Leonard Carroll Bryant
87, of Hattiesburg
Leonard Carroll Bryant died June 23, 2019, at his home in Hattiesburg. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, June 28, at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension with burial in Roseland Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, June 27, at the Hattiesburg Chapel of Moore Funeral Home.
Mr. Bryant was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Ascension. He received a Bachelor of Science in geology from the University of Texas and worked independently as an oil and gas geologist until his retirement. He was active with Hub City Humane Society and the Dubard School for Language Disorders. He served in the Navy and served during the Korean War.
Survivors include his daughter, Dr. Beverly Bryant; two grandsons.
Melissa Gail Crane
49, of Richton
Melisa Gail Crane died June 19, 2019, at her home. Services were June 22 at First Assembly of God Church in Richton with burial in the church cemetery.
Mrs. Crane was a member of Hickory Grove Holiness Church. She was a certified nursing assistant.
Survivors include her husband of 33 years, Charles Crane of Richton; daughters, Heather Crane, Brandi White, Lindsey Dueitt, all of Richton; parents, Rayford and Nell Davis of Petal; Earline “Meme” Brown of Richton; brother, Jeff Davis of Petal; sister, Lynn Davis of Petal; mother-in-law, Kathy Crane of Petal; two grandchildren.
Kathleen Commiskey Curley
90, of Hattiesburg
Kathleen Elizabeth Commiskey Curley died June 25, 2019. A rosary will be held at 7 pm Thursday, June 27, with visitation from 5-7 pm at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday, June 29, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 313 Walnut St., Hattiesburg.
Mrs. Curley was the daughter of Hugh Walsh Commiskey and Cassandra Agnes Hegwood Commiskey. She was born Oct. 31, 1928, in Brookhaven. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Daughters of the American Colonists, the Dames of the Court of Honor, and the VFW Lacy Kelly Post 3036 Ladies Auxiliary. She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and retired from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Survivors include her children John Michael Curley, Mary Shannon Curley Chiasson, Kathleen Erin Curley, Patricia Maureen Curley Schmidt and Cecilia “Pipper” Curley Hickman; 10 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.
Linda Walker Dedeaux
68, of Carnes
Linda Walker Dedeaux died June 22, 2019, at Asbury Hospice House in Hattiesburg. Services were June 26 at First Baptist Church of Carnes with burial in Bounds cemetery.
Survivors include one brother, Mike Walker,three sons, Sean Keith of Hattiesburg, Tony Keith of Petal, and Adam Keith; one daughter, Bessie Barnes of Perkinston; and nine grandchildren.
Bettie Randle Freeman
65, of Hattiesburg
Bettie Randle Freeman died June 21. Services were June 25 at Main Street United Methodist Church with burial in Highland Cemetery.
Mrs. Freeman taught at North Forrest High School for 25 years. She was the former owner of Crossgates Christian Supply Center. She was a member of Main Street United Methodist Church.
Survivors include her husband, the Rev. Glenn Freeman of Hattiesburg; two daughters, Amy Noel Freeman of Hattiesburg, and Mary Grace Freeman Walters of Laurel; one sister, Shirley Randle of Starkville; two brothers, Bill Randle of Brandon and Russell Randle of Starkville; five grandchildren.
Jean Ferguson
75, of Hattiesburg
Jean Ferguson died June 20, 2019, at her home. Services were June 23 with burial in Highland Cemetery.
Survivors include one daughter, Gwen Ferguson Broome; four grandchildren; one great-grandson; one sister, Dorothy Dearman.
Nancy Knight Gilpin
72, of Hattiesburg
Nancy Knight Gilpin died June 19, 2019, at Asbury Hospice House. Services were June 22 with burial in Providence Baptist Church Cemetery.
Mrs. Gilpin was a member of Hardy Street Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Michael D. Gilpin; two daughters, Michelle Gilpin and Ellen Bradley; one son, Andrew Gilpin; four grandchildren.
Lois Doleac Grayson
96, of Hattiesburg
Lois Doleac Grayson died June 23, 2019, at her home. A mass of Christian burial will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 27, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with burial in Highland Cemetery.
Mrs. Grayson was a homemaker and a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. She was a graduate of Hattiesburg High School, where she played tennis and ran track. She was the first Miss Hattiesburg in 1939. She was a lifetime Phi Kappa Mother, one of the founders of Hattiesburg Homebuilders Ladies Auxiliary, and a member of the Hattiesburg Country Club since the 1950s.
Survivors include five sons, Ronnie Doleac, Donnie Doleac, Larry Doleac, Barry Doleac, and Perry Doleac; 15 grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren.
Rosita Anderson Lee
79, of Petal
Rosita Anderson Lee died June 18, 2019. Services were June 20 at Hulett-Winstead Funeral Home Chapel.
Mrs. Lee was a retired hairdresser and real estate agent and a member of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include her husband, Lonnie W. Lee Jr. of Petal,; two daughters, Debra Lee Carr of Jackson and Angela Lee of Flowood; two sisters, Alice Anderson Merritt of Laurel and Shirley Anderson Phillips of Petal, two grandchildren.
Don Rake
84, of Hattiesburg
Don Rake died June 24, 2019, at Forrest General Hospital. Services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Friday, June 28 at Kensington Woods Church of Christ with burial in Cherished Acres Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, June 27, at Moore Funeral Home in Hattiesburg.
Mr. Rake was an elder of Kensington Woods Church of Christ. He served in the United States Army Reserve for 8 years where he obtained the rank of captain.
Survivors include his wife, Jonell Rake of Hattiesburg; his five children, Phil Rake and Nancy Duda, both of Hattiesburg, Gary Rake of Brookhaven, Jeff Rake of Zachary, La., and Liz Roth of Petal; three sisters, Leota Wroten, Linda Burns, and Judy Allwood; 11 grandchildren; 6 great grandchildren; .
Bobby Strahan
71, of Petal
Bobby Strahan died June 23, 2019, at his home. Services were June 26 with burial in Highland Cemetery.
Mr. Strahan was in the grocery business for most of his life, beginning with a high school job at Winn Dixie. He later worked at Lewis Grocery for many years before becoming the owner and operator of Barrontown Grocery.
Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Pam Donohoe Strahan; his sons, Bryan Strahan, and Michael Strahan, all of Petal; his brothers, Jimmy Strahan and Bill Strahan; a sister, Patty; eight grandchildren.
Howard Lee Tucker Sr.
88, of Dixie
Howard Lee Tucker Sr died June 20, 2019, at Claiborne Memory Care facility of Hattiesburg. Services were June 24 at Dixie United Methodist Church with burial in the church cemetery.
Mr. Tucker was founder of Tucker Mechanical in 1952 and was a member of Dixie United Methodist Church.
Survivors include two sons, Howard Chuck Tucker and Roy Terrell Tucker, both of the Dixie Community; three grandchildren.
