April 29, 1931 – Nov. 22, 2018

NATCHEZ — Services for Addie Mae Bland, 87, of Natchez, who died Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018, at Merit Health Natchez, will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Southwood Lodge Baptist Church with the Rev. Tracy Cusic officiating.        
Burial will follow at the church cemetery under the direction of Marshall Funeral Home.
Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. today at the funeral home and from 10 a.m. until service time Saturday at the church.
Mrs. Bland was born April 29, 2018, in Natchez, the daughter of Walter Ballard and Stella Bates-Reynolds.
She served as a deaconess at Southwood Lodge Baptist Church.
Bland was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Alfred Bland; one daughter, Katie Sims-Cage; and four siblings, James Frank Jones, Eugene Jones, Walter Ballard and Annie Dobbins Thomas.
Survivors include four daughters, Stella Bland-Evans, Johnnie L. Bland, Shirley Norman and husband, Aubrey, and Angela J. Bland; 10 grandchildren, Ruben Evans and wife, Sheila, Addie E. Evans, Rodrick Bland and wife, Yashica, Kenyatta Sims, Christopher C. Bland, Sgt. Reginald Evans and wife, Jessica, George Sims III and wife, Karen, Aubrey Norman Jr. and wife, Ashley, Sheena Warner and Dana Norman; 17 great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; and a number of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.