RICKY COX
Ricky L. Cox, 47, died April 21, 2012 at Central Mississippi Medical Center, in Jackson after an extended illness. Ricky is preceded in death by his sister, Michelle Thompson of Pearl. He is survived by his son, Chris Cox of Pearl; daughter Brooke Cox of Pearl; mother Linda Tolley of Pearl; father, Jerry Cox of Bolton; brother Mike Cox of Bolton; Daryel Cox (Sonya) of Flora, Shine Cox of Clinton. He is also survived by nephews Jeffery Thompson of Pearl; Brandon Thompson of Leesburg; Colby Cox of Clinton; nieces Tasha Cox of Flora; Tiffany McGraw of Flora; Lauren Cox of Clinton; Brittney Cox of Clinton; Dillon Hendrick of Flora; Georgia Ray Hanna of Flora; and Izzy Deith of Clinton, and numerous other loving family members and friends.. Funeral Services were held April 26, 2012.

DOROTHY CROSS
Dorothy Blackmon Cross, 55, died April 21, 2012.
Funeral services were Saturday at Pleasant Green M.B. Church with Rev. Jerie Neal officiating. Burial followed at Cypress Gardens Cemetery under the direction of Scott Memorial Funeral Home.
Mrs. Cross was born Nov. 23, 1956 in Humphreys County to Brazee Blackmon Rogers and Johnnie Lee Murphy. After graduating from Yazoo City High School in 1974, she moved to Milwaukee, Wisc. and resided there for 30 years. On March 25, 1977 she married James Cross. She was a member of Pleasant Green M.B. Church.
Survivors include he parents, Brazee Rogers and Johnee Lee Murphy (Samela); daughter, Brezana Cross; three sisters, Pamela Hackett Herring (Allen), Direne Smith and Carolyn Washington; three brothers, Larry Morgan, Johnnie Ford and Johnnie Murphy Jr.; and a host of other relatives and friends.

W.D. GIBBS
Washington Dorsey “Wash” Gibbs, 90, of Pearl died Friday, April 27, 2012 at home.
Funeral services were Monday at Crossgates United Methodist Church in Brandon. Burial followed at the Tabernacle United Methodist Church Cemetery in Attala County under the direction of Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home of Pearl.
Mr. Gibbs was born in Yazoo County to Lee Gibbs Sr. and Louise Swayze Gibbs. He graduated from Yazoo City High School and attended Copiah-Lincoln Junior College before earning a private pilot license from Dallas Aviation School. A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corp, he was deployed in the South Pacific Theater during World War II. After receiving a medical discharge, he returned to Mississippi where he became a Master Florist, working with his mother for several years. He then moved to Texas where he worked in the floral industry until his retirement after a successful 42-year career.
He became a member of the Yazoo Masonic Lodge No. 42 in 1955 and later was a member of John P. Byrd Lodge in Pearl. He was also a member of the York Rite and received his 50-year Masonic Pin in November of 2006. He was also a descendent of the Jersey Settlers of Mississippi and a member of the Nicholas Gibbs Society of Knoxville, Tenn. He was an active member of Crossgates UMC, the Pioneer Sunday School Class and church choir.
He was preceded in death by his brothers, Lee Gibbs Jr., George D. Gibbs and Q.D. Gibbs.
Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Mary Rone Gibbs; sister, Louise Gibbs Harwell (Robert) of Georgetown Texas; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Memorial may be made to Crossgates, UMC, 234 Crossgates Drive, Brandon, MS 39042.

JOHNNIE HARRIS
Johnnie Lee “Gee” Harris, 61, died April 12, 2012.
Funeral services were Saturday at Zion Traveler M.B. Church in Carter with Rev. Gregory Taylor officiating. Burial followed at the church cemetery under the direction of Scott Memorial Funeral Home.
Mr. Harris was born May 23, 1950 to Johnny Lee Harris Sr. and Thelma Phillips. In 1976 he married Mary “Boo” Hackett.
He was preceded in death by four brothers, Robert L. Harris, Roy Harris, Arthur Phillips and Abe Phillips.
Survivors include his mother, Thelma Phillips; two daughters, Tasha and Michelle Harris; six brothers, Jimmie L. Harris of Lexington, Freddie L. Harris of Chicago, and Willie G. Harris, Leonard Phillips, L.C. Phillips and Charles Phillips, all of Yazoo City; five sisters, Rose Mary Harris of Chicago, and Bessie Mays, Christine Phillips, Vickie Calvin and Lula Bell Phillips, all of Yazoo City; 10 grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Serving as pallbearers were DeJarvis Harris, Kavin Harris, Steve Harris, L.J. Smith, Tracey Gates, Thomas Ethan, John Earl Peterson, James Lee and Daniel Smith.

JOSEPH THOMPSON
Joseph Fitzgerald Thomas, 46, died April 16, 2012.
Funeral services were Saturday at St. Matthew Church of God In Christ with Rev. Andrew Brown officiating. Burial followed at Robinson Cemetery under the direction of Scott Memorial Funeral Home.
Mr. Thomas was born Oct. 14, 1965 in Hollandale to the late Martha Booker and Leroy Thompson Sr. He attended Yazoo City High School in the 1980s before moving to California. He was employed with Sysco Food Inc. for 15 years before returning home to work for Nissan in Canton.
Survivors include his wife, LaKisha Thompson; daughters, Tionna, Jo-Anna and Le-Dra of Yazoo City and Tiana and Liana of Colorado Springs, Co.; son, Stephen of Yazoo City; five brothers, Leroy Thompson and Edward Thompson of Yazoo City, James Thompson of West Palm Beach, Fla., Pearlie Thompson (Brenda) of Delray, Fla. and David Thompson (Regina) of Moreno Valley, Calif.; four sisters, Mary Whitney and Mae Ann Tubbs of Yazoo City, Lillie B. Thomas (Aaron) of Markham, Ill.  and Magalene Reynolds (Alvin) of Atlanta, Ga.; two grandchildren; and a host of other friends and relatives.

SHIRLEY BUFKIN
Shirley Mae Johnson Bufkin died April 30, 2012 while surrounded by family and friends at her home.   
Her last 5 weeks of life were marked by a fierce battle with cancer, but her entire 72+ years of life were filled with a spirit of love of the Lord, her family and friends.
Shirley was born September 30, 1939 in Sharkey County, MS  to the late Floyd and Flossie Johnson, graduated from Satartia High School (1956), and completed her secondary education at Draughan’s Business School in Jackson, MS.   Shirley worked for Phillip Morris Company in Jackson from 1958 until1963.  From 1957 until 1997,  she and her husband made their home in Jackson,  and since 1997 they have resided in Madison.
Shirley was preceded in death by her infant daughter Pam Bufkin.  She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Jesse Bufkin, three children:  daughter Tina (Hunter) Arnold of Madison, sons Ronnie (Tammy Tate) Bufkin of Madison, and Don (Stacy McMurtrey) Bufkin of Bentonia;  her sister Frances (Keith) Keen of Redwood, MS;  and grandchildren Jessica Arnold, Regan Arnold, Sullivan Bufkin, Britton Bufkin, Dani Tate, and Tanner Tate, all of Madison.
Shirley and Jesse owned and operated Bufkin Plumbing & Heating, Inc. for over 30 years before retiring in 2000.  She then continued to assist the daily operations of her son Ronnie’s business, Bufkin Mechanical, Inc.  Shirley was an avid gardener, cook, seamstress, and all around homemaker, and she used all of these pursuits as a lifelong ministry helping friends and family.  She was dearly loved as a wife, mother, mother-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, grandmother (mamaw).  She especially enjoyed helping her three children with home construction projects, being a grandmother, as well as fishing with Jesse, Frances, and Keith.  Jesse and Shirley have been active members of Broadmoor Baptist Church since 1957.
Visitation will be held Wed, May 2, 2012 from 5pm – 7pm, and Thu, May 3, 2012 from 10am – 10:45am, and funeral services are 11am, Thu, May 3, 2012, all to be held at Broadmoor Baptist Church in Madison, MS, in the Chapel, 1531 Highland Colony Parkway, Madison, MS.  
Burial will follow at Lakewood Memorial Park in Jackson, MS.  All arrangements are being addressed by Wright & Ferguson Funeral Directors of Madison, MS.
In lieu of flowers, the family would be honored by donations to Broadmoor Baptist Church’s G3 Campaign, or to Oak Grove Baptist Church in Pheonix, MS.