Obituaries for Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Published 6:00 am Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Joseph Pleasant Nix

Services for Joseph Pleasant Nix, of Clinton, were 1 p.m.Thursday, Feb. 12, at Midway Baptist Church in Jackson with burialin Lakewood Memorial Park. Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home inClinton was in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Nix, 72, died Feb. 8, 2009. He was born in Calhoun County onSept. 25, 1936, to Joseph and Gladys Nix.

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He grew up in Brookhaven. He attended Copiah-Lincoln CommunityCollege and subsequently served with the U.S. Marines for fouryears. He retired from the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol with31 years of service. Mr. Nix was employed by the Capitol Police forthe past 12 years. He was an active and devoted member and deaconof Midway Baptist Church for more than 35 years.

Preceding him in death were his parents; and his brothers,Udell, Daniel and Gwin “Jim” Nix.

Survivors are his wife, Donnie Faye Abrams Nix; a son, Jody Nixand wife, Jennifer, of Fort Worth, Texas; his two daughters, EmilyNix, of Memphis, Tenn., and Tria Cohen and husband, Ben, ofClinton; a sister, Loretta Smith and husband, Roger, of Brookhaven;and his three grandchildren, Ryan, Delaney and Cameron Nix.

Idell Smith

Services for Idell Smith, of Brookhaven, are 11 a.m. Thursday,Feb. 19, at Avery Chapel AME Church in Brookhaven with burial inCarver Heights Cemetery in Brookhaven.

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

Mrs. Smith, 91, died Feb. 12, 2009, at Haven Hall Health CareCenter. She was born in Brookhaven on Sept. 9, 1917, to WillieSmith and Mamie Proctor Smith.

She was graduate of Alexander High School and Alcorn StateUniversity. Mrs. Smith was a retired teacher. She was a member ofAvery Chapel AME Church.

Preceding her in death were her parents.

Survivors are a son, Roosevelt Smith and wife, Jean, of Dover,Del.; a sister, Doris Smith, of Detroit, Mich.; her threegrandchildren; her five great-grandchildren; her five nieces andnephews; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Mary Kathryn Furr Arnold Walker

Services for Mary Kathryn Furr Arnold Walker, of Ocean Springs,are 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, at Riverwood Family Funeral ServiceChapel with burial in Macedonia Baptist Church Cemetery inBrookhaven.

Visitation is Wednesday from 10 a.m. until noon at the funeralhome.

Mrs. Walker, 72, died Feb. 14, 2009, in Ocean Springs. She wasborn on June 2, 1936, to Robert Wayne Furr and Ruby Selma MillerFurr.

She was a homemaker. She was a member of McClellan Road BaptistChurch in Ocean Springs. She was also a member of the Order of theEastern Star. Most knew Mrs. Walker as “Gi-Gi,” which she becameknown as when she had grandchildren. She had a passion forchildren. Her husband, Paul, was in the U.S. Air Force for 20 yearsand wherever they lived she taught Sunday school and worked inVacation Bible School. She was a woman of high character andintegrity. She truly had a servant’s heart and would voluntarilyhelp anyone in need. She often worked “in the background” as shecalled it, without recognition and she preferred in that way. Shewill be dearly missed by all who knew her; especially herfamily.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband of 46years, U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Paul Walker; her sister, Etta FayeFurr Norton and husband, Paul; a great uncle and aunt, Andrew andLizzie Miller, who reared both her and her sister.

Survivors are her daughters, Debra Ann Arnold Walker; and RamonaFay Walker Lynd Carroll and her husband, Leon, all of OceanSprings; her three grandchildren, Libby Danielle Walker Sandoz andhusband, Stephen, Kathryn Lynette Lynd Hardin and husband, Brad,Michelle Renee Lynd Smith and husband, Mark; and a great-grandson,Paul Weslie Smith.