Mary Ann Melissa Breland
81, of Purvis
Mary Ann Melissa Breland, 81, of Purvis, born to Joseph and Elizabeth Cagle, died Feb. 9, 2020 at her home. A retired secretary at Forrest General, mother of one son (Thomas of Purvis); and three daughters (JoAnn Anderson, Lynita Faye Reid, and Cindy Bowers, all of Purvis); sister of six siblings including Luther Cagle of Hattiesburg, Beulah Cagle of Lumberton, Ethel May Nobles of Purvis, and Francis Hartfield of Oak Grove; grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great grandmother; burial in Slade Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery.
David Thomas Butler
81, of Hattiesburg
David Thomas Butler, 81, of Hattiesburg; a native of New Orleans; died Feb. 2, 2020; retired from Hapag-Lloyd Shipping Company; veteran of the U.S. Army; husband of Jane (Davis Butler); father of two sons (Michael of New Orleans and Jeremy of Atlanta); and two step-daughters (Jenifer Tidwell of Arlington, Miss., and Lynn Bates of Los Angeles); brother of Phyllis Mize of Denver; burial in Trinity Episcopal Columbarium.
BeBe Carey
88, of Richton
Be Be Carey, daughter of Virgil and Fannye McBride; raised in Laurel, she worked for Carey Chevrolet for 47 years and owned and operated The Clothes Pen clothing store in Richton; wife of Billy Ray; mother of one son (Billy Jr. of Hattiesburg) and two daughters (Carolyn and Kenneth Rawls of Mobile, Ala. and Kaye and Cary Mercer of Arcadia, Florida); proud grandmother anmd great-grandmother; best friend of Josephine Lymon.
Sandra Lutrick Greene
67, of Hattiesburg
Sandra Lutrick Greene, 67, of Hattiesburg; born to Monroe and Ora Lee Lutrick; died Feb. 8, 2020 at home in Hattiesburg; longtime school teacher; member of Hardy Street Baptist Church; wife of Richard Greene; mother of three sons (Thomas of Purvis, Jeff of Hattiesburg, and Jeremy of Brandon) and two daughters (Sarah Rowell of Heidelberg and Laura Williams of Hattiesburg); burial in Highland Cemetery.
Rex “Tommie” Hillman, Jr.
53, of Petal
Rex “Tommie” Hillman, Jr., 53, of Petal; born to Joyce Turner and the late Rex Hillman, Sr.; husband of Carole; father of two sons (Joshua and Daniel); member of Petal Harvey Baptist Church.
Travis Eugene Johnson
94, of Hattiesburg
Travis Eugene Johnson, 94, of Hattiesburg; born to George and Anna Johnson, died Feb. 5, 2020 at Merit Health Wesley; worked 35 years for South Central Bell Telephone; served in U.S. Army during World War II; husband of Rita; father of two daughters (Dawanda Walters of Sandersville and Deborah and Michael Brett of Ovett); burial at Big Creek Baptist Church in Soso.
Jeanette Leffler
89, of Dixie
Jeanette Leffler, 89; born to Ward and Ruth Purvis; died Feb. 6, 2020 at her home; worked for the Forrest County Tax Assessor’s office and Forrest County District Attorney’s office; member of Dixie United Methodist Church wife of 68 yeras to Walter Leffler, Jr.; mother of one son (Ronnie and Rhonda Leffler of Dixie).
Albert Oscar Letz, Jr.
81, of Hattiesburg
Albert Oscar Letz, Jr., 81, of Hattiesburg; born to Albert Oscar Letz, Sr. and Collis Lee Smith, died Feb. 4, 2020 at Alden Pointe; worked as an electrician for Local 995 IBEW in Baton Rouge for 43 years; husband of the late Joan Lewis Letz; father of two sons (Toby and Susan Letz of Purvis and Jack and Mary Letz of Lexington, Kentucky) and one daughter (Tonia and Wendell Hudson of Purvis); burial in Pine Grove Baptist Church Cemetery.
Charles E. Long
67, of Petal
Charles E. Long, 67, of Petal; born Oct. 21, 1952 in Greenwood, Miss. to Charles L. and Sammie Long, died Feb. 8, 2020 at Forrest General Hospital; retired from Tackett Farms in 2015; husband of Jane; father of four children (David and Brooke Long, Jean Marie and Todd Bierman, April and Ben Scott, and Christopher Hartness) and two step-children (Bradley and Darlene); burial in Highland Cemetery.
Johnathan Michael Moore
29, of Oak Grove
Johnathan Michael Moore, 29, of Oak Grove; born to Mike and Tamara Moore of Oak Grove; died Feb. 6, 2020; brother of Bradley Moore and Anna Kathryn Moore, both of Oak Grove; grandson of Dr. George and Charree Moore of Oak Grove and the late Billy and Doris Sledge; member of Oak Grove Baptist Church; burial in Highland Cemetery.
Weezie Glenn Phillips
91, of Hattiesburg
Weezie Glenn Phillips, 91, of Hattiesburg; died Feb. 6, 2020; mother of two sons (Bob of Mobile and Frank of Richmond Hill, Ga.) and one daughter (Becky Boone of Hattiesburg); she was preceded in death by her husbands, Bobby Glenn and Van Phillips; burial in Highland Cemetery.
Zachary Scott Sanders
27, of Hattiesburg
Zachary Scott “Zach” Sanders, 27; born to Teresa and the late, Rick, Sandsers; died Feb. 3, 2020 at University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson; fiancé of Sarah Reid; survived by his children, Leo Sanders, Lillian Sanders and Gabriella Howard; brother of Lyndsy Temple; grandson of Jackie Stockstill and the late Ora Lee Sanders, the late Led Scott Sanders, and the late Ira L. Stockstill; burial in Eastside Baptist Church Cemetery.
Glenn Allen Stephens, Sr.
81, of Petal
Glenn Allen Stephens, Sr., 81, of Petal; born to the late Milton and Pauline Stephens, died Feb. 9, 2020 at home; member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church; husband of Cheryl Kay Stephens of Petal; father of two sons (Glenn Jr. and Rob Lee Stephens); burial in Walters Cemetery.
William Ray Stockton
61, of Hattiesburg
William Ray Stockton, 61; born Aug. 2, 1958 in Columbus, Ohio, died Feb. 5, 2020 at his home; father of four children (Chelsie, Heather, William, and Hannah).
James Howard Stone
93, of Hattiesburg
James Howard Stone, 93; born in Texas, died Feb. 6, 2020 at his home in Provision Living; worked for British American Oil Company, Gulf Oil and Chevron; served in Korea with U.S. Army; longtime member of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church; husband of 69 years to Evelyn Stone; father of one daughter (the late Janice Krokum); grandfather of Cody Pruitt of Colorado and Clint Pruitt of Illinois.
Sherman E. Sylvest
84, of Petal
Sherman E. Sylvest, 84, of Petal; born to Ali and Mattie Sylvest, died Feb. 7, 2020; retired welder; husband of Nettie; father of one son (Joe) and three daughters (Sharon Milstead, Teresa Clark, and Ann Green); 10 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren; and 14 great-great grandchildren; burial in Morriston Cemetery.
Anthony ‘Tony’ Keith Tisdale, Sr.
69, of Petal
Anthony “Tony” Keith Tisdale, Sr, 69, of Petal; born to Douglas and Eva Lea Tisdale, died Feb. 8, 2020 at Asbury Hospice House; served in U.S. Army; husband of Linda; father of four children (Keith, Rachael McKenney, and Zachary, all of Petal, and the late, Kristy); burial in Hillcrest Cemetery.
Charles N. Townsend
90, of Hattiesburg
Charles N. Townsend, 90, of Hattiesburg; born to Noel and Vervia Townsend, died Feb. 9, 2020 at his home; self-employed farmer, truck driver, and welder; husband of Opal; father of three sons (Brooks, Ted, and Hugh, all of Hattiesburg); five grandsons; three granddaughters, and seven great-grandchildren; burial in Providence Baptist Church Cemetery.
Kenneth Roland Walley
71, of Petal
Kenneth Roland Walley, 71; born to Roland Nathaniel and Marie Walley, died Feb. 5, 2020 in Petal; truck driver of more than 40 years; father of three daughters (Sonya Pearce of Runnelstown, Kim Walley, and Joani Garris of Leakesville.
Virginia Nell Reid Watson
80, of Carnes community
Virginia Nell Reid Watson, 80; born to Hubert Reid and Delphia Lott Reid, died Feb. 5, 2020 at Asbury House of Hospice in Hattiesburg; worked 40+ years for Vanity Fair Corp.; owned VW Finance Company with his her husband of 42 years, the late William B. “Bill” Watson; mother of one step-daughter (Karen Thomas of Birmingham, Ala.) and one step-son (Byron Watson of Newburn, Ala.); five step grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, a host of friends; burial to follow in the church cemetery.
Jim “Jimmy” White
56, of Santa Rosa, Cali.
Jim “Jimmy” White, 56, of Santa Rosa, Cali., born to Jimmy L. and Judith O. White, died Feb. 9, 2020 at his family’s home in Hattiesburg; an artist, vocalist, and poet; member of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and a previous Graphic Arts Teacher at Santa Rosa Junior College; brother of Shari W. Rowell of Petal and David Lance White of Zachary, La.; step-son of Mitzi White of Richton; step-brother of Lance Kirby of Atlanta and Houston Kirby, of Hattiesburg; and his beloved cat, Beau.
James Thomas Jackson
82, of Tupelo
Services for James Thomas “Jimmy” Jackson, 82, of Tupelo – father of Hattiesburg’s Thomas Jackson – were held Feb. 10 at St. James Catholic Church in Tupelo.
Mr. Jackson died Feb. 6, 2020, at Sanctuary Hospice House in Tupelo following a short illness. He was 82.
James was born Nov. 10, 1937, in Pontotoc, Miss., to James L. and Zadie (Seals) Jackson.
At the age of 17, he joined the United States Army and served for four years, most notably as a Jump Master in 82nd Airborne Division.
On Labor Day of 1962, he married Sue Clayton, and they had been residents of the Richmond community for more than 40 years. James worked as a lineman for many years at Tombigbee Electric and Tennessee Valley Association. A dedicated member of the Knights of Columbus and volunteer at the Faith Food Pantry and local fire department, he was a faithful member of St. James Catholic Church for more than 32 years, where he served as an usher and treasurer.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Nancy McJunkin.
Survivors include his wife, Sue Jackson, of Tupelo; sons Mitchell Jackson and his wife, Mandy, of Tupelo, and Thomas Jackson and his wife, MacAllister, of Hattiesburg; three grandchildren: Christin Graves and her husband, Garry, of Germantown, Tenn., John Evan Jackson and his wife, Kayla, of Guntown, and James Jackson, of Hattiesburg; four great-grandchildren (Wen, Hazel, and Gea Vivian Graves and Livi Jackson); and several nieces and nephews.
He was buried in Pontotoc City Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Sanctuary Hospice House, P.O. Box 217, Tupelo, MS 38803 or St. Luke United Methodist Church, 1400 Clayton Ave., Tupelo MS 38804.
