HAZLEHURST – Services for Dr. Donald Barraza, 81, of Hazlehurst, who died Wednesday, April 15, 2009, at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center in Jackson, will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Pleasant Valley Methodist Church.
Burial will follow at the church cemetery under the direction of Stringer Family Funeral Services in Hazlehurst.
Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until service time Saturday at the church.
Dr. Barraza was born in New Orleans. He graduated Jesuit High School in New Orleans and Loyola University. He served in the U. S. Marine Corps during World War II. He then graduated Medical School at Louisiana State University, New Orleans. Dr. Barraza served in the U. S. Navy. He then trained in OBGYN and was Board Certified at Ochsner Foundation and served on staff there. Later an illness caused him to retrain at University of Arkansas Medical Center in Dermatology and he later practiced in Natchez over 35 years.
Dr. Barraza was a member of The American Academy of Dermatology, Homochitto Valley Medical Society and Mississippi State Medical Society.
Dr. Barraza loved singing and performing in the Natchez Little Theatre, The Natchez Pilgrimage and The Mississippi Medicine Show. He was a member of St. Mary Basilica. After retiring, he and his wife of 58 years moved to Nashville, Tenn. and to Copiah County.
Survivors include his wife, Lucille McGee Barraza; three sons, Donald Frank Barraza Jr. and wife, Stacy, of St. Joseph, Dr. Mark Aubrey Barraza and wife, Leslie, of Jacksonville, Fla. and Dr. Kenneth Rudolph Barraza and wife, Jana, of Jackson; one daughter, Dr. Mary Barraza Taylor and husband, Michael, of Nashville, Tenn.; ten grandchildren, Sallie, Alex, Annie, Ellen, Mark Aubrey, Landon, Simmons, Jackson, Cille, and Aubrey; one brother, Dr. Lionel Barraza and wife, M’Elise, of Monroe; and a number of nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Pleasant Valley Methodist Church.