Obituaries for Sunday, March 29
Published 6:00 am Monday, March 29, 2004
John W. ‘Johnny’ Douglas Jr.
Services for John W. ‘Johnny’ Douglas Jr. of Bogue Chitto are 11a.m., Monday, March 29, at Brookhaven Funeral Home Chapel withburial in Wellman Baptist Church Cemetery.
Visitation is Sunday from 5-10 p.m., and Monday from 8-11 a.m.,at the funeral home.
Mr. Douglas, 76, died March 27, 2004, at King’s DaughtersMedical Center. He was born in Brookhaven on July 11, 1927, to JohnW. Douglas Sr. and Thelma Case Douglas.
He was a retired dairy farmer and truck driver. He was a memberof Wellman Baptist Church. He was a Navy veteran with service inWorld War II.
Preceding him in death were his parents; his wife, Joanna MayersDouglas; a son, James Jeffery Douglas; a sister, Janie DouglasBailey; and his brother, David Douglas.
Survivors are his sons, Jerome Douglas and Jason Douglas, bothof Brookhaven, and Joseph Douglas of Riverside, Calif.; his sister,Nita Douglas Herrington of Brookhaven; seven grandchildren; and twogreat-grandchildren.
Kenneth W. Hunsucker
Services for Kenneth W. Hunsucker are 11:30 a.m. Monday, March29, at Mercer Funeral Home in Holton, Kan., with Pastor RichardSundermeyer officiating. Burial will be in Holton Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday afternoon at thefuneral home.
Mr. Hunsucker died March 16, 2004. He was born in Brookhaven onJune 1, 1939 to Grover Cleveland and Ora Elizabeth CushmanHunsucker. He served in the National Guard in 1954 and 1955. InJanuary of 1963, Mr. Hunsucker left his job in Atlanta, Ga., andmoved to Kansas City, Mo. to help open a tire retread plant forHudson and Odom Tire. On July 2, 1965 he married Virginia Mae KuonePuckett in Kansas City, Mo. They moved to Chino Hills, Ca. in 1967where Ken helped open a 2nd retread shop for Hudson and Odom inAnaheim, Ca. He and his wife also owned and operated Golden GlobeTravel in Diamond Bar, Ca. and Chino Hills, Ca. from 1988 to 1997.They were active members of New Hope Christian Fellowship in ChinoHills, and Mr. Hunsucker helped to begin a ministry for the needywhile there. In September of 1997, the couple moved to Holton,Kan., and in November he opened Ken’s Korner, a tire and lube shop.He operated the tire shop from 1997 to summer of 2003 when hebecame ill. He was a charter member of the Family Life Church ofthe Nazarene in Topeka, Kan. and was active in Promise Keepers andsmall group ministry.
Survivors are his wife, Virginia Hunsucker of Holton; hisdaughters and sons-in-law, Shirley Stauffer of Holton, Linda andBob Callaci, and Sharon and Ron Wheeler, all of Chino Hills, Kan.,Sandy and Ellis Barton of Hanford, Ca., Kendra and Robert Lux ofHolton, Kan.; a son and daughter-in-law, Kenneth R. and MariaHunsucker of Ontario, Ca.; his sisters, Lucille Turner of PellCity, Ala., Virginia Smith and Leslie Brewer, both of New Orleans,La.; his brothers, Raymond Hunsucker of Atlanta, Ga. and RichardHunsucker of Thomasville, Ga.; 15 grandchildren; twostep-grandchildren; one great-granddaughter and onegreat-grandson.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Nell Carlisleof Pascagoula; and a brother, Jerry Hunsucker of Brookhaven.
Memorials may be given to the Family Life Church c/o MercerFuneral Home, 1101 W. 4th, Holton, Kansas 66436.
Alton L. Maples
Services for Alton L. Maples of Brookhaven are 1 p.m., Monday,March 29, at Brookhaven Funeral Home Chapel with graveside serviceat 2 p.m. Tuesday with burial in New Sight Cemetery.
Visitation is Sunday from 5-8 p.m. and Monday from 8 a.m. until1 p.m., at the funeral home.
Mr. Maples, 75, died March 27, 2004, at King’s Daughters MedicalCenter. He was born in Harrisonburg, La., on Aug. 20, 1928, to JohnWesley Maples and Evelyn Dickens Maples.
He was a retired mechanic. He was a member of New Sight BaptistChurch. He was a veteran of the Army and the Air Force.
Preceding him in death were his parents; a sister, MattieMaples; and his brothers, Vergil, Ozie, Joel, and RobertMaples.
Survivors are his wife, Hazel Ashley Maples of Brookhaven; hisson, Alton Maples Jr. of Ohio; his step-sons, Edward McIlwain ofJackson and Delos Nathan McManus of Lafayette, La.; his sisters,Marie Montipelier of Harrison, La., and Rose Mock of Jonesville,La.; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Billy Gene ‘Bill’ Montgomery
Services for Billy Gene “Bill” Montgomery of Summit are 11 a.m.,Monday, March 29, at Catchings Funeral Home Chapel in McComb withburial in Arlington Cemetery. The services will be conducted by theRev. Lloyd Calcote, the Rev. Rick Kennedy and the Rev. KeithSmith.
Visitation is Sunday from 2-5:30 p.m., and Monday from 10-11a.m., at the funeral home.
Mr. Montgomery, 68, died March 26, 2004, at his residence. Hewas born in Lincoln County on April 27, 1935, to Harold and GeorgiaJordan Montgomery.
He worked in the oil fields and owned Montgomery Dozier Servicefor many years. He was the first road supervisor for Pike Countywhere he retired on Aug. 1, 2003, after 14 years of service. He wasa graduate of Brookhaven High School and attended Co-Lin JuniorCollege. He was a member of Summit United Methodist Church and wasa former long-time member of Arlington Baptist Church. He was aveteran of the Army, where he served two years. He was a formermember of the Mississippi National Guard. He was a member of theJohn A. Quitman Grand Lodge F&AM of Mississippi #244, theSouthwest Mississippi Shrine Club and VFW Post #2618.
Preceding him in death were his parents; his first wife, TenaMartin Carr Montgomery and a nephew, Jeff Case.
Survivors are his wife, Gayle Wilson Montgomery of Summit; hisstepson, Thomas Carr of Independence, La.; his sister andbrother-in-law, Myra and Gary Case of Bogue Chitto; his brothersand sisters-in-law, Robert and Barbara Montgomery of Jackson, Tenn.and Donald and Gay Montgomery of Tallahassee, Fla.; asister-in-law, Suzanne Whittington of North Carolina; astep-grandson, Thomas William “Billy” Carr of McComb, astep-granddaughter, Tina Carr of Independence, La.; three nephews;five nieces; several great-nephews and nieces; and numerous otherrelatives and friends.
Pallbearers will be Buddy Spring, John Wynn, J.W. Beck, PhillipR. Price, Roffie Burt, and Roger Brumfield. Honorary pallbearerswill be the Pike County Board of Supervisors and the Pike CountyRoad Department.
Memorials may be sent to Hospice Ministries, P.O. Box 1228,Ridgeland., MS 39158 or to a charity of your choice.
Ernestine Smith
Services for Ernestine Smith of Brookhaven were 2 p.m.,Saturday, March 27, at Brookhaven Funeral Home Chapel with burialin New Prospect Baptist Church Cemetery.
Mrs. Smith, 83, died March 25, 2004, at Beverly Health Care. Shewas born in Lincoln County on April 21, 1920, to Thomas Edgar Smithand Vergie Mae Watts Smith.
She was a homemaker. She was a member of New Prospect BaptistChurch.
Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, GeorgeBrantley Smith; a son, Bobby Joe Smith; a brother, Howard Smith anda great-granddaughter, Arianna Rochelle Hollingsworth.
Survivors are her daughter, Patty Jean Hollingsworth ofBrookhaven; her son and daughter-in-law, Anthony and Glenda Smithof Brookhaven; her brothers, T.J. Smith of Brookhaven and EdwardSmith of Baton Rouge, La.; her grandsons and granddaughters-in-law,Richie Hollingsworth, Slade and Julie Hollingsworth, Adam and SandySmith, and Kevin and Vickie Smith, all of Brookhaven, and Chad andCindy Smith of Summit; her great-granddaughters, Heather Magee andBrayden Taylor Smith; her great-grandsons, Barry CooperHollingsworth and David Brantley Smith; and a special friend,Jimmie Cross.
Ray White
Services for Ray White of Hazlehurst are 3 p.m., Sunday, March28, at Zion Hill Baptist Church with burial in the churchcemetery.
Visitation is Sunday from 1:30-3 p.m., at the funeral home.
Mr. White, 81, died March 26, 2004, at his residence. He wasborn in Copiah County on May 27, 1923, to William White and SarahMcManus.
He was a retired fire chief of Hazlehurst. He was an armyveteran. He was a high school graduate.
Preceding him in death were his parents; and five brothers andsisters.
Survivors are his wife, Ruby White of Hazlehurst; his daughter,Diane Calloway of Hazlehurst; his son, Dennis White of Wesson; hissister, Josie McGowen of Byram; his brothers, C.G. White of Gallmanand J.B. White of Florence; four grandchildren; and threegreat-grandchildren.
Martha Peterson Widman
Services for Martha Peterson Widman of McComb are 2:30 p.m.,Monday, March 29, at Catchings Funeral Home Chapel in McComb withburial in Magnolia Cemetery.
Visitation is Monday from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., at thefuneral home.
Mrs. Widman, died March 26, 2004, at Liberty Community LivingCenter. She was born to Walter Peterson and Callie Neves DickersonPeterson.
She was a member of J.J. White Memorial Presbyterian Church.
Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, BillWidman; two sisters and five brothers.
Survivors are her children, Julia Widman Beard of McComb, OlgaWidman Hawley of Lafayette, La., and William C. Widman ofBirmingham, Ala.; a sister, Betty Peterson Laird of Groves, Texas;a brother, Larry Milam Peterson of Smithdale; and fivegrandchildren, Bill Hamrick, Kevin Hawley Hester, Patrick Hawley,Will Widman and Taylor Widman.
Pallbearers will be Silvo Cesario, Barry Dillard, Norman GillisJr., Paul Hawley, Steve Hester and Larry Peterson. Honorarypallbearers will be Dr. Henry Lewis, Dr. Tom Mayer and MarcButler.
Memorials may be sent to Liberty Community Living Center,Activities Fund, P.O. Box 676, Liberty, MS 39645.