January 11th, 2012
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ANNIE ALEXANDER
Annie Laura Alexander, 100, died Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012 at home.
Funeral services were Sunday at Ellison United Methodist Church with Rev. David Schultz and Rev. George Butler officiating. Burial followed at the church cemetery under the direction of Stricklin King Funeral Home.
Mrs. Alexander was born Feb. 17, 1911 in Yazoo County to James S. and Mable Dixon Moore. She was a retired music teacher and a lifelong member of Ellison United Methodist Church and served as the church’s musician for many years.
She was preceded in death by her husband, L.C. “Joe” Alexander; and two brothers, Clarence Moore and James Moore.
Survivors include two sons, Bill Alexander (Katherine) of Vaughan and Joe C. Alexander (Shirley) of Elon, N.C.; a daughter, Peggy Youngblood (James) of Rose Hill; brother, John Kelly Moore (Helen) of Vaughan; brother-in-law, Howard Alexander (Gertie) of Jayess; seven grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Serving as pallbearers were Will Alexander, Jim Alexander, William Moore, David Moore, Carl Newsom, Hunter Newsom, Leon Rucker and Larry Moore.
OTHA DAVIS
Otha Bernard Davis, 50, died Dec. 31, 2011.
Funeral services were Saturday at King Solomon M.B. Church with Rev. Benjamin Hall officiating. Burial followed at Cypress Gardens under the direction of Scott Funeral Home.
Mr. Davis was born April 10, 1961. He worked as a sales specialist at Wal-Mart for nearly a decade until his health began to fail.
Survivors include his wife of 11 years, Bessie Davis; mother, Velma Davis; five children, Denetra, Onika, Onassis, Octavia and Akeem; two step-children, brothers, Billy Davis Sr. and Willie Earl Jones; sisters, Linda Bullock, Nora Faye Ray and Juanita Collum; seven grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Serving as pallbearers were the Deacons of King Solomon Church.
Honorary pallbearers were Billy Davis Sr., Michael Collum Sr., Tom Sulton, Onassis Parker, Willie Earl Jones, Larry Collum and Willie Turnage.
EARLENE JACKSON
Earlene Pennington Jackson, 87, of Natchez, died Friday, January 6, 2012, at River Region Medical Center in Vicksburg.
Funeral services were Monday at Laird Funeral Home Chapel in Natchez. Burial followed at Greenlawn Cemetery in Natchez.
Mrs. Jackson was born Feb. 8, 1924 in Monticello to James Martin and Ruby Pennington. She was a Baptist and a homemaker.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, James Jackson; son, James Jackson Jr.; and daughter, Alice Fay Wiggins.
Survivors include her daughters, Rhonda Kemp of Vicksburg and Sonya Braswell (Herbert) of Natchez; siblings, James Pennington (Cora), Eva Young (Charles), Nita Cain, Billy Pennington (Pat) and Kenneth Pennington (Deborah); grandchildren, Jamie Patterson (Jason) of Yazoo City, Michael Wiggins (Jaime) of Dallas, Sherry Loffler (Ivan) of Dallas, Tonya Sloan (Steve) of Vidalia and Shannon Wilson (Purvis) of Natchez; eight great grandchildren; cousin, Agnes Curry; and a host of family and friends.
Serving as pallbearers were Thomas Swaggart, Robert Atwood, Purvis Wilson, Johnathan Wilson, Freddie Gamberi and Jerry Harper.
Honorary pallbearers were Dr. George E. Abraham II, Dr. David Halinski, Bobby Cox and Jack Cox.
SILVIA JEFFREY
Silvia Rean Newkirk Jeffrey, 85, died Dec. 29, 2011.
Funeral services were Jan. 6, 2012 at Chapel Hill M.B. Church with Rev. Eugene Williams officiating.
Mrs. Jeffrey was born March 28, 1926 in Yazoo County to William McKinnley Newkirk and Marie Bonner Newkirk. She was retired employee of the Yazoo City Municipal School District, where she worked in janitorial services, and a member of Chapel Hill Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Leezell Jeffrey; a daughter, Sylvia Lena Felder; a brother, William M. Newkirk; and three sisters, Willie Mae Martin, Eula B. Harris and Ella Mae Fox.
Survivors include a daughter, Michelle M. Bell (Tommie); three sisters, Anna Newkirk of Pontiac, Mich. and Marie Christmas and Robbie Lee Thomas of Yazoo City; two brothers, Cleotha Newkirk (Ola) of Chicago and Alfred Newkirk (Joyce) of Benton; six grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Serving as pallbearers were her nephews.
Honorary pallbearers were Timothy Matthews Jr., Thomas Matthews, Theodore Matthews, Tommie Bell, Benjamin D. Jeffery, Benjamin Felder Sr., Alfred J. Newkirk and Cleotha Newkirk.
ANNIE OWENS
Annie Pearl Owens, 73, died Dec. 31, 2011.
Funeral services were Jan. 7, 2012 at Mt. Zion M.B. Church in Vaughan. Burial followed at Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church Cemetery under the direction of Scott Memorial Funeral Home.
Mrs. Owens was born Jan. 4, 1938 to Jimmie Lee Yancy and Wilburt Charles Owens. She later moved to Chicago where she retired from St. Francis Hospital in 2007. She was a member of Greater Mount Olivet M.B. Church.
Survivors include four children, Wayne (Jacqueline), Jacqueline (Ulysses), Robin (Demorris) and Vincent (Annie); 11 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Serving as pallbearers were Derrick Hollins, Edgar Foster, Roy Skinner, Gregory Garvis, John Williams Jr. and John Earl Bradfield.
Honorary pallbearers are Wayne Owens, Vincent Owens, James Yancy, Sammie Tucker, Leroy Little, Ivey Little and Larry Little.
MICHAEL PURNELL
Michael Frederick Purnell, 53, died Dec. 30, 2011.
Funeral services were Saturday at Lintonia Chapel AME Church with Rev. Jacob W. Hilton officiating. Burial followed at Yazoo Memorial Garden under the direction of Scott Memorial Funeral Home.
Mr. Purnell was born Jan. 27, 1958 to the late Rev. Ceasar A. Purnell Sr. and Walterine Jean Purnell. After retiring from the Municipal Water Department in Boynton Beach, Fla. he returned to Yazoo City, where he operated two retail stores and was involved in many civic affairs and volunteer efforts.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a step-father, Walter Scott Jr.; and a sister, Juanita Purnell.
Survivors include a son, Clemenceau Jeanite (Florida); eight siblings, Rev. Charles Purnell (Mildred) of Savannah, Ga., Ceaser Purnell Jr. (Aline) of Biloxi, Sherman Purnell of St. Louis, Mo., Hal Purnell of Garland, Texas, Shirley Scott Whitehead and Hazel Scott Porter of Yazoo City, Walter Scott of Fayetteville, N.C. and Venson Scott of Yazoo City; two grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Serving as pallbearers were Eric Whitehead, Justin Porter, Kenneth Jefferson, Taurice King, Otis Porter and Jessie Jackson.
Honorary pallbearers are Jerry Price, Jessie Jackson, Robert Bell Jr., Otis Porter, Preston Bell, Luster Wade Jr., Sherman Purnell, Venson Scott, Kenneth Jefferson, Billy Ray Thomas, Donnie Ray Jefferson, Walter G. Scott and Dexter “Red” Williams.
Dear Editor,
The decision by the present school board not to renew the teaching and coaching contract of Mr. Archie Carlyle was a planned and calculated act of politics. This kind of thing has been happening for years.
They didn’t follow policies or procedures in this matter. The state’s report on the district asked the board to stop interfering in this kind of situation, but it seems they didn’t get the memo.
My mother always put her 11 children first in making decisions for their futures. It is clear this board did not do that.
Mr. Carlyle’s only crime was putting his students first. I feel like Jesus, when he told the people at the well, “He who is without sin cast the first stone.”
I and the 800 people who have signed the petition calling for Carlyle’s return can find no fault in his dedication to our community. We are being laughed at across the state, and on Facebook and Twitter.
Our community is losing faith in our ability to work in a productive and successful district. The Yazoo Herald’s sports editor called it a “travesty.” I ask the question, where are all those Christian folks, his co-workers, his pastor and his fellow church members?
Where are the athletes, past and present, and most of all where are the parents? He has mothered and fathered when you were unable to make it to a game or on the road, giving your children heart-to-heart talks of motivation and encouragement both in the halls of our schools and on the streets of this community. Now he deserves your support in this critical matter.
This affects us all, black and white, because the future of our community is at stake. I am asking everyone to show as much concern about this matter as they do during election time.
Mr. Clifton Jones, I sat on the school board when you and your wife in a 3 to 2 vote were denied what you rightfully deserved. When you first ran for alderman you were the only politician I ever spent an entire day with, walking the streets because I believed in you. When I ran for mayor as an independent, I endorsed McArthur Straughter in the primary. Many people thought I was crazy, but I was exercising my rights.
Mr. Aubry Brent Jr., I followed you from Vicksburg to Belzoni and saw people commit perjury to defeat you. When citizens support a candidate, they want something in return. As a citizen with the 800 petitioners, we are calling in our wager. Just get the record of the board of that decision, which is public record. Check the timeline of the action, and you will be amazed. Next month you will appoint or reappoint a board member, but before you do we deserve answers.
If you find me wrong I will come back and sit before you and the school board and give a public apology. Everyone deserves their day in court, and Mr. Carlyle certainly does.
What you do or don’t do will determine the caliber of teachers and coaches willing to come into our community and work with our children.
Johnny Staples
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