RIDGECREST, LA. &8212; Services for Mr. Houston Joseph Carlos Comeaux, 61, of Ferriday, La., who died Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2005, in Ferriday, will be held 2 p.m. today at Evangel Temple Assembly of God Church in Ridgecrest, La., with Sis. Gay Bradford and the Rev. John Cooper officiating.

Burial will be in the Greenlawn Memorial Park under the direction of Comer Funeral Home.

Wanda C. Smith

Wanda C. Smith, 55, a native of Baltimore, Md., died Saturday, October 15, 2005 in Columbia.

She was a resident of Natchez, for 30 years and a member of Pilgrim Baptist Church.

By her wishes there will be no visitation or services.

She is preceded in death by her husband, James &8220;Crow&8221; Smith and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Watkins.

She is survived by many friends.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to Cook and Galloway 1104 West Ave., Columbia, MS, 39429, for Wanda&8217;s final arrangements.

Joseph A. Bivona

JONESVILLE, LA. &8212; Services for Mr. Joseph A. Bivona, 81, of Jonesville, La., will be held 11 a.m. today at St. Gerard&8217;s Catholic Church in Jonesville with Father Louis Sklar, Bro. Ronnie Melancon and the Rev. Dewayne Knapp officiating.

Burial will follow at Heard Cemetery under the direction of Young&8217;s Funeral Home Jonesville.

Mr. Bivona was born Nov. 4, 1924, in Lima, Ohio. He passed away Monday, Nov. 7, 2005, at his residence in Jonesville. He was a retired business professional, and a member of the St. Gerard&8217;s Catholic Church in Jonesville. He served his country proudly during World War II with the U.S. Army. He also was a member of the VFW Post No. 2103.

He was preceded in death by his father, Santos Bivona; his mother, Madalina Bivona; a brother, Leo Bivona; and a sister, Marie Piediscalzo.

Survivors include his wife, Ruby Knapp Bivona of Jonesville; a daughter, Rebecca B. Ramsey of Jonesville; a grandson, Richard A. Ramsey Jr. of Ball, La.; a granddaughter, Rachel R. Beard and husband Jesse of Jonesville; a great grandson, Tyler William Beard; and a sister, Anne Ford of Metairie, La.

The pallbearers will be Randy White, George White Jr., Ty White, Kannan White, Reggie Melancon and Earl Melancon.

Honorary pallbearers are Richard A. Ramsey Jr., Jesse Beard, Michael Ford, Steve Melancon and Craig Melancon.

Reverend Curtis B. Cox

MONROE, La. &8212; Services for the Rev. Curtis B. Cox, 89, of Monroe, La., who died Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2005, at Natchez Community Hospital, will be held Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m. at Nazarene Church in Monroe, La., and 2 p.m. Friday at Rush Funeral Home in Pineville, La., with the Rev. Ben Payton, Dr. Gene Phillips, the Rev. Marvin Denton, the Rev. Fred Summers and the Rev. Andrew Hitchcock officiating.

Burial will be in the Restland Memorial Cemetery in Monroe, La., under the direction of Rush Funeral Home.

Visitation will be Friday from 11 a.m. until service time at the funeral home.

Rev. Cox was born Jan. 12, 1916, in Spanishburg, W. Va., son of the late Nathan and Minerva Cox.

He was a minister for 67 years, he accepted Christ as his personal Savior on Feb. 27, 1935, and was baptized by the late Rev. Lawrence Steel. He did missionary work in South Africa.

He was a member of the Nazarene Church Ministerial Alliance and a member of the Nazarene Church Superintendents Advisory Board.

He life passion was to travel and spread the word of God, he held many revivals all over the United States.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Beatrice Goble Cox; and one granddaughter, Shannon Layne Cox.

Survivors include two sons, Ronnie Cox and wife Sheri and Darrell D. Cox and wife Diedre Marie; eight grandchildren, Joe Cox of Natchez, Melanie George of Pineville, La., Tammy Gagnard of Pineville, La., Jason Cox of Natchez, Steven Cox of Alexandria, La., Ronald Gene Cox Jr. of Tulsa, Okla., Krista Marie Cox of Natchez and Landon Cox of Natchez. He is also survived by 12 great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild.

Pallbearers will be Steven Cox, Jason Cox, Joe Cox, Ron Cox, Jerrod Gagnard and Chase Jeansonne.

Stella Mae Washington

ROXIE &8212; Services for Mrs. Stella Mae Washington, 98, of Natchez, who died Friday, Nov. 4, 2005, Adams County Nursing Center, will be held 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Matthews Baptist Church on Highway 33 in Roxie.

Burial will be in the church cemetery under the direction of Marshall Funeral Home.

Visitation will be Friday from 12 to 5 p.m. at Marshal Funeral Home Chapel and on Saturday from 10 a.m. until service time at the church.

Mrs. Washington was born Jan. 28, 1907, in Knoxville, Tenn., the daughter of Archie and Henretta Malone Burkley. She was on the Mother Board of St. Mark Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by two husbands, Will Walter and Robert Washington; two sons, James and Frank Walters; and three sisters, Almedia Alexander, Sadie Mae Sanders and Ida Mae Byrd.

Survivors include five grandchildren, Maxine Seals of Natchez, Rosalind Suzette King, Patricia Williams, Frank L. and Steven Walter all of New Orleans, La.; one daughter-in-law, Luvenia Walter of Ferriday, La.; four nieces, Christine Thomas of Roxie, Estelle Coulston and Annie Alexander both of Natchez and Guynell Vincent of Vallejo, Calif.; 11 great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Gail Ford Weathersby

HOUMA, La. &8212; Services for Mrs. Gail Ford Weathersby, 53, of Schriever, La., who died Monday, Nov. 7, 2005, will be held 8 p.m. today at Chauvin Funeral Home Chapel in Houma, La.

Burial will be 2 p.m. Friday at Greenlawn Memorial Park under the direction of Chauvin Funeral Home, Inc.

Visitation will be today from 3 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.

Mrs. Weathersby was a graduate of Nicholls State University in 1992. She was a registered nurse at Chabert Medical Center and past employee of Thibodaux Regional Medical Center.

She was an avid gardner, enjoyed reading, painting, spending time with family especially her grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her father, Morris Ford; and a brother, Roger W. Ford.

Survivors include her husband of 29 years, John R. Weathersby of Schriever, La.; her mother and step-father, Eula Lee Buckles Ford Allen and L.C. Allen of Natchez; a son, Richard C. Thompson of Schriever, La.; her daughters, Bridgett Thompson Denson and husband, Rickey of Bayou Blue, La., and Alison N. Weathersby of Houma, La.; two brothers, Walter Ford of Natchez and David Ford of Denham Springs, La.; three step-brothers, Larry Allen of Natchez, Steve Allen of Ennis, Texas and Chris D. Allen of Vidalia, La.; and her grandchildren, Katelyn Denson and Dylan Denson of Bayou Blue, La.

Arlene Melton

TUPELO &8212; Services for Arlene Melton, 90, who died Monday, Nov. 7, 2005, at North Mississippi Medical Center after a brief illness, will be held 11 a.m. Friday at Calvary Baptist Church in Tupelo with Dr. Bryant Barnes and Dr. John Armistead officiating.

Burial will be in the Lee Memorial Park under the direction of Lee Memorial Funeral Home in Verona.

Mrs. Melton taught kindergarten for 10 years in Natchez and Head Start in Tupelo for many years. She was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church where she was the church secretary for many years and volunteered for many organizations including meals on wheels and the hospital. She enjoyed playing the piano for Traceway Retirement Center where she had been a resident for the past 14 years.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Terrell Melton; two sons, David Alan Melton and Jobie Terrell Melton Jr.; and five sisters.

Survivors include her daughter, Janice Hall and Jack of Lilburn, Ga.; a daughter-in-law, Becke Melton of Jackson; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to the Calvary Baptist Church of Tupelo or the Greenhouses at Traceway.

Mayoda C. Parker

NATCHEZ &8212; Services for Mrs. Mayoda C. Parker, 72, of Natchez, who died Tuesday, November 8, 2005, at Natchez Regional Medical Center will be held today at 2 p.m. from Laird Funeral Home Union Street Chapel with Rev. Frank Davis officiating.

Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.

Visitation will be today from 1 p.m. until service time at the funeral home.

Mrs. Parker was born January 3, 1933, in Newellton, La., the daughter of Gilbert L. and Mary Jane Winford Craft.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ernest B. Parker.

Survivors include a son, Bobby Earl Parker and wife Katie of Tallulah, La.; his daughters, Mary Catherine Rawles and husband Milton of Lake St. John, La., Mary Hart Whittington of Natchez, Sharon Parker Browning and husband Layne of Natchez; grandchildren, Lee Parker of Clinton, Brett Parker of Dallas, Texas, Blair Parker of Tallulah, La., Christy Farmer of Lafayette, La., Tye Murray of Vidalia, La., Kim Fair of Alvarado, Texas, Les Browning of Madison, and Andrea Browning of Natchez; great-grandchildren, Ryan Farmer of Lafayette, La., Jacob Parker of Columbus, Parker Murray of Vidalia, La., and Wyatt Fair of Alvarado, Texas; and a sister, Catherine Mitchell of Ethel.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Lee Parker, Brett Parker, Les Browning, Blair Parker, sons-in-law, Milton Rawles and Layne Browning.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Schwager, Dr. Dulan, Dr. Daly, and the Emergency Room staff of Natchez Regional Medical Center.

Shirley J. Bryant

JONESVILLE, LA. &8212; Memorial services for Mrs. Shirley J. Bryant, 70, of Jonesville, La., who died Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2005, in Alexandria, La., will be held 2 p.m. Friday at Grace Baptist Church in Jonesville, La.

Complete arrangements will be announced later by Young&8217;s Funeral Home.