Senior Chief Ronald Earl Allen (US Navy Ret) (76) passed away on April 17, 2024. Burial is in Highland Cemetery, and Moore Funeral Service handled arrangements.
Eddie Richard Breazeale (83) passed away on April 19, 2024. Burial is in Coaltown Cemetery, and Hulett-Winstead Funeral Home handled arrangements.
Martha Graham Bufkin (82), of Hattiesburg, passed away on April 22, 2024. Visitation will be held from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 25 at Hulett-Winstead Funeral Home, with a service to follow. Burial will be in Providence Baptist Church Cemetery.
Helen Frances Canasta Hall (71), of Hattiesburg, passed away on April 21, 2024. Burial is in Providence Baptist Church Cemetery, and Hulett-Winstead handled arrangements.
Sybil B. Harper (82), of Hattiesburg, passed away on April 16, 2024. Burial is in Prospect Cemetery, and Moore Funeral Service handled arrangements.
Patricia “Pat” Heathcoe (72), of Brooklyn, passed away on April 19, 2024. Moore Funeral Service handled arrangements.
Bessie Lee Jennings (60), of Hattiesburg, passed away on April 17, 2024. Hulett-Winstead Funeral Home handled arrangements.
Danita Mae Nobles (61), of Purvis, passed away on April 15, 2024. Burial is in Pine Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, and Moore Funeral Service handled arrangements.
Father Pat O’Shaughnessy (80) passed away on April 19, 2024. A visitation will be held from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. on Monday, April 29 at Saint Fabian Catholic Church, with a Mass of Christian Burial to follow. Burial will be in Loughill Cemetery in Limerick, Ireland. Moore Funeral Service is handling arrangements.
Debra Kay Pace (62) passed away on April 18, 2024. Pinehaven Funeral Home handled arrangements.
Glen Wesley Pierce (93), of Hattiesburg, passed away on April 21, 2024. Moore Funeral Service is handling arrangements.
Danny Lee Saucier Sr. (68), of Purvis, passed away on April 16, 2024. Burial is in Corinth Baptist Church Cemetery, and Moore Funeral Service handled arrangements.
George Gerald Walker (84), of Hattiesburg, passed away on April 19, 2024. A visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 27 at Heritage Church, with a service to follow. Burial will be in Magnolia Memorial Gardens, and Hulett-Winstead Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
Warren White, Jr. (46), of Hattiesburg, passed away on April 17, 2024. Forrest Funeral Home handled arrangements.
Kathy Ann Winnett (65), of Baxterville, passed away on April 17, 2024. Burial is in Caney Baptist Church Cemetery, and Moore Funeral Service handled arrangements.
Mary Edith Easterling James, thought to be the oldest living WWII veteran in Mississippi, died April 22,2024 at the age of 105. During her 10 1/2 decades of life, she saw more changes to our world than can be imagined. She was born November 28, 1918 only two weeks after the end of WWI AND the year before women received the right to vote. Edith life spanned the explosion of many societal changes from horse and buggy to space travel. She experienced advances in communication and knowledge from hand cranked telephones to the invention of television, computers, cell phones and the internet.
She was born in rural Perry County on a farm. Her first trip to Hattiesburg was in a farm wagon pulled by a mule. Oldest of seven children, she grew up helping with farm chores and the rearing of her siblings. Her mother taught her to read at the age of four enabling her to begin school early at a three-room school house. Thus began her lifelong thirst for learning.
First of her family to attend college, she entered what is now University of Southern Mississippi on a work scholarship. To pay for her tuition, Edith worked in the library, served tables in the dining hall, and cleaned the buildings. Her father supplied farm products to a large family who lived in walking distance of the college to provide for her room and board. As a student, she participated in the Bertha Fritzsche Home Economics class forming a dance team for the football games which is believed to be the forerunner to the Dixie Darlings.
During those days, a person was allowed to begin teaching after two year of college which brought about her teaching of all her brothers and sisters. After completing her college degree, she joined the United States Navy as World War II had begun. She served for three years in New York, Chicago, and Newport, RI.
At the end of the war, she returned home and married another local veteran, Marcus James. Edith and he raised three daughters in the Petal area with her teaching high school English and later sixth grade reading in the Perry County and Petal school districts.
After her husband’s death and her retirement from teaching, she traveled extensively in the United States and Europe. Her travels culminated with a trip to China at age 89 with her daughters. Edith was active in forming the OLLI chapter at USM as a charter member. She was recognized for her many years of volunteer service at both Forrest General Hospital and Merit Health Wesley. Edith was also an active member of the Silver Belles Aerobics Class at Wesley from her mid 60’s until she was 98. An avid reader of anything based on a historical background as well as many current publications, her wealth of knowledge grew until the end. Her last seven years have been spent at Brookdale Senior Living facility where she formed many new friendships with the other residents and staff.
Edith took great pride in her family. She also treasured passing on the love of reading and learning to generations of students whose lives she touched in 35 years of teaching.
Edith was preceded in death by her husband, Marcus James and her parents, Ira and Mary Stevens Easterling and four siblings.
She is survived by her daughters Lou Ann Morris of Oak Grove, Mississippi, Linda (Terry)James Dulaney of Clarksdale, Mississippi, and Jenny James of Asheville, North Carolina. Edith had four grandchildren- Marcus James Dulaney, Meredith Dulaney Langston, Kevin Morris, and Anna Claire Gleason and five great-grandchildren. Other family members are sister, Geraldine Hinton and brother, Bennet Easterling and many nieces and nephews. The family especially thanks nephew Gary Rhodes who made it possible for her to live independently for many years.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the Edith Easterling James Education Scholarship, Petal Education Foundation, 103 East Central Avenue, Petal Mississippi 39465 or the charity of your choice.
A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, May 6 at Parkway Heights United
Methodist Church with visitation beginning one hour prior to the service.
