Collas ‘Goat’ Bledsoe

Services for Collas “Goat” Bledsoe, of Brookhaven, are 11 a.m.Saturday, Aug. 16, at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church inBrookhaven with burial in Hillcrest Cemetery.

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

Mr. Bledsoe, 90, died Aug. 11, 2008, at G.V. (Sonny) MontgomeryVA Medical Center in Jackson. He was born in Brookhaven on March 1,1918, to William Bledsoe and Ethel Smith Bledsoe.

He was a former truck driver for Southern Wholesale inBrookhaven. He served in the U.S. Army. He was a member ofMacedonia Missionary Baptist Church and served on the trusteeboard.

Preceding him in death were his parents; his wife, EudieBledsoe; his sons, William and Earnest Bledsoe, his brothers,Denon, R.T., Ameal, Osborne and Burnell Bledsoe; his sisters,Wydell Markham and Gertrude Shipp.

Survivors are his son, Larry Bledsoe, of Gulfport; hisdaughters, Collisteen Wells and Ora McKeever, of Brookhaven; hissister, Mazie Coleman, of Los Angeles; his 17 grandchildren and 13great-grandchildren.

Bertha Banks Gayten

Services for Bertha Banks Gayten, of Brookhaven, are 11 a.m.Saturday, Aug. 16, at Mary’s Temple Church of God in Christ inBrookhaven with burial in Hillcrest Cemetery.

Visitation is Friday from 1 until 6 p.m. at WilliamsMortuary.

Mrs. Gayten, 63, died Aug. 12, 2008, at Hospice Ministries Inc.in Ridgeland. She was born in Lincoln County on April 19, 1945, toJoe Banks Sr. and Clementine Cameron Banks.

She was retired. She was a member of Mary’s Temple Church of Godin Christ.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, JackGayten; her sisters, Alice Mae Banks and Carolyn Brown; and abrother, Joe Banks Jr.

Survivors are her sisters, Mae Ethel Wilcher and husband,Willie, Willie Ruth Banks, Amy Brothern and husband, Jessie, all ofBrookhaven; her brothers, Johnny B. Banks and wife, Dora, RalphBanks and wife, Lorraine, Charles Banks and wife, Shirley, DannyBanks and wife, Joyce, Hollis Banks and wife, Van, and Percy Banks,all of Brookhaven; a devoted, special niece, Marie Brown Watson andhusband, Julius; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives andfriends.

Clayton ‘Buster’ Johnson Lofton

Services for Clayton “Buster” Johnson Lofton, of McCall Creek,are 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15, at Concord Baptist Church with burialin the cemetery. Brookhaven Funeral Home is in charge ofarrangements.

Visitation is Thursday from 6 until 9 p.m. at the church.

Mr. Lofton, 50, died Aug. 11, 2008, at his residence. He wasborn on Aug. 15, 1957, to Harlan Johnson and Annell FreemanLofton.

He was a truck driver. He was a member of Ruth BaptistChurch.

Preceding him in death were his adopted father, Ford Lofton; andhis father-in-law, Claude Clark.

Survivors are his father, Harlan Johnson, of Smithdale; hismother, Annell Lofton, of McCall Creek; his wife, Patsy “Pat” ClarkLofton, of McCall Creek; his sons, Greg Smith, of Brookhaven, andGary Smith, of North Adam, Mass.; his daughters, MichelleBlackburn, of Lexington, Ky., and Glenda Johnson and husband,Edward, of Bogue Chitto; his mother-in-law, Mary M. Clark, of Ruth;his brothers, Henry Johnson, of McComb, and Edward Johnson, ofBogue Chitto; and his 10 grandchildren.

Sim Pernell Jr.

Services for Sim Pernell Jr., of Meadville, are 1 p.m. Sunday,Aug. 17, at Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Kirby withburial in the church cemetery.

Visitation is Saturday from noon until 8 p.m. with familypresent from 7 until 8 p.m. at R.E. Tyler Funeral Home.

Mr. Pernell, 83, died Aug. 11, 2008, at Franklin County MemorialHospital in Meadville. He was born in Franklin County on Sept. 20,1924, to Sim Pernell Sr. and Minnie Tankston Pernell.

He was a retired logger.

Preceding him in death were his parents; his wives, MinniePernell and Reba Linfield James Pernell; a daughter, Neva Fox; hisbrothers, Elree Pernell and Willie Pernell; his sisters, SusianaThomas, Annie Lee Thomas, Georgia Mae, Sara Lee and FlorencePernell.

Survivors are his wife, Nancy Murray Pernell, of Natchez; hissons, Rudan Pernell and Alvie Pernell, both of Meadville, and MayesPernell, of Jackson; his daughters, Jeanette Pernell, of Chicago,Sherry Stanford, of Huntsville, Ala., and Stacey Rollins, of Roxie;his sisters, Minnie Nelson and Gratie Knight, both of Natchez; his15 grandchildren; his 16 great-grandchildren; and his fourgreat-great-grandchildren.

Eva ‘Tootsie’ Williams Smith

Services for Eva “Tootsie” Williams Smith, of Roxie, are 2:30p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, at Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church inKirby with burial in Hunt Cemetery in Roxie.

Visitation is Friday from noon until 8 p.m. at R.E. TylerFuneral Home.

Mrs. Smith, 56, died Aug. 7, 2008, at Franklin County MemorialHospital in Meadville. She was born in Franklin County on July 8,1952, to L.C. Harris and Della Mae Bradford Harris.

She was a former bus driver. She was a member of Higdon BaptistChurch in Roxie.

Preceding her in death were her father and brothers, LutherHarris and Cleo Harris.

Survivors are her mother, Della Mae Bradford Harris, of Roxie;her husband, Leon Smith, of Roxie; a son, Billy Wardley, of Bude;her daughters, Sylviaette Harris, Jada Williams, of Roxie, andJanice Hillard, of Clayton, La.; her brothers, Angelo BernardHarris, of Jackson, and Alex Harris, of Fort Knox, Ky.; hersisters, Gloria Maxine Hockett and Loretta Harris, both of Roxie;and her two grandchildren.

Berry Douglas Wilson

Services for Berry Douglas Wilson, of Monticello, were 10 a.m.Wednesday, Aug. 13, at Bethel Baptist Church with burial in thechurch cemetery in Monticello. Wilson Funeral Home was in charge ofarrangements.

Mr. Wilson, 65, died Aug. 11, 2008, at Mississippi BaptistMedical Center in Jackson. He was born in Lawrence County on Nov.30, 1942, to William C. Wilson and Lucille Berry Wilson.

He was a retired truck driver. He was a member of Bethel BaptistChurch. He was also a member of the Cattle Association.

Preceding him in death were his parents; and his two brothers,Jerry Wilson and Bobby Wilson.

Survivors are his wife, Dianne G. Wilson; a daughter, Eliece KimRogers and husband, Larry, of Silver Creek; a sister, JudyYelverton, of Monticello; his three grandchildren, Matthew Rogersand wife, Jessica, Cory Rogers and wife, Ryane, all of Monticello,and Samantha Laine Rogers, of Silver Creek.