Obituaries for Thursday, February 3, 2005

Published 6:00 am Thursday, February 3, 2005

Robert Ford Sr.

Services for Robert Ford Sr., of Brookhaven, are 2 p.m.Saturday, Feb. 5 at Cool Spring M.B. Church with burial in thechurch cemetery.

Visitation is Friday from noon until 8 p.m., with family hourfrom 7-8 p.m., at Williams Mortuary.

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Mr. Ford, 87, died Jan. 31, 2005, at Jefferson County Hospital.He was born in Lincoln County on May 15, 1917, to Walter Ford andOllie Black Ford.

He was retired. He was a graduate of Alexander High School andattended Alcorn State University. He was a veteran of the Army withservice in World War II. Mr. Ford was a member of Cool Spring M.B.Church, where he served on the Deacon Board for 49 years and asSunday School Superintendent. He was a self-employed pulpwoodhauler for many years. While in Lansing, Mich., he worked as a spotwelder for GMC Motors. He worked in Brookhaven at the Compress andScreen Wire Plant and as a substitute teacher at Lillie Mae BryantSchool in Bude. He also worked as a dispatcher for the FranklinCounty Sheriff’s Department.

Preceding him in death were his parents; his mother-in-law,Merever Kelly Brooks; his stepfather, Alex Qualls; three brothers,Percy Ford, Jesse Ford and John London; his three sisters, AnnieMae Byrd, Lillie Mae Lyons, and Rosie Smith; a grandson, EddieAlsworth Jr.; two great-grandchildren, Deric Webb and JohnDavenport Jr.; and his brother-in-law, Hillary Kelly Sr.

Survivors are his wife, Elnora Kelly Ford, of Brookhaven; histhree daughters, Shirley Middleton and her husband, Kenneth, ofMcCall Creek, Dorothy Lockhart and her husband, Thomas, of CrystalSprings, and Debra Wells and her husband, Homer, of McCall Creek;his three sons, Leroy Kelly and his wife, Bettie, of Brookhaven,Percy Ford, of Brookhaven, and Robert Ford Jr., of Lucien; ninegrandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces,nephews, other relatives and friends.

Eddie Johnson Sr.

Services for Eddie Johnson Sr., of Brookhaven, are noonSaturday, Feb. 5 at Della Green M.B. Church with burial inFriendship M.B. Church Cemetery.

Visitation is Friday from noon until 7 p.m., with family presentfrom 6-7 p.m., at R.E. Tyler Funeral Home.

Mr. Johnson, 87, died Jan. 31, 2005, at his residence. He wasborn in Lincoln County on March 23, 1917, to Quinn Johnson andMaggie Bell Corley Johnson.

He was a member of Della Green M.B. Church.

Preceding him in death were his parents; his sister, QuinnieCassell; and two sons, Eddie Johnson Jr. and Eddie Roy JohnsonSr.

Survivors are his wife, Lonnie Mae Maxie Johnson, of Brookhaven;his daughters, Lorraine Johnson, of Brookhaven, Catheryn Davis andBeverly Johnson, both of Memphis, Tenn.; his son, Quinn C. Johnson,of Brookhaven; 15 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and a hostof nieces and nephews.

Murrel F. Knipp III

Services for Murrell F. Knipp III, of Ellisville, were 10 a.m.today, Feb. 3 at Jones Funeral Home Chapel in Ellisville withburial in Floral Hill Cemetery in Gulfport. Dr. Alan Woodwardofficiated.

Mr. Knipp, 54, died Feb. 1, 2005, at his residence.

He was employed with the Mississippi State Department ofAgriculture and Commerce. He was of the Baptist faith. Mr. Knippshowed horses and loved golf and sports. He was a member of theAmerican Quarter Horse Association.

Preceding him in death were his mother, Sue Bowman Knipp; andhis brother, William Bowman Knipp.

Survivors are his father, Murrel Knipp Jr. of Oxford; hisdaughter, Angeline Elizabeth Knipp of Luling, La.; his sister,Marilyn Butts and her husband, Charlie, of Pontotoc; and threegrandchildren, Jordan William, Jacob Michael and KylieElizabeth.

Pallbearers will be Leon Anderson, David Brewer, Danny Hamm, JoeEllzey, Ralph Howard and Rich Fulkerson.

Floreita Ellis Boyd Nielsen

Services for Floreita Ellis Boyd Nielsen, of Brookhaven, are 2p.m. today, Feb. 3 at Brookhaven Funeral Home Chapel with burial inRamah Baptist Church Cemetery.

Mrs. Nielsen, 81, died Feb. 1, 2005, at King’s Daughters MedicalCenter. She was born in Pike County on June 7, 1923, to PressieBoyd and Flossie Smith Boyd. She was raised by Mr. and Mrs. CooperPepper in Bogue Chitto.

She was a former child care provider and homemaker. She was amember of the Women’s Auxiliary of V.F.W., and the Czech Club. Shewas a member of First Baptist Church, where she was active inSunday School.

Preceding her in death were her parents; and her sister, DorothyAvenmarg.

Survivors are her husband, Roy Nielsen, of Brookhaven; herdaughter, Alice Carolyn Nielsen, of Pearl; her son, Roy EarlNielsen, of Flowood; and her cousins, Wilma Porter and GladysRichardson.