Obituarie published in the Friday, Jan. 14, 2000, edition of The Natchez Democrat

Thelma E. Nicol Nov. 30, 1910 — Jan. 8, 2000 COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Services for Thelma E. Nicol, 89, of Natchez, formerly of Lady Lake, Fla., who died Saturday, Jan. 8, 2000, at Natchez Regional Medical Center, were held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church with the Rev. Michael Walther officiating. Burial was at Holy Cross Lutheran Cemetery in Collinsville under the direction of Herr Funeral Home. Mrs. Nicol was born Nov. 30, 1910 in Collinsville, Ill., the daughter of Ben and Elizabeth Barth Drenkhahn. She was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Mrs. Nicol was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Howard Nicol; and three brothers. Survivors include one son, Jim Nicol of Lady Lake; one daughter, Carol Guzy of Natchez; eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. The family request memorials be made to the Good Shepherd Pantry Fund, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Collinsville, Ill.

Flossie Proby Oct. 29, 1908 — Jan. 8, 2000 Services for Flossie &uot;Miss Zean&uot; Proby, 91, of Natchez, who died Saturday, Jan. 8, 2000, at Natchez Community Hospital, will be at noon Saturday at St. Mary Baptist Church with Pastor Joseph Gibson officiating. Burial will be at Winston Cemetery under the direction of George F. West Funeral Home. Visitation is from 5 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home and from 11 a.m. until service time Saturday at the church. Mrs. Proby was born Oct. 29, 1908, in Adams County, to Bessie Staford. She was a member and mother of St. Mary Baptist Church. Survivors include two cousins, J.B. Sims of New Orleans, and Nanzle King of Ferriday, La.; cousin-in-law, Jesteen McIntyre of Natchez; god-son, Eugene Brown of Natchez; a goddaughter, Helen R. Blake of Natchez; friend Ella Minor and family; and St. Mary Baptist Church family. Pallbearers will be friends of the family, Samuel Minor and James Minor.

Lemmie Hayes July 10, 1928 — Jan. 11, 2000 KINGSTON — Services for Lemmie Hayes, 71, of Natchez, who died Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2000, at Natchez Community Hospital, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Jerusalem Baptist Church with the Rev. Raymond Riley officiating. Burial will be at Jerusalem Baptist Church Cemetery under the direction of George F. West Funeral Home. Visitation is from 3 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home and from noon until service time Saturday at the church. Mr. Hayes was born July 10, 1928, in Adams County, the son of Rev. Farrell Hayes and Janie Palmer Hayes. He was a retired foreman from International Paper Co. He was a member, Sunday school supertendent and deacon of Jerusalem Baptist Church No. 2 and a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve. Survivors include his wife, Ellen Green Hayes; one daughter, Forestine Hayes; an adopted daughter, Katie Nelson Lewis of New Orleans; a sister, Mildred and husband James Mathews of Carson, Calif.; four sisters-in-law, Helen Hayes of Natchez, Florence Hayes of Monroe, La., Mattie Johnson of New Orleans and Josephine Hayes of Pensacola, Fla.; four brothers-in-law, Berlin Geter of Compton, Calif., Clarence Green and George Green of Romulus, Mich., and Thomas and wife Flora Green of Natchez; friends and relatives, Clarence Hayes Jr., Thomas Green, Isiah Harris, Bennie Jones Sr., Dorothy Sanders, James and Shirley Mathews; and a number of other relatives and friends. Pallbearers will be Clarence Hayes Jr., Jeremy Hayes, Adolph Hayes Jr., James Mathews II, Alfred Hunter and Clarence Harris.

Kenneth Smallwood March 15, 1949 — Jan. 12, 2000 MONTEREY, La. — Memorial services for Kenneth &uot;Ken&uot; Smallwood, 50, of Meadville, who died Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2000, at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Meadville, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Black River Lake under the direction of Franklin Funeral Home. Mr. Smallwood was born March 15, 1949, in Franklin County, the son of James A. Smallwood and Desma Mason Smallwood. He had been employed as a millwright for Dynasteel and was a member of Meadville Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wife, Franciene Smallwood of Meadville; a daughter, Amanda Smallwood of Haughton; two brothers, Carroll Smallwood of Slidell and Billy Smallwood of Meadville; and two sisters, Zodie Watson of Slidell and Pat Freeman of Pascagoula.

Merle Simpson Griffin April 19, 1914 — Jan. 11, 2000 FERRIDAY, La. — Services for Merle Simpson Griffin, 85, of Ferriday, who died Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2000, in Baton Rouge, will be at 2 p.m. today at Young’s Funeral Home with the Rev. Roger Johnson officiating. Burial will be at Natchez City Cemetery under the direction of Young’s Funeral Home. Mrs. Simpson was born April 19, 1914, in Larange, the daughter of John and Rubye Simpson Griffin. She was a homemaker and a graduate of Ferriday High School. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Ferriday. Mrs. Simpson was preceded in death by her husband, Jesse O. Griffin Sr., and her parents. Survivors include two sons, Jesse Griffin Jr. of Baton Rouge and Bobby Prudhomme of Dade City, Fla.; two daughters, Betty Burley Martin of Natchez and JoAnn Enright of Lake Charles; 10 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will be John Griffin, Charles Martin Jr., Daniel Listelle, Ben Green III, Mike Rabb and Pat Galloway.

Issac L. Vanderson March 15, 1933 — Jan. 9, 2000 ROXIE — Services for Issac L. Vanderson, 66, of Roxie, who died Sunday, Jan. 9, 2000, in Franklin County, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church in Roxie with the Rev. Carl Johnson officiating. Burial will be at Roxie Cemetery under the directions of Rollins Funeral Home, Inc. Visitation is from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the funeral home. Mr. Vanderson was born March 15, 1933, in Franklin County, the son of Ben Vanderson and Myrtis Holmes Vanderson. He was self-employed and was a member of Roxie First Baptist Church. Mr. Vanderson was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Ned Vanderson, W.C. Vanderson and Ben Vanderson Jr.; four sisters, Delia Taylor, Georgia McDaniel, Alice Mae Graham and Clara Lee Vanderson; one sister-in-law, Lula D. Vanderson. Survivors include five sons; four brothers, James L. Vanderson, David Vanderson, Henry Vanderson and Fred Vanderson, all of New Orleans, La.; one sister-in-law, Georgia Vanderson of Roxie; family matriarch, Carrie Jenkins of Roxie; and a friend, Maggie Buckles of Roxie. Pallbearers will be friends of the family.

Robert Dixon Sept. 7, 1900 — Jan. 9, 2000 CHURCH HILL — Services for Robert Dixon, 99, of Natchez, who died Sunday, Jan. 9, 2000, at Natchez Community Hospital, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Richland Baptist Church with the Rev. John Frye officiating. Burial will be at Richland Baptist Church Cemetery under the direction of R.D. Mackel and Sons. Visitation is from noon to 5 p.m. today at the funeral home and from noon until service time Saturday at the church. Mr. Dixon was born Sept. 7, 1900, in Adams County, the son of Matt Dixon and Laura Hamlin. He was a retired overseerer of Oakridge Plantation for the Sim Callon family and his religious affiliation was Baptist. Mr. Dixon was preceded in death by his wife, Lizzie Dixon, and a son, Elmer H. Dixon. Survivors include one daughter and her husband, Ruby and Johnny Griffin; six grandchildren and their spouses, Elmer and Daisy Dixon, Walter Griffin, Betty Logan, Dorothy and Kenny Jenkins, Ruby and Cedric Scott, all of Natchez, and Edward Dixon of Chicago; one brother, Emmett and wife Phyliss of Collier, Calif.; 23 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and a number of other relatives and friends. Pallbearers will be Seawood Dixon, Zachary Logan, Robert Irving III, Cedric Scott, Kenneth Jenkins Sr. and Tom Scott Jr.

Anne Ruth Clark Dottery NEW ORLEANS — Funeral arrangements for Annie Ruth Clark Dottery, who died Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2000, in New Orleans, are incomplete in New Orleans. Mrs. Dottery was the daughter of Mandy Wallace of Natchez.

Walter Brown July 6, 1909 — Jan. 6, 2000 Services for Walter &uot;Pete&uot; Brown, 90, of Los Angeles, Calif., who died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2000, in a California hospital, will be at 11 a.m. today at Williams and Williams Funeral Home with the Rev. Robert J. Greene officiating. Burial will be at Natchez National Cemetery under the direction of Williams and Williams Funeral Home. Visitation is from 10 a.m. until service time Friday at the funeral home. Mr. Brown was born July 6, 1909, in Dear Park, La., the son of Peter and Josephine Brown. His was employed as a heavy equipment operator in the construction field. He served during World War II in the U.S. Navy. Survivors include his wife, Thelma D. Brown of Vidalia, La.; two sisters, Henrietta James of Natchez and Cleopatra Robinson of Galena Park, Texas; one sister-in-law, Neveda D. Baker of Vidalia; a niece, Terrance Braxton of Los Angeles; and a number of other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Pallbearers will be Fredric Lloyd Jr., Fredric Lloyd III, Carl Baker, Kenneth Lloyd, Deacon S. Polk Sr., Deacon William Bailey, Deacon Frank Williams and Curtis Randal.

Willie Lee Glasper Sr. Aug. 4, 1931 — Jan. 10, 2000 WILDSVILLE, La. — Services for Willie Lee Glasper Sr., 68, of Ferriday, who died Monday, Jan. 10, 2000, at his residence, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Old Daughter Baptist Church in Wildsville with the Rev. Shep Bethley officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery under the direction of Concordia Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 7 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Mr. Glasper was born Aug. 4, 1931, in Ferriday, the son of Eddie Glasper and Gertrude Barnes. He was a farmer and a member of Rising Sun Baptist Church in Ferriday. Survivors include his wife, Estella Townsend Glasper of Wildsville; three sons, Edward Glasper of Ferriday, Raymond Glasper of New Orleans and Willie Glasper Jr. of Wildsville; a stepson, Eddie Meredith of Phoenix; four daughters, Gloria Harbor and Sandra Glasper, both of Wildsville, Bennie Jackson of Ferriday and Patricia Washington of Jonesville; four stepdaguthers, Mary A. White of New York City, Carolyn Spurs, Jennifer Meredith and Sandra Cauley, all of Ferriday; a brother, Andrew Glasper of Natchez; a sister, Apostle Shirley Britton of Winnfield; a friend, Ruth Meredith of Ferriday; 40 grandchildren; 44 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and a number of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.