patrick Gaffney of Clinton, and James Edward”Eddie” Sills of Monticello; her sisters, Evelun Gallagher ofJayton, Texas, and Sally Wooten of Bogue Chitto; her brothers,George Kenneth Watts of Escondido, Calif., and Henry Jerry Bullockof Gulfport; 11 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.