NATCHEZ — Vernona Black Sanders Buie, 70, of Slidell, La., formerly of Natchez, died Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012, at Ochsner Medical Center in Slidell following an extended illness.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday at Laird Funeral Home

A private burial will follow at the Natchez City Cemetery.

Vernona had lived all her life in Natchez. She was a 1960 graduate of Natchez High School where she was sergeant major of the Rebelettes Drill Team, a member of the tennis team and was also voted Most Beautiful.

After graduation, she worked Armstrong Tire and Rubber Company, State Farm Insurance and the Adams County Tax Collector’s Office. She was elected Adams County Tax Collector in 1987 and retired in 2007 after almost 20 years of service.

Her greatest joy was to spend time with family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest Templeton Black and Nellie Wisner Black.

Survivors include her husband, Robert E. Buie of Gautier; two sons, David Sanders and wife, Jeanne, of Vicksburg and Jeff Sanders and wife, Joanne, of Slidell; one brother, Elwood Black and wife, Carol, of Natchez; one niece, Lauren Black of Hattiesburg; four grandchildren, Sarah Sanders and AJ Sanders of Slidell and Chris Sanders and Rob Sanders of Vicksburg; a dear cousin, Joyce Tucker and husband, Charles, of Sylacauga, Ala.; and other relatives.

Memorials may be made to the American Lung Association at www.lung.org/donate in her memory.

Online condolences may be sent to www.lairdfh.com.