Obituaries for Friday, February, 8, 2008

Published 6:00 am Friday, February 8, 2008

Robert W. Copsy

Services for Robert W. Copsy, of Bogue Chitto, are 11 a.m.Saturday, Feb. 9, at Community Family Funeral Services Chapelfollowed by a full military service conducted by the MississippiHonor Guard at Arlington Baptist Church Cemetery in BogueChitto.

Visitation is Friday from 5 until 8 p.m. at the funeralhome.

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Mr. Copsy, 78, died Feb. 5, 2008, at his residence. He was bornon May 2, 1929, to Walter and Mary Copsy.

He retired from the United States Army as Chief Warrant Officer,where he received the Bronze Star; the National Defense ServiceMedal; The Good Conduct Medal and Clasp, Bronze, 5 Loops; Republicof Vietnam Campaign Medal; and Vietnam Service Medal, SecondClass.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a granddaughter; and astepgrandson.

Survivors include his wife, Frances Copsy, of Bogue Chitto; hissons, Tony Copsy, of Bogue Chitto, Mark Copsy, of New Orleans, La.,Ronald Whittington, of Bogue Chitto, and Paul Gibson, of Paris,Ill.; his daughters, Dorothy Anzalda, of New York, Brenda Wood, ofOklahoma City, Okla., and Cathy Ellis, of Moody, Texas; hisbrother, Don Copsy, of Ridgefarm, Ill.; his sisters, Becky Simpson,of Seattle, Wash., and Frances Kingen, of Tilton, Ill.; 16grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Andra Kay Lewis

Services for Andra Kay Lewis, of Bogue Chitto, are 11 a.m.Saturday, Feb. 9, at Riverwood Family Funeral Service Chapel withburial in Clear Branch Baptist Church Cemetery.

Visitation is Friday from 5 until 9 p.m. at the funeralhome.

Mrs. Lewis, 62, died Feb. 7, 2008, in Bogue Chitto. She was bornon Nov. 11, 1945, to Gus Henry Boyte and Leila Thornton Boyte.

She was a homemaker and of the Baptist faith.

Preceding her in death were her parents; and one brother,William Luther Boyte.

Survivors include her husband, Maxie Earl Lewis; her daughters,Leigh Ann Brister and husband, Winvall, of Bogue Chitto, and BeckyBadinger and husband, Leo, of Prairieville, La.; her sisters,Sandra Fay Leggett, of Bogue Chitto, and Wanda Donnerly, ofBrookhaven; her eight grandchildren, Josh Dowiatt, Jacey Dowiatt,Jacob Barnes, Haleigh Brister, Sydney Brister, Caitlin Badinger,Allison Morgan and Joseph Copeland.

Richard Charles Philipp

Richard Charles Philipp passed away peacefully on Monday, Feb.4, 2008. Richard, known as “Dick” to his friends and family, was aresident of Lafayette, La., since 1997. The son of Charles andIrene Philipp, Richard was born on Feb. 20, 1925, in ChicagoIll.

Dick was a true member of the “Greatest Generation.” He joinedthe U.S. Navy shortly after Pearl Harbor and was assigned to the90th Seabee Construction Battalion and spent the war in thePacific. Of particular note, he was part of the Iwo Jima landing.After his service was complete, Dick remained active in both theSeabees and the Iwo Jima Veterans Groups and was instrumental inbringing the annual Iwo Jima Veterans Reunion to Lafayette threetimes during the past 10 years.

After the war, he returned to college and was a 1947 graduate ofNorthwestern University. He was always proud of Northwestern Purpleand was an active alumni member. He was married to Jeanne Tyler ofMt. Carmel, Ill., on Oct. 1, 1949. In 1950 he took his first job inthe paper industry and stayed in that industry for the next 40years, retiring as a vice president of the Champion Paper Co. Oneof the high points of his career was when he was selected as partof the start up for the St. Regis Paper Co. in placing the largestpaper mill in the world on line in Monticello.

During their lives together Jeanne and Dick traveled and livedthroughout the United States, including places as diverse as Mt.Carmel, Ill.; Milwaukee, Wisc.; Wayne, N.J.; Brookhaven; Tacoma,Wash; New York City; and after Dick’s retirement, back to theMississippi Gulf Coast.

Dick is survived by his sister, Barbara Mitacek, of ChicagoIll.; his wife, Jeanne Tyler Philipp; their three sons, ChristopherRichard (Kristina-Carr) Philipp and Douglas Tyler Philipp, ofLafayette, and Brian Ford (Jean) Philipp, of Swansea, Ill. He alsois survived by his only daughter Tammy Ann Philipp (Allen) Leger,also of Lafayette. He has seven grandchildren, Robin Carr, GeoffreyCleveland, Benjamin Edward Philipp, Spencer Tyler Philipp, MaryGrace Leger, Madeleine Germaine Philipp and Zachary RichardPhilipp.

Dick was an active member of the St. Joseph Catholic Church. Hewas a master of the Internet. He loved live theater and was one ofthe founding members of Brookhaven Little Theatre. Dick acted anddirected in several plays and wrote one play, “Captain Jack,” aboutlife in Mississippi after the Civil War. He was on the board ofdirectors of the Milton Water Company. He could always be foundwherever good friends, good food and good conversation were to behad. He will be missed by all the lives he touched.

The family request donations to Louisianahonorair.com or theMilesperretcenter.org in lieu of flowers.

A celebration of his life will be held for his family andfriends at a later date. Martin and Castille Funeral Home inLafayette, is in charge of arrangements.

Online memorials may be made athttp://www.asimas.com/ASIMAS/martin/TributeView.jsp?domain_id=157&deceased_id=150181.

Sara Gene Shaw

Sara Gene Shaw died peacefully in the early morning of Jan. 31,2008, at Spring Assisted Living Center in Torrance, Calif. She wasborn Sara Gene Decelle on May 10, 1924, in Brookhaven.

She married her life’s love, Charles A. Shaw, on Christmas Dayin 1951. Chuck predeceased her in 2003. Both Sara and Chuck retiredfrom long and distinguished careers in the United States Navy asChief Petty Officers. Both served their country proudly duringWorld War II, the Korean and Viet Nam conflicts.

Sara will be deeply missed by her loving family and friends. Sheis survived by her brother, David Decell and his wife, Lynda, ofRedondo Beach, Calif.; her niece, Pamela Decell, of Bandon, Ore.;her niece, Susan Decell and her husband, Sam Johnson, of San PedroCalif.; her nephew, Matt Decell and his wife, Christie, of LongBeach, Calif.; her nephew, Jay Latture, of Petaluma, Calif.; andfive grand-nephews, David, Zachary, Joshua, Jason, andJonathan.

Visitation will be held at Harrigill Funeral Home on Monday,Feb. 11, from 5 until 7 p.m.

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 12,at Rosehill Cemetery in Brookhaven. Mrs. Shaw will be buried in theHubbard family plot next to her beloved husband, Chuck, and amidthe graves of her mother, Sara Decelle, her sister, Cornelia Evans,and her maternal grandparents.