Sept. 14, 1956 – Aug. 20, 2017

NATCHEZ — Services for Shelia Foster Blakes, 60, of Jackson, formerly of Natchez, who died Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017, at University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, will be 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church with the Rev. Bland Washington and the Rev. Anthony Colenburg officiating.    

Burial will follow at the church cemetery under the direction of West Gate Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 5 to 5:45 p.m. today at the funeral home with a celebration of life wake service at 5:45.

Visitation will continue Saturday from 10 a.m. until service time at the church.

Mrs. Blakes was born Sept. 14, 1956, in Natchez, the daughter of Willie S. Foster Jr. and Johnetta Bland Foster. Shelia was a 1974 graduate of North Natchez Adams High School. She was a homemaker and a member of St. Paul A.M.E. Church. She enjoyed reading, cooking and writing.

Mrs. Blakes was preceded in death by one son, Bryant LeMor Foster Sr. and her grandparents, Willie and Justine Rice and Willie and Mary Foster.

Survivors include her husband, Earl Blakes Sr.; her parents of Natchez; two sons, Roderick Blakes and wife, Ashley, of Carrollton, Texas, Earl Blakes Jr. of Jackson; one brother, Willie S. Foster and wife, Pat, of Longview, Texas; two sisters, Terriwanda F. King and husband, Cottrell, of Celina, Texas, and Jerrilyn Banks and husband, Charles, of Natchez; four grandchildren, Bryant Foster Jr., Xavier Blakes, Arianana Blakes and Jordan Daniels; one great-grandchild, Aubrielle Foster; and a number of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Online condolences may be sent to westgatefh.com.