Obituaries printed in the Saturday, June 3, 2006 edition of The Natchez Democrat

Services Today

Irene Johnson

11 a.m. Cypress Grove Baptist Church, Waterproof, La.

Frank Dent Sr.

2 p.m. Grove African Methodist Episcopal Church

Jessie York Reed

11 a.m. Pilgrim Baptist Church

Arthur Mars

2 p.m. St. Luke Baptist Church

Alton Robert Nunnery

10 a.m. Laird Funeral Home

Isaac “Ike” Clark Jr.

11 a.m. New St. Mark Baptist Church, Waterproof, La.

Roger Council

2 p.m. Spencer Funeral Home Chapel

Zelious McKinney

FERRIDAY-Services for Zelious McKinney, 66, of Ferriday, who died Friday, June 2, 2006, at Riverland Medical Center in Ferriday, are incomplete at Concordia Funeral Home and will be announced at a later date.

Alice Kaiser Smith

NATCHEZ- Memorial services for Alice Kaiser Smith, 103, will be at 3 p.m. today at Jefferson Street United Methodist Church in Natchez, with The Rev. James Earl Herndon and The Rev. Faye Junkin Hudnall officiating.

Interment will follow the services at Natchez City Cemetery under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.

Visitation will take place at the church’s Family Life Center, 511 Jefferson St., from 1:30 p.m. until service time today.

Mrs. Smith was born Dec. 23, 1902, in Natchez, the daughter of William Joseph Kaiser and Clara Rawes Kaiser. She was a graduate of the Natchez Institute and attended what is now Mississippi University for Women, Columbus.

After marrying Frank Levon Smith of Natchez, she was a homemaker. She was an active member of Jefferson Street Methodist Church, where she was president of the United Methodist Women and taught Sunday School for many years.

She was a member of the Pilgrimage Garden Club and enjoyed reading, traveling, bridge and gardening.

Mrs. Smith was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Levon Smith; a son, Frank Levon Smith Jr.; a son-in-law, John Evan Wimberly; two sisters, Clara Belle Kaiser Junkin and Maude Kaiser and five brothers, Leslie Kaiser, Harold Kaiser, Marion Kaiser, Albert Kaiser and Frank Kaiser.

Survivors include a son, William Marion Smith, and his wife, Carolyn Vance Smith of Natchez; a daughter, Clara Smith Wimberly of Pensacola, Fla.; a daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Sandel Smith of Natchez; grandchildren, Linda Smith Bailey and husband Thomas, William Key Smith and wife, Augusta, Frank Levon “Hank” Smith III and wife Jackie, Pamela and husband Richard Harriss III; Robert Louis Smith and wife, Jennifer all of Natchez, Elizabeth Smith Sauve and husband Thomas of Alexandria, La., Emily Smith Henderson and husband Carlisle of Brookhaven, William Marion Smith Jr. of New Orleans, John Evan Wimberly Jr. and wife Mecy of Pensacola, Fla., Laura Alice Wimberly Bell of Pensacola, Fla., David Lawrence Wimberly and wife Lanae of Atlanta, Ga.; 24 great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren and a number of nieces, nephews and other relatives.

Honorary pallbearers will be Thomas Bailey, William Key Smith, Frank Levon “Hank” Smith III, Richard Harriss III, Robert Louis Smith, Thomas Sauve, Carlisle Henderson, William Marion Smith Jr., John Evan Wimberly Jr. and David Lawrence Wimberly.

Contributions in memory of Mrs. Smith may be made to Jefferson Street United Methodist Church or to the donor’s charity of choice.

Curtis Musgrove

NATCHEZ-Services for Curtis Musgrove, 81, of Natchez, who died Sunday, May 28, 2006, at Natchez Community Hospital, will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Webb Funeral Home Chapel.

Burial will follow in Pine Hill Cemetery under the direction of Webb Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

Savanah M. Belgard

NATCHEZ-Services for Savannah M. Belgard, 19, of Natchez, who died Tuesday, May 31, 2006, in Warren County, will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Laird Funeral Home Union Street Chapel.

Burial will follow at Calhoun Cemetery in Wildsville, La., under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home and from noon Sunday until service time at funeral home.

Orin B. Gavette

Jan 3, 1920-May 31, 2006

Orin B. Gavette was born in Glendale Arizona on January 3, 1920. His family moved to the San Francisco area when he was about 7 years old. He bought an old broken down model A Ford for $5 and rebuilt it from scratch when he was 16 years old. He graduated from San Bruno High School to become a machinist He enlisted in the Army was sent to Mississippi in 1943 as a trainee at Camp Van Dorn around Centreville. He met and married Laura Anders of Amite County before leaving for Europe. He was he was promoted to the rank of Master Sergeant while serving in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. He moved to Natchez in 1950 to work at the International Harvester company where he was a mechanic until 1998. He said he retired(at 78 years of age) “only because the City of Natchez had bought out the shop” to build a convention center.

Survived by son James O.Gavette of Natchez, daughter Elizabeth A. Turner of Sibley, and son Kenneth B. Gavette of Clackamas, Oregon. Granddaughters Christy McCullough, Melissa Earls, Lauran Gavette, and Danielle Gallagher of Brandon MS. Vikki Hitesman of Fayetteville, Ark. Vanessa Auter of Ponchatoula, La, Josh Bolinger and Laura Bolinger of Natchez , Elissa and Allie Gavette of Clackamas, Oregon and Great grandchildren. Cole and Zach McCullough, Katelyn Hart and Hannah Auter, Jackson, Stephen, and Emily Hitesman. and Orianna Butler. Mr. Gavette is also survived by Brothers Charles of Nampa, CA., Arthur of Redding. CA and numerous Gavette nieces and nephews in California. He always especially spoke fondly of his niece Sharlene.

Memorial gathering will held at the home of his son James at 707 North Rankin St. Natchez . Visitation of family and friends will be from 4-5 p.m., Memorial Remembrances will be at 5 p.m. Dedication dinner will follow with interment of ashes at the Natchez National Cemetery.