Thursday, February 01, 2001

The Natchez Democrat

Obituaries published in the Friday, Feb. 2, 2001, edition

of The Natchez Democrat

Services today

Monell Freeman Smith, 11 a.m., Brookhaven Funeral Home Chapel.

Archie Ray Jones, 11 a.m., Zion Chapel A.M.E. Church.

Marzell Melton, 2 p.m., Young’s Funeral Home Chapel, Ferriday.

Gladys M. Smith, 11 a.m., New Hope Baptist Church, Franklin

County.

Keana Hope Fitzgerald, 2 p.m., Bethlehem Baptist Church, Cannonsburg.

&160;

Minnie Mae Heald

Nov. 16, 1918 – Jan. 29, 2001

Services for Minnie Mae Heald, 82, of Natchez, formerly of

Lubbock, Texas and Burnet, Texas, who died Monday, Jan. 29, 2001,

at Natchez Community Hospital, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Laird

Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Wayne Spencer officiating.

Burial will be in the Greenlawn Memorial Park under the direction

of Laird Funeral Home.

Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. today and from 1 p.m. until

service time Saturday at the funeral home.

Mrs. Heald was born Nov. 16, 1918, in Whitney, Texas, the daughter

of Henry Hart and Effie Jane Degraffenried Williams.

She retired from Sears Roebuck and Company after 24 years of

service.

Mrs. Heald was preceded in death by her parents and her husband,

Clarence Heald.

Survivors include one daughter and her husband, Jan Bertrand

and Wayne of Natchez; one son and his wife, Gary Heald and Mary

of Tallahassee, Fla.; three grandchildren, Cynthia Hall, Roseanne

Pahnka and Stephanie Mayfield; two grandsons, Kristofor Heald

and Matthew Heald; five great-grandchildren; one sister, Ruth

Roberts of Gordon, Texas; three nieces, two nephews and a number

of great-nieces and great-nephews; and two sitters, Daizy Crockett

and Pat Thomas.

Pallbearers will be Joe Conrad, Ben Udemgba, Gary Dunnaway,

Ed Pahnka, Lawrence Portal and James Mayfield.

&160;

Randolph B. Hamlin, Sr.

PORT GIBSON – Services for Randolph B. Hamlin, Sr., 86, who

died Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2001, at the V.A. Medical Center in Jackson,

will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Greater St. Mark Missionary Baptist

Church with the Rev. Leon Howard officiating.

Burial will be in the church cemetery under the direction of

Thompson Funeral Home.

Visitation is from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home

and from 1 p.m. until service time Sunday at the church.

He was a member of Greater St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church

and a Veteran of World War II.

Mr. Hamlin was preceded in death by his parents, Jasper Hamlin

and Beulah Hamlin-Marshall; two daughters, Yvonne Hamlin and Carloyn

Hamlin-Hicks; and two sisters, Elnora Rogers and Hannah Davis.

Survivors include his wife, Ellen Hamlin of Port Gibson; five

sons, Randolph Hamlin Jr. of Little Rock, Ark., David Hamlin off

Fayette, Glen Hamlin and Arkee Hamilin of Port Gibson and Vernon

Hamlin of Chicago; five daughters, Gloria Odom of Chicago, Stella

Greenwood and Ora Lucille Dotson of Port Gibson, Elaine Ware of

Dallas, Texas, and Hazel Barnes-Tellis of Kalamazoo, Mich.; a

sister, Pecola Kelly of Port Gibson; 29 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren;

10 nieces; six nephews; and a number of great-nieces, great-nephews,

other relatives and friends.

&160;

Lucille Galloway House

Funeral arrangements for Lucille Galloway House, age not available,

of Ferriday, La., who died Thursday, Feb. 1, 2001, are incomplete

at Young’s Funeral Home.

&160;

Gladys M. Smith

June 13, 1925 – Jan. 31, 2001

MEADVILLE – Services for Gladys M. Smith, 75, of Meadville,

who died Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2001, at Natchez Regional Medical

Hospital, will be at 11 a.m. today at New Hope Baptist Church

with the Revs. Millard Moak and Mike Morris officiating.

Burial will be in the church cemetery under the direction of

Franklin Funeral Home.

Visitation is from 8 to 9:15 a.m. today at the funeral home

and from 10 a.m. until service time today at the church.

Mrs. Smith was born June 13, 1925, in Franklin County, the

daughter of Ernest Ratcliff and Lottie Foster Ratcliff.

She was a homemaker and a member of New Hope Baptist Church.

Mrs. Smith was preceded in death by her parents; her husband,

Calvin Smith Sr.; two brothers, one sister and one grandson.

Survivors include two sons, Wesley Ratcliff and Calvin Smith

Jr. of Meadville; three daughters, Vicky Laird, Shirley Arnold

and Paulette Mullins, all of Meadville; two brothers, J.C. Ratcliff

of Moselle and Benford Ratcliff of Brookhaven; one sister, Mary

Bankston of Columbia; nine grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Edward Foster, Danny Dillon, Birch Bankston,

John Roger Priest, Lonnie Ray Priest and Ronnie Priest.

Honorary pallbearers will be Melvin McMillan, W.K. Ezell, D.C.

Griffin and M.L. Bankston. &160;

&160;

Leslie Benson

June 10, 1934 – Jan. 28, 2001

Services for Leslie Benson, 66, of Natchez, who died Sunday,

Jan. 28, 2001, at St. Dominic Medical Center in Jackson, will

be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Laird Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev.

Thomas Wayne Spencer officiating.

Burial will be in the Natchez City Cemetery under the direction

of Laird Funeral Home.

Visitation is from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Mrs. Benson was born June 10, 1934, in Franklin County, the

daughter of Henry and Essie Lee Harrigill Zimmerman.

She was a member of the Pfaff Sewing Club.

Survivors include her husband, Warren G. Benson of Natchez;

one daughter, Rose Marie Craig of Tampa, Fla.; two grandchildren,

Justin Craig and Erin Craig; two sisters, Claudia Zimmerman Ford

of Jonesville, La., and Mildred Zimmerman Benson of Ferriday,

La.

&160;

Robert Lewis

\Oct. 11, 1914 – Jan. 29, 2001

Services for Robert Lewis, 86, of Natchez, who died Monday,

Jan. 29, 2001, at Professional Rehab. Medical Center, will be

at 11 a.m. Saturday at Zion Chapel A.M.E. Church with the Rev.

Bland Washington officiating.

Burial will be in the Pine Hill Memorial Park under the direction

of George F. West Funeral Home.

Visitation is from 4 to 9 p.m. with Masonic service from 6:30

to 7 p.m.and Kappa Service from 7 to 7:30 p.m. today at the funeral

home and from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the church.

Mr. Lewis was born Oct. 11, 1914, in Natchez, the son of Robert

and Lena Jones Lewis.

He was educated at Brumfield High, Campbell College, Alcorn

University and Ohio State University.

He was a principal for North Natchez Adams High School and

retired in 1979. He was a member of Zion Chapel A.M.E. Church,

Trustee Board, Sunday School Teacher, choir member, life time

member of NEA and Kappa Alpha Psi, Hiram Revel F & AM Prince

Hall Affiliation No. 3 Lodge.

Survivors include his wife, Theresa Davis Lewis; one daughter,

ReFaye K. Lewis of Lancaster, Texas; and a number of other relatives

and friends.

Pallbearers will be members of Natchez Alumni Chapter of Kappa

Alpha Psi.

The family request memorials be made to SW Retired Teacher

Association c/o Mr. Freddie Johnson.

&160;

Keana Hope Fitzgerald

Jan. 26, 2001 – Jan. 29, 2001

CANNONSBURG – Graveside services for infant Keana Hope Fitzgerald

of Natchez, who died Monday, Jan. 29, 2001, at the University

Hospital in Jackson, will be at Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery

with the Rev. Percy Turner officiating.

Burial will follow under the direction of George F. West Funeral

Home.

Keana was born Jan. 26, 2001, the daughter of Christine Fuller

and Elton Fitzgerald.

Survivors include her parents, Christine Fuller and Elton Fitzgerald;

one sister and three brothers of Chicago; grandparents, Gertrude

Fitzgerald of Natchez, Elton Berry of Redlick and Katherine and

Clarence Smith of Chicago; and a number of uncles, aunts, other

relatives and friends.

&160;

Eli Fry

Funeral arrangements for Eli Fry, 48, of Fayette, who died

Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2001, at Natchez Regional Medical Center,

are incomplete at Spencer Funeral Home.

&160;

Carrie Mae Crossgo

Jan. 16, 1941 – Jan. 26, 2001

Services for Carrie Mae Crossgo, 60, of Natchez, who died Friday,

Jan. 26, 2001, at Natchez Community Hospital, will be at 1 p.m.

Saturday at St. Andrew A.M.E. Church with the Rev. Roosevelt Sewell

officiating.

Burial will be in the Pine Hill Memorial Park under the direction

of Webb Funeral Home.

The procession will leave at 12:30 p.m. Saturday from Webb

Funeral Home.

Visitation is from 7 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Crossgo was born Jan. 16, 1941, in Adams County, the daughter

of James E. and Ginger A. Crossgo.

She was educated at St. Frances High School and was retired

from Thompson Head Start Center. She was a member and Sunday School

Teacher at St. Andrew A.M.E. Church.

Survivors include two daughters, Vickie and her husband, Adrain

Jones and Elisha A. Crossgo of Natchez; two sons, Ponce and his

wife, Violette Crossgo and Charles Crossgo of Natchez; one sister,

Shirley A. Crossgo of Chicago, Ill.; three brothers, Nolan and

Brunette Bridgwater of Natchez and William Bradshaw of Chicago;

eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and a number of

nieces, nephews and cousins.

Pallbearers will be Terry Bernard, Kevin Barnes, Donald Davis,

Roderick Bernard, Daryl Jones, Danny Minor, Joe D. Wallace and

Norman Bernard.

&160;

Ernest Thomas

Aug. 6, 1933 – Jan. 29, 2001

FERRIDAY, La. – Services for Ernest Thomas, 67, of Ferriday,

who died Monday, Jan. 29, 2001, at his residence, will be at noon

Saturday at Greater St. Reed Baptist Church with the Rev. Justin

Conner officiating.

Burial will be in the Ferriday Cemetery under the direction

of Concordia Funeral Home.

Visitation is from 7 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Mr. Thomas was born Aug. 6, 1933, in Ferriday, the son of Sam

and Laura Brown.

He was employed by 84 Quick-Stop Store in Ferriday. He served

in the U.S. Army in the Korean War and was a member of Greater

St. Reed Baptist Church.

Mr. Thomas was preceded in death by his parents; one sister,

Mary Thomas; and one brother, A.C. Thomas.

Survivors include one son, David Johnson of Ferriday; nine

brothers, Sam Thomas Jr. of Ferriday, Isaac Thomas and L. Lee

Thomas of Lake Charles, La., Gip Thomas of Orange, Texas, Willie

Thomas and Richard Thomas of Baton Rouge, La., Joe L. Thomas of

Dallas, Texas, Johnny Thomas of Monroe, La. and J.D. Thomas of

London, England; three sisters, Sarah Thomas of Ferriday, Georgia

Thomas of Baton Rouge and Mildred Thomas of Monroe; five grandchildren;

and three aunts, Della Williams of Tallulah, La., Mary Bracken

and Dorothy Bracken of Ferriday.

&160;

Carrie Ann Price

Funeral arrangements for Carrie Ann Price of Leesville, La.,

who died Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2001, in Leesville, are incomplete

at Davis Mortuary of Leesville.

She was a homemaker.