Deborah Ann (Elliot) Withers

Published 12:00 am Sunday, July 1, 2012

June 7, 1954 – June 29, 2012

NATCHEZ — Services for Deborah Ann Withers, 58, of Woodville, who died Friday, June 29, 2012, at Baton Rouge General Medical Center, will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Laird Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Bobby Clark officiating.

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

Visitation will be from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. today and Monday from 1 p.m. until service time.

Mrs. Withers was born June 7, 1954, in Natchez, the daughter of James Edward Elliott and Verbie Ann Franklin Elliot. She was a FTD Master Florist and served as an officer on the Mississippi Unit of the FTD board of directors. She also served as a Mississippi delegate to National FTD conventions. She worked for several florists and owned her own flower shop, which she retired from five years ago. She was active with the education of young people in firearms safety and marksmanship. She served as state junior shooting program co-director for the Civilian Marksmanship Program. She was a NRA member and a certified NRA/USA Shooting international-level pistol coach. She was active with 4-H as a Level I rifle and pistol instructor. A competitor and NRA expert-rated pistol shooter, she served as secretary of the Mississippi State Firearms Owners Association. She liked painting and photography. She also liked to research family and friends’ genealogies.

Survivors include her husband, John “Jack” Withers of Woodville, two sons, William Elliott Withers and John Thomas Withers, both of Woodville; two brothers, James Michael Elliott of Jackson and Bruce Alan Elliott of Allen, Texas; and one sister, Rose Elliott Temple of Natchez.

Pallbearers will be Richard Withers, Lee Withers, Johnny Withers, Chris Gibson, John Calvert and Walt Brown.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.lairdfh.com.