The Clarion-Ledger

James Michael Ingram, 67, passed away peacefully on April 15, 2024. He was born on November 24, 1956 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to James Oliver and Marie Howard Ingram. James, known to most of his colleagues as "Jim" and also known to close friends and family as "Jamie" was a devoted husband to his beloved wife, Janice, a loving father to two children: Michelle and James Wesley and was a cherished grandfather to his granddaughter, Wesley Marie. Growing up the son of an FBI agent, Jim moved around the country with his parents and two brothers from Oklahoma to Illinois, New Jersey, Mississippi where he attended McWillie Elementary School, and Virginia where he attended James Madison High...

Robbie Bratcher Cross was born on March 3, 1930, in Pelahatchie, Mississippi, to Gaines and Lozine Stegall. Graduating from Morton High School in 1948, Robbie was honored to have been named Miss Morton High her senior year. Robbie had a passion for math and graduated from Mississippi College with a Mathematics degree. She used that gift to assist in the development of the mathematics program at Jackson Preparatory School, teaching there for several years. Following college, Robbie married her first love, Tom Bratcher Jr., and together they had two children, Cheryl Bratcher Jeanes and Ladd Bratcher. Robbie and Tom began a successful construction business and continued to live in the...

Carol Ann Statham Grigsby passed away on April 8, 2024 at the age of 78 at Community Place Nursing Home to join her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in her heavenly home. She was born November 30, 1945, in New Orleans, Louisiana, to her parents Harry Anderson Statham, Jr. and Sadie Marie Purvis Statham, both now deceased. In addition, Carol is predeceased by her only sibling, her brother, Terry Lee Statham and her grandparents Talmadge and Mattie Purvis, of Flora, MS and Harry and Josephine Statham of Jackson, MS. Carol moved with her parents to Jackson, MS following her father's discharge from the Marine Corps after WWII. Surviving to cherish her memory is her husband Robert D. (Bob) Grigsby....

Anne Hollis Cooner Bowlus passed away peacefully Saturday, April 6, 2024, at The Madison Health and Rehab in Madison, Mississippi. She was surrounded all month by family and a large group of caregivers whom she loved dearly. Born February 22, 1935, in Jasper, Alabama, her parents were the late Judge Rufus Andrew Cooner and the late Lucille Hollis Cooner. Reared in Mobile, Alabama, Anne attended Old Shell Road Elementary School and Murphy High School. In the summer of 1951, she was selected to attend the Westminster Choir College summer program in Princeton, New Jersey. During her senior year of high school, Anne wrote a five-day-a-week newspaper column entitled "Tween Us Teens" for The...

Angela Pollok Keyser Smith, age 93, died on April 2, 2024 in Charleston, South Carolina. She is survived by her husband, Colton; three adult children: Kathleen Smith, Andrew (Audrey) Smith and Charles Smith; and four grandchildren: Jae Halverson, Graham Halverson, Eliza Smith and Tanis Halverson. Angela was born on June 24, 1930 in London, England to parents, John and Jessie Keyser. She has two younger siblings, Judith Gallimore and William (Carla) Keyser. Angela embraced the many extraordinary events in her life (WW2 in England, American School of Ballet in New York and studying under Joseph Pilates, Nurse-Midwife in England and MS, living through the 60's Civil Rights movement in MS and...

Mary Katherine "Katie" Grower Walley, age 77, the proud daughter of John and Mary Catherine Grower, passed away Saturday, March 30, 2024. Katie was a 1964 graduate of St. Joseph Catholic School in Jackson. Katie's surviving siblings are John Grower, Jr. of Gulfport, Mississippi, Judy Grower Reeves of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Michael Grower of Ridgeland, Mississippi, and children Marty McCullough McCoy (Bennie) of Lawton, Oklahoma, James McCullough (Tammie) of Gluckstadt, Mississippi, and Katie McCullough McMahon (Scott) of Woodstock, Georgia. Visitation will be Saturday, April 6, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at St. Richard Catholic Church, 1242 Lynwood Dr, Jackson, Mississippi, followed...

Bettye Smith Pierce passed away peacefully on March 16, 2024 at St. Catherine's Village where she and her husband Jim of 70 years had been residents since November 2014. She was born on October 24, 1933, and was the only child of Bessie and J. Herman Smith of Kosciusko, MS. Bettye was a member of Highland Colony Baptist Church of Ridgeland, MS. She was a graduate of Millsaps College and a member of Kappa Delta Sorority. For many years she and Jim made their home in Yazoo City where for 25 years she owned and operated Bettye Pierce Realty. Afterward, she operated as a Broker representing the buying and selling of property throughout MS and Florida. Bettye was one of the first women to enter...

Mr. Donald Richard Partridge "Richard", 85, passed away peacefully of natural causes on March 8, 2024, at his home in Jackson, Mississippi. Richard was born in Omaha, Texas on February 14, 1939, and lived in Pittsburg, Texas for most of his early childhood. Richard has been a resident of Jackson, Mississippi for most of his adult life. Mr. Partridge was a man of great vision and insight. He was always artistic and had a strong entrepreneurial spirit. He enjoyed designing, building, and turning his ideas into reality. To his artistic nature and architectural credit, Richard held several process and utility patents. Mr. Partridge leaves behind a distinguished business reputation and...

Harold Day "Hal" McDonald, Jr., adored husband, brother, uncle and friend, passed away behind the wheel of a car he had lovingly rebuilt on Sunday, March 3rd. He leaves behind his devoted wife of nearly 28 years, Laurie Ella, as well as his beloved siblings, nieces, nephew, and countless friends. Born and raised in Jackson, Hal was a graduate of Jackson Academy and later the University of Southern Mississippi where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. Following college, Hal followed his father's footsteps into the insurance business and later worked with his brother at McDonald Claims. From a young age, Hal began honing his lifelong passion of "tinkering." He had a real...

Virginia Wilson Mounger, known as Ginny, was born on June 24, 1954, and died on March 1, 2024. She was the middle of three daughters born to parents Martha and Earl Wilson. Her husband, John Harbour Mounger, died in 2014. She is survived by her sisters Ann Holifield (Henry) and Amy Lyles Wilson (Henry Granberry); nephews Wilson Holifield (Jennifer) and Lyles Holifield (Katelyn); nieces Martha Grace Gray (Matt) and Mary-Milam Granberry (Ross Hilliard); great-nephews Robert Wilson Gray and Halston Lyles Holifield; great-nieces Cameron Grace Holifield, Ann Lyles Gray, Parker Marie Holifield, and Mary Lyles Holifield. Ginny graduated from Jackson Prep, Mississippi State, and the University of...

Rachel Whitman Coker, age 84, passed away on February 28, 2024, after a five-year battle with Alzheimer's disease. She was born in Montgomery, AL on August 14, 1939, and had lived in Diamondhead, MS for 30 years. She was a retired Bell System (AT&T) employee, having worked 32 years in Montgomery, AL, Fairfax/Alexandria, VA and Birmingham, AL as a Service Representative, Business Office Supervisor, Business Office Manager, Staff Manager, and at a time of retirement, Manager, Public Communications Business Office for a five-state area. She and her husband Fletcher moved to Diamondhead, MS in 1994 and she spent her time enjoying her church, her family and playing golf. Prior to her...

William B. Porter "Bill". October 24, 1940 -- February 24, 2024. Services will be held Thursday, February 29, 2024 at Parkway Funeral Home in Ridgeland with visitation starting at 1pm, followed by a celebration of Bill's life at 2pm in the chapel. For Bill's full obituary, please visit Parkway Funeral Home's website at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/11683248.

Linda French Ezelle, 74, of Madison went to be with her Lord at home on Febraury 9, 2024. She was surrounded by her husband, Will; her daughter and son-in-law, Erica and Brandon Roberts; and her sister, Carolyn Mitchell. Linda was born September 18, 1949 to Eunice and Shelvie Rutland in Jayess, MS. In addition to those surrounding her, she is survived by the children of Brandon and Erica Roberts, daughters, Charley, Emerson, Bennett, Sutton Brooks and Laithe; and son, Kinler. Additionally, she is survived by her step-daughter Joanne Wellborn, portly beagle, Oliver, and numerous nephews and nieces. A Memorial Celebration of Linda's Life will be held at Canton Christian Center, 2735 Highway...

Barbara was born in Selma, Louisiana September 9, 1932 to Emmett H. Morrow and Martha (Mattie) Francis Morrow of Pollack, Louisiana. She graduated from Pollack High School and attended Spence College of Business in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After college she went to work at Fort Polk Army Base. There she met Johnny B. Stringer, the love of her life. After leaving the Army, they moved to Jackson, Mississippi. She and Johnny were blessed with three precious daughters, Belinda Gordon (Douglas), Sheri Gordon (Chuck), and Tanya Mills (Tommy). They were given five wonderful grandsons, Wesley Gordon (Meaghan), Nicholas Gordon (Mary Todd), Winston Gordon, Cooper Gordon (Lexi), and Tyler Towers....

Jerry Ervin Ishee was born March 25, 1927 and passed away on February 4, 2024 at home surrounded by family. Jerry is survived by his wife of 75 years, Betty Lancaster Ishee and by two sons, Jerry II (Sue) of Nashville, TN and Jim (Jan) of Jackson. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Austin and Owen Ishee of Jackson. He was the son of Ozziel and Emma Jane Johnson Ishee and brother of Billie Ruth Powe, all of whom predeceased him. At the age of 17, Jerry enlisted in the US Navy and served in the Pacific during World War II. He attended Shady Grove High School and graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy in 1953. Following graduation, he worked as a...

Dr. Glyn Roy Hilbun passed away peacefully on February 3rd at St. Dominic's Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi after a brief illness. Dr. Hilbun was born in Lucedale, MS, on May 16, 1938, to B.J. Hilbun and Evelyn Marie Griffin Hilbun. He graduated from Lucedale High School in 1955 and attended Mississippi State University before transferring to the University of Mississippi Medical School in Jackson. He graduated from medical school in 1962 and did a fellowship at the University of Texas Medical Branch (John Sealy) in Galveston, Texas. He returned to the University of Mississippi Medical School and completed surgical residency in 1967. While obtaining this residency, Dr. Hilbun was...

William Roberts Wilson, Jr left this life on January 30, 2024, in Oxford, MS, surrounded by his children. The funeral will be Friday, February 9, 2024, at 2:00 P.M. at St. Peter's Episcopal Church with The Rev. Jennifer Southall officiating. Visitation will be held prior to the service beginning at 1:00 P.M. A graveside service will be held Saturday, February 10, 2024, at 12:00 noon in Woodlawn Cemetery in Sumner, MS. Waller Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. What a life it was. Bob lived life to the fullest, and did his best to share the banquet with anyone he cared about. He truly never met a stranger, and his happy admonition upon meeting anyone who tried to call him "Mr. Wilson"...

Our beloved son and brother, Rob England, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Friday morning, January 26, 2024. Rob was born in Jackson on April 2, 1980, to Barbara and Bob England of Madison. He is survived by his parents; his brothers, Zach England of Brandon, and Chris England (Nancy) of Grenada; several nieces and nephews; his aunts, Libby Phillips (John) of Tulsa, OK, and Linda Crowder (Larry) of Mobile. He is also survived by his cousins, Emile Meyer of Ardmore, OK, Preston Phillips, of Jackson, Alisa Andrews (Gary) of Gulf Shores, Lindsay England Smoak (Karleigh) of St. Petersburg and Jeremy England of Austin. He is survived by his special love, Jill Moran of Slidell. He is...

With her family by her side, Beverly Jewel Lawson Hankins, 67, passed from this life to the next on January 24, 2024. She believed that even the briefest moments shared with others were an opportunity to brighten someone else's day, and that belief left a trail of joy everywhere she went. Forever a champion for underdogs, she always looked for opportunities to lift up others, which even extended to her love of Ole Miss baseball and women's basketball. Swayze Field was one of her favorite places to be, perhaps only surpassed by riding It's a Small World at Walt Disney World?again and again?preferably while wearing a huge, colorful hat. She was preceded in death by her father Denton...

Martha Geraldine Herring Story passed away to be with the Lord in Beau Ridge Memory Care, Ridgeland, Mississippi on December 27, 2023. Geraldine was born in Opelika, Alabama on July 27, 1939 to Glennie and Floyd Herring. She attended Beauregard High School. Geraldine had three children Dr. Daniel Bobby Story II, Sharon Story Gowan, and Sabrina Story Thigpen. She worked as an administrative assistant for the National Park Service at Gulf Islands National Seashore and the Social Work service of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Geraldine is survived by her children, Dr. Daniel Bobby (Holly) Story II, Sharon (Tim) Gowan, and Sabrina (Jeff) Thigpen; 9 grandchildren and 3 great...

Celebration services honoring the life and legacy of Cheryl "Cheri" Merritt Barry will be held at noon, January 12, 2024, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Meridian, Mississippi. Officiating will be the Rev. Austin McGehee of St. Paul's and Pastor Rhett Payne of First Presbyterian Church. The family will receive friends from 9 until 11:45 a.m. at St Paul's. Robert Barham Family Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Cheri, 68, passed in the happiest of places?her home? on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2023. The words are so straightforward?passed away on Christmas Eve?but Cheri's family explains the moment she took her last breath was perfect and was everything Cheri would have wanted,...