Bobby Dewell Salers
Pearl
Bobby "Poppy" Dewell Salers died Sunday, Aug. 5, 2007, at his home. Funeral services were Aug. 7 at the Ott & Lee Funeral Home Chapel in Richland with burial in Old Crystal Springs Cemetery. The Rev. Mark Dearman officiated.
Bobby was formerly employed at Precoat Metals and was of the Methodist Faith.
Bobby loved his Lord and family above all, and was an avid sportsman, with a real passion for hunting.
He and his wife's love for each other was truly special and unique.
Bobby was preceded in death by his parents, Pellom and Stella Salers; brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Salers; Dobie Salers; and sister, Julia Fay.
He leaves behind his wife, Pat Salers of Pearl; three children, Mr. and Mrs. Andy Salers and daughters Anna Grace and Marcie Katheryn, Christy Salers and children Heather, Steven and Paula, and son, Timmy Salers.
Other survivors include Bobby's four stepchildren and three grandchildren, Jim Jordan, Jeff and Angela Jordan and son Case, Michele Jordan and sons Jordan and Seth, and Jason Rodgers; brother, Dudly Salers; and sisters, Betty Corley, Linda Salers, Peggy Salers and Kathleen Matthews.
Pallbearers were Harold "Coon" Kirkpatrick, Wayne Murray, Keith Searcy, Chuck McDaniel, Billy Fletcher and John Davis.
Honorary pallbearers were Jordan Presley and Case Jordan.
The family thanks all their "Dear Friends" for the unending love and support during the very difficult past year.
Landon Carter Salisbury
Pearl
Landon Carter Salisbury, 6 months, died Friday, Aug. 3, 2007, at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto, Calif. Funeral services were Aug. 9 at the Ott & Lee Funeral Home Chapel in Brandon with burial in Hebron Cemetery in Rankin County. The Rev. Keith Grubbs officiated.
Carter was born Jan. 17, 2007 in Jackson. He was a brave and strong little boy who battled a very rare heart defect.
Carter was greatly supported and loved by his Cedar Ridge family where he lived. He also touched the lives of everyone he met.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Jerry Milford Salisbury.
Carter is survived by his parents, Keith and Brandi Salisbury of Pearl; maternal grandparents, Homer and Betty Ann Warren of Meridian and Delton and Debra Coleman of Morton; paternal grandmother, Linda K. Salisbury of Toomsuba; sisters, Kelsey Salisbury of Pearl and Miranda Salisbury of Tucker; brother, Logan Salisbury of Meridian; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
Pallbearers were Paul Wallace, Jamie Bradley, Jim LeCompte and Lynn Varner.
The family sends a special thank you to Dr. Frank Hanley and everyone in the CVICU at LPCH for their loving care.
Cheryl Stidham
Jackson
Cheryl Jean Stidham, 49, died Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2007, at Simpson General Hospital in Mendenhall. Services were Aug. 5 at Chancellor Funeral Home in Byram.
Cheryl was born in Montgomery, Ala., on Dec. 6, 1957. She had lived in the Jackson area since 1974 and was a member of Eagle Ridge Baptist Church in Raymond.
Survivors include her parents, Bill and Shirley Stidham of Jackson; brother, Kevin Stidham and wife Sharon of Brandon; and nephew, Austin Stidham.
Mary Ann Wansley
Florence
Mary Ann Wansley, 75, died Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2007 at Hospice Ministries in Ridgeland. Funeral services were Aug. 10 at Chancellor Funeral Home in Florence with burial in Sinai Cemetery in Florence.
Mrs. Wansley was a longtime resident of Rankin County and a member of First Baptist Church of Richland. She had been an assistant postmaster in Valley Park.
Her greatest accomplishment was as a proud housewife and mother.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Tom Wansley and her son, Will Wansley.
She is survived by sons, David Steen Wansley and wife Nancy of Vicksburg and Tandy Wayne Wansley and wife Lila of Richland; daughters, Tommie Ann Bays and husband Eddie of Brandon and Fran Braxton and Darryl Braxton of Pensacola, Fla.; brothers, James Ed Steen of Yazoo City and H.W. Steen of Cocoa Beach, Fla.; and grandchildren, Steen Wansley and wife Anna, Tad Wansley, Preston Braxton, Andrea Bays, Aden Wansley, Tyler Braxton and Bethany Wansley.
Memorials may be made to Baptist Children's Village, P.O. Box 27, Clinton MS 39060, or to Hospice Ministries, 405 Towne Center Blvd., Ridgeland MS 39157.
Mary C. Shurden
Brandon
Mary Catherine Shurden, 65, died Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2007, at Rankin Medical Center in Brandon. Funeral services were Aug. 17 at Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home in Pearl with burial in Brandon Memorial Gardens. The Rev. Tim Muse officiated.
Mrs. Shurden was born on Aug. 6, 1942 in Wesson to Jesse and Eva Dell Sanders. In 1960, she married her beloved husband Prinston Shurden and they made Brandon their home.
Mrs. Shurden was a homemaker and lovingly cared for children in her home. One child in particular captured the hearts of Prinston and Mary - Mary-Paxton Miller, daughter of Oby and Denise Miller.
Known affectionately as Papaw and Nana, they embraced Mary-Paxton as their granddaughter.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Prinston, whom she cared for deeply.
She is survived by her sisters, Helen Nevels, Linda Thompson and Yvonne Smith; and brothers, Jimmy Sanders, Ray Sanders and Warren Sanders.
Donations may be made to a favorite charity or to one of Mary's, the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children or Brandon Presbyterian Church.
The family thanks the staff members of Brandon Court for their wonderful care throughout Mary's illness.
Paul B. Wynne
Richland
Paul B. "Dock" Wynne, 90, died Monday, Aug. 13, 2007, at the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery V.A. Medical Center in Jackson. A graveside service was held Aug. 15 in Richland Cemetery. Dr. Bill Patterson officiated. Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Richland handled the arrangements.
Mr. Wynne was a native and lifelong resident of Rankin County. He was a World War II Army veteran having served in the Battle of the Bulge.
Mr. Wynne was a member of First Baptist Church of Richland, a member of the Masonic Lodge Plain Lodge No. 622 and was very involved in the starting of youth baseball in Richland.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Lucynda B. Wynne in 1999.
Survivors include his son, Paul L. Wynne and wife Lynn of Richland; grandsons, Paul Stacy Wynne and Christopher Lamar Wynne; and four great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Scott Wynne, Chris Wynne, Zachary Wynne, Jonathan Wynne, Stacy Wynne and Charles Wilson.
Rena Nations Armstrong
Pearl
Rena Nations Armstrong, 82, died Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007, at her residence. Funeral services were Aug. 24 at Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home in Pearl with burial in Floral Hills Memory Gardens in Pearl.
Mrs. Armstrong retired from Jitney Jungle at McLaurin Mart in Pearl.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ray Armstrong; daughter, Sybil Bradley; brother, Robert Nations; and sisters, Mattie Lee Herrington and Christine Barrentine.
Survivors include sons, Kenneth Ray Armstrong of Florence, Roger D. Armstrong of Pearl and James Gary Armstrong of Madison; daughter, Linda Snellgrove of Pearl; brother, Willard Nations of Brandon; sister, Madie D. Griffith of Jackson; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Sally Ruth Hill Stevens
Brandon
Sally Ruth Hill Stevens, 77, died, Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007, at St. Dominic/Jackson Memorial Hospital in Jackson. Funeral services were Aug. 23 at Pelahatchie Baptist Church with burial in Shiloh United Methodist Cemetery in Rankin County. The Rev. Steve Mayes and Chaplain Charles Jones officiated. Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Brandon handled the arrangements.
Mrs. Stevens was a member of Pelahatchie Baptist Church and was known as the Cross Lady. She had a love for Jesus Christ her Lord and Savior and she shared that love with everyone who came in contact with her.
She was involved in the Clown Ministry, Child Evangelism Fellowship and she taught Bible studies in the prison systems of Mississippi. Mrs. Stevens was the first woman to be permitted to teach at Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman.
She also taught teenagers in the RID Program at different prisons. She and her husband were foster parents for the Rankin County Youth Court. Sally also taught Bible studies at Timber Lake Camp Grounds and Pelahatchie Lake.
Mrs. Stevens' favorite hobby was painting and that is how she shared her love for ministry by giving her paintings away.
She was preceded in death by her parents, George Robert Hill and Sally Ragland Hill.
Survivors include her husband, Howard O. Stevens of Brandon; daughter, Terri Stevens Robinson and husband Jim of Brandon; son, Dr. Howard Mark Stevens and wife Cindy of Brandon; brother, W.C. Hill of Oxford; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Pierce Allen and Jessie Stevens of Hattiesburg; grandchildren, Mellisa Robinson, Jeremy Brent Robinson and wife Kristen Payne Robinson, Leslie Rebecca Robinson, Christopher Mark Stevens and Kevin Grant Stevens; and great-grandson, Hunter Thomas Robinson.
Pallbearers were Tommy Lyle, Brent Robinson, Charles Rochelle, Steve Rochelle, Alan Stevens, Christopher Stevens, David Stevens and Kevin Stevens.
Honorary pallbearers were Doug Baldwin, J.M. Brown, Fletcher Callaway, Gene Fitts, Vernon Flemister, Kyle Hairston, Johnny Harris, Marcus Osborne, G.B. Shirley and Ray Sparks.
Memorials may be made to Child Evangelism Fellowship.
Robert C. 'Bobby' Ferguson
Richland
Robert C. "Bobby" Ferguson died Friday, Aug. 24, 2007, at St. Dominic/Jackson Memorial Hospital in Jackson. Graveside services were held Aug. 25 at Glenwood Memorial Park in Richland. The Rev. Hobson Toney officiated. Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Richland handled the arrangements.
Bobby was a native of Georgia and had been a longtime resident of Rankin County. He was in the trucking business.
Survivors include his parents, James and Doris Ferguson of Richland; daughters, Michelle, Rachel and Brenda Ferguson, all of Texas; and brother, Jeffrey C. Ferguson of Richland.
Earl Richard Gill Sr.
Richland
Earl Richard Gill Sr., 59, a retired truck driver better known as the "Can Man" or "Pops," died Sunday, Aug. 19, 2007, at his home in Richland. Funeral services were Aug. 23 at the Ott & Lee Funeral Home Chapel in Richland with burial in Glenwood Memorial Park in Richland. The Rev. Hobson Toney officiated.
Earl is survived by his daughter, Dyanna Fuselier and husband Michael; sons, Earl Richard Gill Jr., James Gill and wife Melissa and Jason Gill and wife Crystal; and grandchildren, Cody and Jaci Fuselier, Stephen Gill, Zachary and Jessica Gill, and Allison and Madison Gill.
Pallbearers were Dewayne Hall, Franklyn Lick, Joe Smith, Kenny Donald, Wayne Herrington and Joshua Daniels.
