Bessie Jordan Ashcraft

Services for Bessie Jordan Ashcraft of Madison are 11 a.m.,Saturday, June 19, at the Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home Chapelin Ridgeland with burial in Parkway Memorial Cemetery inRidgeland.

Visitation is Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at the funeral home.

Mrs. Ashcraft, 84, died June 17, 2004, at St. Catherine’sVillage in Madison.

She was a native of McCall Creek. She had been a resident of theJackson area since 1982. She was a former resident of Little Rock,Ark. She was former teacher and retired as the Director of RemedialReading for the Pulaski, Ark. School System. She was a member ofFirst Baptist Church in Madison where she was very active untilfailing health prevented her involvement.

Preceding her in death was her husband, Henry C. AshcraftJr.

Survivors are her daughter, Ann A. LaPlant of Ridgeland; herson, David L. Ashcraft, and his wife, Phoebe, of Madison; hergrandchildren, Hillary Brannan of Birmingham, Ala., Joannah Mageeof Brandon, and Justin LaPlant of Jackson; and fourgreat-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Library Fund, First Baptist Church,Madison.

Ernest Henry Avants

Services for Ernest Henry Avants of Bogue Chitto are at noon,Saturday, June 19, at the Community Funeral Service Chapel withburial in Pleasant Hill Cemetery.

Visitation is Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until noon, at thechapel.

Mr. Avants, 73, died June 14, 2004. He was born in LincolnCounty on Jan. 23, 1931, to Eston Avants and Bertha Williamson.

He was a Korean War Army veteran. He was of the BaptistFaith.

Preceding him in death were his parents; his sister Betsy AnnCrawford; and his great-granddaughter, Kelsey Avants.

Survivors are his wife, Martha Avants; his daughter, ElizabethWallace of Bogue Chitto; his sons, David Avants and Glenn Avants,both of Bogue Chitto; one sister, Mary Nell Merritt of Baker, La.;nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Belvy H. Causey

Services for Belvy H. Causey of Meadville are 1 p.m., Sunday,June 20, at Oak Grove Community Church with burial in the churchcemetery.

Visitation is Saturday from noon until 5 p.m., at MarshallFuneral Home and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at thechurch.

Mrs. Causey, 108, died June 16, 2004, at Jefferson CountyNursing Home in Fayette. She was born in Franklin County on March25, in 1896, to Henderson and Mary Cobb.

Mrs. Causey once said she told her mother when she was 12 yearsold that she was planning on being around for a long time. How truethat was. She lived for a century and beyond simply and steadfastlywith the love of Jesus. She served 33 years as a midwife anddelivered over 660 babies in Franklin and Amite Counties.

Although she only had one child, Burdee, she spent her heart andhome to be a surrogate mother to many. She was a member of OakGrove Community Church where she served as the Superintendent ofthe Sunday School. She also served on the Mothers Board and she wasa member of the Women’s Society Christian Service.

Preceding her in death were her husband, Matthew Causey; twodaughters, Ora Causey Bland and Burdee Causey Walton; and twograndsons.

Survivors are her three granddaughters, Cloteel Washington ofBrookhaven, Arcola Rodgers of Harvey, Ill., and Camilla Gorden ofMeadville; five grandsons, Joseph Bland of New Orleans, La., RayCarroll Bland of Kenner, La., Jimmy Harris of El Toro, Calif.,Estnada Walton of Meadville and Vasconi Walton of Natchez.

James F. Holly

Services for James F. Holly of Ruth are 10 a.m., Friday, June18, at Brookhaven Funeral Home Chapel with burial in WellmanBaptist Church Cemetery.

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

Mr. Holly, 82, died June 15, 2004, at his residence. He was bornin Okolona on April 16, 1922, to Joe Holly and Lucille AndersonHolly.

He was a retired oil field worker and a World War II Navyveteran. He was a member of First Christian Church.

Preceding him in death were his parents and one brother, EverettHolly.

Survivors are his wife, Pauline Holly of Ruth; his daughter,Jeanette Carithers, and her husband, Albert, of Ruth; his sister,Jerri Holly of Dallas, Texas; one brother, John T. Holly; onegranddaughter, Sharon, and her husband, Richard Case, of BogueChitto; his grandsons and their wives, Mark and Becky Carithers,and Michael and Cynthia Carithers, all of Ruth, Amy Holly of Texasand Nick Holly of California; his great-grandchildren, Carrie andMarka Carithers, Brittani and Sara Case, and Steven, Kaeleb andAshley Carithers.

Loyce Mercier

Services for Loyce Mercier of Brookhaven are 4 p.m., Saturday,June 19, at the Community Funeral Services Chapel with burial inNew Sight Cemetery.

Visitation is Friday from 5-9 p.m. and Saturday from 2-4 p.m. atthe chapel.

Mrs. Mercier, 53, died June 17, 2004, at Southwest MississippiRegional Medical Center in McComb. She was born in Copiah County onApril 8, 1951, to James B. Furlow and Mary L. Hamilton Furlow.

She was a homemaker.

Preceding her in death were her parents and one brother, BentonFurlow.

Survivors are her husband, James L. Mercier; her daughter, JudySmith of Brookhaven; her son, Jamie Owens of Jackson; her sisters,Inez Danise of Ocean Springs and Ann Drone of Brookhaven; threebrothers, Ray Furlow of Jackson, Jimmy Furlow of Brookhaven, andButch Furlow of Lafayette, La.; and two grandchildren.

Mary C. Thornhill

Services for Mary C. Thornhill of Brookhaven are 11 a.m.,Friday, June 18, at Fair River Baptist Church with burial in thechurch cemetery. Brookhaven Funeral Home is in charge ofarrangements.

Visitation was Thursday from 5-10 p.m. and will be Friday 10-11a.m. at the church.

Mrs. Thornhill, 90, died June 16, 2004, at King’s DaughtersMedical Center in Brookhaven. She was born in Lincoln County onMarch 10, 1914, to Bob Carlisle and Ida McDavid Carlisle.

She was a retired seamstress from Sthal Urban Co. She was amember of Fair River Baptist Church for over 80 years.

Preceding her in death were her twin sister, Maud Thompson, andher brother, Conway Carlisle.

Survivors are her daughter and son-in-law, Claudine and JohnPennington of Brookhaven; her son and daughter-in-law, Bobby andGlenda Thornhill of Brookhaven; her grandchildren and theirspouses, Tim and Nay Thornhill, Donna and Don Hodge, Deb and WillJordan, Chris and Steph Thornhill, and Dana and Kenneth Wallace;five grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and a host of niecesand nephews.

Memorials may be made to the Fair River Building Fund.