RICHARD ALLEN Sr.
Richard Lamer Allen Sr., 79, died Monday, Sept. 17, 2012 at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson
Funeral services are Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Stricklin-King Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Lloyd King officiating.
Mr. Allen was born Feb. 16, 1933 in Belzoni to Eddie Green Allen and Rena Waldon Allen. He was a veteran of the Korean War, a retired salesman for Holsum Bread and a Jehovah Witness.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia Allen; four daughters, Katrina Burns of Baton Rogue, La., Romona Allen of California, Teresa Scott of Greenville and Vanessa Katz of Forest, La.; a son, Richard Lamar Allen Jr. of Yazoo City; two brothers, Wayne Allen Sr. and Gerald Allen of Yazoo City; a sister, Carolyn Batton of Houston, Texas; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

ANNIE CARTER
Annie Mae Guthrie Carter, 86, died Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012 at Fayetteville Care and Rehabilitation in Fayetteville, Tenn.
Ms. Carter will be laid to rest in Shiloh Baptist Cemetery alongside her parents and family members in a private service.
Ms. Carter was born in Yazoo City and had been a prominent resident of Charleston, S.C. for more than 28 years before moving to Fayetteville Care and Rehab three years ago.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Jim George and Linnie Matilda Pittman Guthrie, and 12 brothers and sisters.  
Survivors include one brother, Robert Guthrie (Betty) of Yazoo City, and one sister-in-law, Inez Guthrie of Jackson; three children, Cynthia Carter-Alderson, John Allen Carter, Jr., Rhonda Carter Scott; five granddaughters, Crystal Carter, Dr. Jennifer Bodie, Dawn Everard, April Thompson, and Annette Houser; four great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.  

WILLIAM COOKSEY
William Louis Cooksey, 69, died Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012 at his home surrounded by his family.
Funeral services were Sept. 13 at Memorial Park Funeral Home in Memphis, Tenn. followed by a private burial.
Mr. Cooksey was born April 28, 1944 in Wichita Falls, Texas to Ruth and Louis “Buddy” Cooksey. After graduating high school in Yazoo City, he attended Louisiana College. His career of service began with the US Air Force followed by the Tennessee Air National Guard; where he retired in 1999 with the rank of Lt Colonel with 33 years of service to his Country.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and sister; Joline Sledge.
Survivors include his wife of 24 years, Linda Ledbetter Cooksey; a daughter, Tammy Harmon (Ron), of Madison, IN; sons, Mark Cooksey (Shawnda), of Mason, OH; Preston Clowney (Jessica), of Hernando; five grandchildren, Taylor and Bryce Harmon, Jack and Grace Cooksey, and Hailey Lane Clowney; sister Elaine Seagler of North Richland Hills, Texas and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to Wings Cancer Foundation, 100 N Humphreys Blvd, Memphis, TN 38120 or First Presbyterian Church, 1455 McIngvale Road, Hernando MS 38632.

LESTER DAVIS
Lester H. Davis, 85, died Saturday, Sept. 15, 2012 at King’s Daughters Hospital.
Funeral services are today at 11 a.m. at the Stricklin-King Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Gene Richardson. Burial will follow at Midway Baptist Cemetery.
Mr. Davis was born May 11, 1927 in Sunflower County to James Nathaniel Davis and Elizabeth Saxton Davis. He was a retired minister and BellSouth lineman. He was a U.S. Army Veteran of World War II and a member of Westwood Baptist Church.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Lorraine Winstead Davis.
Survivors include his daughter, Deloris Fulton (Jerry) of Yazoo City; son, Kent Davis of Southaven; two brothers, Gillie Davis and George Davis, both of Benton; sisters, Geneva Hood and Marie Gordon, both of Benton; four grandchildren, Julie F. Hammer (Josh), Susan F. Harvey (Jon), Jenny Fulton and Elizabeth Davis; and two great-grandchildren, Grady Hammer and Vera Hammer.
Serving as pallbearers are Billy Joe Davis, Gordon Davis, Bill Gordon, Donald Counts, Ronnie Davis and Mike Davis.

RUBY DROGE
Ruby M. Droge, 94, died Saturday, Sept. 15, 2012 at King’s Daughters Hospital.
Funeral services were Monday at Oak Grove Baptist Church with Rev. Charles Harris officiating. Burial followed in Longview, Texas.
Mrs. Droge was born Feb. 4, 1918 in Yazoo County to Jake and Betty Sanders Lee. She was a retired waitress and a Baptist.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William B. Droge; and a daughter, Sara Irwin.
Survivors include two sons, Ronnie Droge and Leon Coody, both of Yazoo City; seven grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren.

HARRY JACKSON
Halden “Harry” Jackson, 97, died Sept. 7, 2012 at King’s Daughters Hospital.
Funeral services were Saturday at the Century Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Larry Thomas officiating.
Mr. Jackson was born Nov. 11, 1914 in Yazoo County to King and Josie Jackson. He was a retired landscaper and a member of Temple Love M.B. Church. He was affectionately known as “Bocoon” by many.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Elizabeth Jackson; a son, Charles Jackson; and an adopted daughter, Mary Elizabeth Jackson.
Survivors include a daughter, Bernice Butler of Yazoo City; a son, Halton James (Mary Ann) of Chicago; a sister, Allean Jackson of Yazoo City; companion, Odell Murphy; step children, Hubert Murphy and Dora Washington; 16 grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren and six great-great grandchildren.
Serving as pallbearers were Lloyd Jackson, R.L. Jackson, Terry Jackson, Larry Jackson, Daryll Jackson and Giovanni Butler.
Honorary pallbearers were Floyd Jackson, Ron Jordan, Alvin Anderson, R.D. Jackson, Jasper Murphy and Hubert Murphy.

MARY JOHNSTON
Mary Sricklin Evans Johnson, 95, died Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012 in Alabama.
Funeral services were Saturday at Glenwood Cemetery with Rev. Cortez Hutchinson officiating. Burial followed under the direction of Stricklin-King Funeral Home.
Mrs. Johnston was born June 22, 1917 in Eden to Samuel Jackson and Annie Everett Stricklin. She had resided in Alabama for the last several years.
She was preceded in death by her husband of more than 50 years, James Kiley Evans; her second husband, Hubert Johnson; sister, Alva Pitman; and brothers, Basil, Todd, Herman, Dick and Sam Stricklin.
Survivors include her son, James Jackson Evans (Marjorie) of Evergreen, Ala.; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Serving as pallbears will be grandsons Benjamin Kiley Evans and James Christopher Evans, and nephews Tomas Ray, Troy Stricklin, Roy Stricklin and Phillip Dixon.

CYNTHIA GAINWELL
Cynthia Nushelle Gainwell, 43, died Sept. 9, 2012.
Funeral services were Saturday at Old King Solomon M.B. Church with Rev. Walter Williams officiating.
Mrs. Gainwell was born June 5, 1969 in Hinds County to Eugene and Nehema S. Johnson. She was a 1987 graduate of Yazoo City High School and later graduated from the Academy of Hair Design.
Survivors include her husband of nearly 20 years, Walter I. Gainwell Sr.; three children, Jennifer A. Cox (Shaddrick), Walter I. Gainwell Jr. and Destiny Mo’Na Gainwell; three stepchildren, Lawanda S. Jackson, Fletcher Cox and Fantasa Cox; sisters, Willie J. Johnson (Carl), Nekather J. Irvine (Tommy), Carolyn A. Miles, Deborah A. Smith, Janice M. Lewis and Ernice Shepeard; brothers, Eugene Johnson Jr., Sammie L. Shepeard (Arlene), Jimmie L. Johnson, Floyd Shepeard, David J. Johnson, Willie J. Shepeard and Kevin O. Johnson; and four grandchildren.

FLORIDA JONES
Florida Delia “Polly” Jones, 46, died Sept. 6, 2012.
Funeral services were Saturday at St. Matthew Church of God in Christ with Rev. John Scott officiating. Burial followed at Yazoo Memorial Park under the direction of Scott Funeral Home.
Ms. Jones was born Sept. 12, 1965 in Yazoo City to Fannie B. Jones and Jimmie Lee Stewart. She was a 1985 graduate of Yazoo City High School and a member of Christian Grove Baptist Church. While a resident of the Cornerstone Facility in Florida she earned several life skills awards.
Survivors include a son, Christopher Lee Jones of Jackson; siblings, Annette Jefferson and Carolyn Knox of Jackson, Kathy Lewis of Yazoo City and Tejuana Jones of Chicago; two grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends.
Serving as pallbearers were James Robinson Sr., James Robinson Jr., Willie Cole, Larry Anderson, Anthony Miller and Kelvin Morris.
Honorary pallbearers were Christopher Jones, Kelly Jones an Willie Knox Jr.

NANCY SMITH
Nancy Howard Smith, 70, died Friday, Sept. 14, 2012 at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson.
Funeral arrangements are pending with Stricklin-King Funeral Home.
Mrs. Smith was born Oct. 8, 1941 in Holmes County to Charles and Gladys Durham Howard. She was a homemaker and a Baptist.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William Smith; and a brother, Calvin Howard.
Survivors include a son, John Powell (Mary) of Yazoo City; sister, Alice Estrada of Yazoo City; brother, Charles Howard of Leeds, Ala.; two stepsons, Randy Smith of Bentonia and Danny Smith of Redwood; a stepdaughter, Connie Vance of Bentonia; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.