Obituaries for Sunday, July 16, 2006

Services today

Lorraine O. Calvitt

2 p.m. Laird Funeral Home Union Street Chapel

Dorothy Buchanan

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

Willard Earl “Stick” Sims Sr.

Nov. 4, 1948 – July 12, 2006

NATCHEZ – Services for Williard Earl “Stick” Sims Sr., 57, of Natchez, who died Wednesday, July 12, 2006, in Natchez, will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Christian Hope Baptist Church with the Rev. Melvin White officiating.

Burial will follow in the Natchez National Cemetery under the direction of George F. West Funeral Home.

Visitation is from 4 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home and from 9:30 a.m. until service time Monday at the church.

Mr. Sims was born Nov. 4, 1948, in Natchez, the son of Joe Sims Sr. and Rosa Lee Harris Sims.

He confessed Christ at an early age and joined St. Peter Baptist Church. He was educated in the Natchez-Adams Public Schools and attended Natchez College and Alcorn State University. He was employed with Woodlawn Street Package Store. He was a member of the Elk’s Lodge and a sports fan.

Mr. Sims was preceded in death by his father, Joe Sims Sr.; grandparents, Mary Earl and Willie Harris Sr., Edna Blanton and R. T. Sims.

Survivors include a devoted spouse, Priscilla Beasley; a loving mother, Rosa Lee Sims; two daughters, Detress Campbell and husband, Charles and Sheria Reid; two sons, Willard Sims Jr. and Jerrell Sims; two brothers, Joe Sims Jr. and wife, Aradia and R. T. Sims; two sisters, Delores Johnson and husband, Ernest and Bernadine Johnson; two sisters-in-law, Nellie Hawkins and husband, Charlie and Lillie Bee Wright of Ellisville; two brothers-in-law, Johnny Wright of New Orleans and Willie Wright of Baton Rouge; mother-in-law, Ollie Mae Fletcher; grandmothers, Alberta McCoy of Natchez and Earline Harris of Greenville; four grandchildren, Detrique Sims, Rosa Williams, Christopher Reid and Katana Sims of California; tens aunts, Lillie Harris, Carie Young, Virginia Rounds and husband, Andre, Gloria Grant of Atlanta, Phyllis Felder and husband, Huett of Buffalo, NY, Patricia Harris of Greenville, Magnolia Lewis, Earline Fowler and husband, William of Gary, Ind., JoAnn Chatman and Laurdan Jackson; 13 uncles, Willie Harris Jr. and Eddie McCoy of Peoria, Ill., Henry Harris Sr. and wife, Betty of Jackson, Johnny Harris and wife, Thelma of St. Louis, Mo., Patrick Harris of Minnesota, Ricky Harris, James Harris and Freddie Harris and wife, Becky of Greenville, James Grant of California, Willie James Young of New York, Joseph Reed, Cleveland Young and wife, Loretta and Ernest Young and wife, Dorothy; special friends, Mamie Mazique, Annie Jones and Cemo Green; and a number of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Pallbearers will be Fred Fuller, Hugh Green, Ronnie Herbert, Abraham Washington, James “Wibbie” Young and Larry Young.

James David “J.D.” Weeks

March 15, 1928 – July 13, 2006

FERRIDAY – Services for James David “J.D.” Weeks, 78, of Ferriday, who died Thursday, July 13, 2006 at his residence, will be 10 a.m. Monday at Pine Hill Baptist Church with the Rev. Sidney Fletcher and the Rev. Dennis Hensley officiating.

Burial will be at the New Pine Hill Cemetery under the direction of Young’s Funeral Home Ferriday.

Mr. Weeks was born March 15, 1928 in Hazelhurst, the son of J.D. Weeks II and Lillie Casey Weeks. He was a resident of Ferriday and a retired crane operator for International Paper in Natchez for 30 years. He proudly served his country in the United States Air Force.

He was preceded in death by a son, Wendell Ray Weeks; parents; brothers, George Weeks and Leroy Weeks; and sisters, Lena Mae Peltier, Myrtle Maxine Cain and Mary Kathryn Barlow.

Survivors include his wife, Evelyn Weeks of Ferriday; daughter, Cheryl Bryan and husband, Jerry, of Jonesville; sons, Davis Weeks and wife, Brenda, of Vidalia and Mark Weeks of Jonesville; sisters, Sylena Weeks Smith of Branson, Mo., Claudia Weeks Goodwin of Ferriday, and Lillie Elva Goldmon and husband, Jerry, of Sicily Island; brothers, Johnny B. Weeks and wife, Sue of Dunbarton, Casey Weeks and wife, Sharon, of Sicily Island, and Grady Weeks and wife, Kathy, of Deer Park; grandchildren, Chase Weeks, Mika White, Dorey May, Reese and Heath Weeks; great-grandchildren, Tiffany and Will Weeks and Madison White; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Shane White, Jerry Bryan, Emmitt Keating, Shelby Nugent, Chase Weeks, and Heath Weeks.

Honorary pallbearer will be Dorey May.