Sept. 27, 1949 – Nov. 5, 2012

NATCHEZ — Services for Barbara Ann Williams Stokes, 63, of Utica, who died Monday, Nov. 5, 2012, at St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Hinds Community College JD Boyd Gymnasium, 34175 Highway 18 West in Utica, with Elder James C. Stokes Sr. officiating.

Burial will follow at Water Valley Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery in Utica under the direction of Bateaste Memorial Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Bateaste Memorial Funeral Home and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at Westhaven Funeral Home in Utica.

Mrs. Stokes was born Sept. 27, 1949, in Adams County, the daughter of Bennie Williams Sr. and Addie Davis Williams. She attended St. Francis Catholic School, Laura Hill, Brumfield and was a 1967 graduate of Sadie V. Thompson High School. She was also a graduate of Natchez Junior College, Alcorn State University, University of Southern Mississippi and Jackson State University.

Mrs. Stokes was employed by Hinds Community College in Utica. She was also a member of the choir, Strait-Way Ministries and superintendent of the Sunday school.

She had a welcoming and outspoken personality. She had a gift of teaching which gained her much honor and a number of awards.

Mrs. Stokes worked with the Coronation Ball, served as yearbook advisor, newspaper co-advisor and advisor for a number of other clubs and organizations during her 26 years at Hinds County Agriculture High School. Additionally, she was named Star Teacher, Hinds Community College Outstanding Secondary Teacher of the Year and Hinds Community College Distinguished Secondary Teacher of the Year.

On Aug. 1, 2000, Mrs. Stokes moved to the Utica campus as an English instructor where she served as sophomore class sponsor, college yearbook and newspaper co-advisor and former Phi Theta Kappa advisor and co-advisor. The Iliad, The Odyssey and Oedipus must all take a back seat; the essays, analyses and research papers, too, are also on hold, for all the tasks and dedicated work Mrs. Stokes was assigned on this earth has now been done.

Mrs. Stokes was preceded in death by her father; her mother and stepfather, Andrew Rounds Sr.; paternal grandparents, Henry and Harriet Williams; maternal grandparents, Joe and Mamie Davis; one brother, Bennie Williams Jr.; father-in-law, Levi Stokes Sr.; three sisters-in-law, Geraldine Stokes, Shirley Stokes and Irene Stokes; and two brothers-in-law, Levi Stokes Sr. and Milton Stokes.

Survivors include her husband, James C. Stokes; one daughter, Erica Monique Ransom and husband, Johnnie, of Byram; one son, James Stokes Jr. of Utica; two grandchildren, Jasmine and Jayiah Ransom; six sisters, Agnes Davis, Geraldine Brown and husband, James, Harriet McGee, Georgia Green, Ramona Claiborne and husband, David, all of Natchez and Elaine Gonzales and husband, Larry, of Albuquerque, N.M.; three brothers, Will Jones and wife, Carolyn, of Bossier City, La., Joseph Williams and wife, Dorothy, and Wesley Williams and wife, Ellen, of Natchez; mother-in-law, Mary Stokes of Utica; four sisters-in-law, Mary Clemons of Utica, Laura Finch of Chicago, Patricia Stokes of Edwards and Janet Stokes Washington and husband, Cleveland, of Jackson; five brothers-in-law, Levi Stokes Jr. of Byram, Michael Stokes and wife, Sandra, of Jackson, Charles Stokes and wife, Racheal, Andrew Stokes Sr. and wife, Linda, and Robert Stokes and wife, Florine, all of Utica; step-grandmother, Mahalia Williams of Sibley; one great-uncle, Lee Andrew Williams of Natchez; and a number of nieces, nephews, cousins, co-workers, church family and dear friends.

Pallbearers will be friends of the family.

Online condolences may be sent to www.bateastefuneralhomes.com.