Chickasaw Journal

Houston-Catalina Vasquez Guardiola, 90, passed away Wednesday, October 20, 2021 at her home in Houston, MS. She was born April 30, 1931 in Mexico to the late Margarito Vazquez and Dmitila Banda Vazquez. She was a member of Iglesia De Dias Nueva Vida Church. Services will be at 1:00 p.m., Monday, October 25, 2021 at Ponger-Kays-Grady Funeral Home in Wauchula, Florida with Pastor Alfonso Fernadez officiating. Burial will be at the City of Wauchula Cemetery. Memorial Funeral Home of Houston is in charge of arrangements. She is survived by three sons; Gonzalo Guardiola, Jr. (Maria) of Houston, MS, Serpio Guardiola of GA, Margarito Guardiola of VA; four daughters, Guardalupe Sambrano of FL,...

Philip Ashley Hollingsworth, 43, died Thursday, October 7, 2021, as the result of an ATV accident. He was born November 9, 1977, to the late Leon Hollingsworth and the late Linda Ann Hancock Hollingsworth. He was educated in Houston Public Schools and graduated with the Class of 1996. He attended Northeast Mississippi Community College. He was an Alfa Insurance Agent in Tupelo, with the Hollingsworth Insurance Agency. Philip was an avid outdoorsman enjoying hunting and fishing. He loved his tractors, equipment, and farming his land as the Hollingsworth men had done in the past. He was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church in Houston and believed strongly in the power of prayer. Philip...

Janet Lee King Blanton, 54, passed away Thursday, October 7, 2021 at Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield, AL. She was born on November 28, 1966 to Jackson Taylor King, Sr. and Lonia Janette Hill King in Chickasaw County, MS. She received the Nightingale Award in Nursing at Bevill State. She was a home health nurse for Keller Home Care. Services will be Sunday, October 10, 2 p.m. at Deaton Funeral Home Chapel, Red Bay, AL with Bro. Cory Alexander officiating. Burial will be in Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery, Vina, AL. Deaton Funeral Home, Red Bay, AL will be in charge of arrangements. She is survived by a loving husband - Jeff Blanton; five children - Juli Jones (Ryan), Jana...

Clinton-Mary Lois Hurst, 91, passed away Wednesday, September 29, 2021. She was born September 2, 1930 in Houston, MS to the late Charles Woodall and Bessie Elizabeth Crane Woodall. Services will be at 2:00 p.m., Friday, October 1, 2021 at Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Houston with her daughter, Donna Stewart officiating. Burial will be at Chickasaw Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Houston. Memorial Funeral Home of Houston is in charge of arrangements. She is survived by six daughters; Linda Best, Dorothy Williams (Ricky), Marilyn Gann, Maxine Wilk, Nancy Huffman and Donna Stewart Ghetti; her daughter-in-law, Sara Hurst; eleven grandchildren; thirteen great grandchildren; two great great...

Mr. Ira Henderson "Sonny" Clark, Jr, 77 of Charlotte, North Carolina passed away September 13, 2021 in Charlotte, NC. Sonny was born May 20, 1944 in Houston, Mississippi to the late Ira Henderson ( Pete) Clark Sr. and Sarah Farr Clark. He was a 1962 graduate of Milton High School , Atlanta Georgia and attended Georgia Tech for one year. Sonny spent six years with the Army Reserves. He is a member of Central Church and attended Trinity Church of the Nazarene from 1977- 1993. Sonny was married for 16 years to his first wife LaMae who is predeceased and was married to his current wife Thelma Clark for 32 wonderful years, from 1989 to present. Sonny has worked for 30 years as a computer...

Tammy Diane Houston McClain, 57, passed away Wednesday, September 8, 2021 at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North MS in Oxford. Tammy was born August 27, 1964 in Houston to the late Daniel Irwin Houston and Betty Jean Eaton Durham. She was a member of Parkway Baptist Church. A Memorial service will be held at 6:00 p.m., Monday, September 20, 2021 at Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Houston with Bro. Dempsey Rowland officiating. Memorial Funeral Home of Houston is in charge of arrangements. She is survived by her husband, Robert McClain of Houston; one step-son, Cody McClain; one step-daughter, Lori McClain Hearon; one sister, Amanda Scarbrough (James David); aunt and uncle, Claudia and Robert...

Roy Lynn Murphree, 64, passed away on Sunday, August 22, 2021 at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. He was born on September 20, 1956 in Bruce to Costin Lynn and Mary Virginia Stone Murphree. He graduated from Bruce High School and married the former Brenda Foster on December 3, 1976. Prior to his retirement from United Furniture, Roy worked in the area furniture industry for a number of companies. A former member of Nettleton Pentecostal Church, he was currently a member of the Pentecostals of Okolona. He was the family handyman and loved to build furniture pieces. He loved yard work and assembling model cars. He enjoyed attending Southern gospel concerts and sketching,...

WOODLAND, MS -- Lou Dean Davidson , 66, passed away Thursday, August 12, 2021, at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, MS. Services will be on Saturday August 21, 2021 at 2:00 pm. at Montgomery Mortuary Chapel in Houston, MS. Montgomery Mortuary of Houston, MS in charge of arrangements.. Visitation will be at Saturday August 21 2021 starting at 11:00 am until service time. Burial to follow at Shady Grove Cemetery in Calhoun County, MS..

Edward Coloyan Cortez passed away Wednesday, August 4, 2021 at North Mississippi Medical Center in West Point at the age of 82. He was born in Long Beach, California. He is survived by the love of his life, his wife of fifty years, Cynthia Cortez of Mantee; daughter, Kari Lawrence of Carthage, MS; and many nieces and nephews. Ed moved from California to Mississippi in 1989. He was a veteran of the U. S. Army and he worked at Mississippi State University before retiring. He enjoyed spending time with his great niece, Summer Roberson, great nephew, Dennis Roberson, as well as his niece Courtney Jackson and sister-in-law Debbie Jackson. One of his favorite pastimes was...

Helen Jo Miller Earnest-Barlow, age 83, passed away Sunday, August 1, 2021 at the Baptist Memorial Hospital of North Mississippi in Oxford. Funeral services were held on August 4, 2021 at Wells Funeral Home with interment following at Forrest Memorial Park in Batesville, MS. Helen was born on October 1, 1937 in Pontotoc County, MS to the late Duffie G. and Myrtie Moore Miller of Houlka, MS. When she was 8 years old, they moved to Chickasaw County attending Houlka Schools and graduating high school in 1955. After graduation, she moved to Memphis, TN where she raised her 3 daughters and worked with her husband, Walter Earnest, Jr. at their businesses, until he retired after many years and...

A brilliant light in our lives recently left this earth; Tom (Tommy Davis Hurt), 76, passed away on 19 JUL 2021. Born 18 JAN 1945 to Loraine and Gilbert Hurt in Louisville, MS, Tom had 2 siblings: his twin brother Wade, and his younger sister Anita. He grew up in Houston, MS and in 1968 graduated from Mississippi State University with a B.A. in Math/History. After college, he served as a Captain in the U.S. Army in Virginia and then spent the rest of his career as a civil servant at Vint Hill Farms Station (VHFS), Warrenton, VA where he made lifelong friends and met his wife Susan (Susie) Meehling. They married in 1987 and years later had a daughter, Samantha (Sam). Tom was a beloved...

Montevista, MS Mr. Bobby Frank Smith, 90, retired employee with Babcock and Wilcox Mfg. and farmer, died 5/10/21 at North MS Medical Center in Eupora, MS. Funeral Services were held 2:00PM Saturday 5/15/21 at Montevista Baptist Church in Webster County, MS. Pallbearers were; Kevin and Robbie Smith, Bubba Wright, D. J. Chandler, Brent Crowley, Neal Myatt, Bill Blissard and Kolby Crowley. Honorary Pallbearers were great grandsons. He was a member of Montevista Baptist Church. "Paw" as he was called by those that loved him best, loved to hunt and fish. The only thing he loved more was his family, especially his late wife, Clara Opal Ward Smith. He was preceded in death by his parents; John...

Daniel Constantine Lacey was born on March 4, 2021 to Robert Samuel Lacey and Laura Danielle Moore. He gained his heavenly wings on April 17, 2021 at just six weeks old at his home in McComb, MS. Daniel is survived by his parents, Robert Lacey and Danielle Moore; three sisters, Alysse Moore, Kaitlyn Moore and Holly Moore; three brothers, Dakota Lacey, Robert "Hunter" Lacey, and Samuel Lacey; two grandmothers, Barbara Moore and Connie Lacey; two grandfathers, David L. Moore and Todd Kester; two great-grandmothers, Margaret Jordan and Ella Lacey; one great-grandfather, David C. Moore; three uncles, Christopher Kregar (Trisha), Andrew Moore, and Joshua Kester (Katelynn); two aunts, Cassandra...

Dorothy Smith Kimmel 1932-2021 Dorothy Mae Smith Kimmel was born on October 15, 1932 in the community of Skuna Bottom, Mississippi, near the town of Houlka, and passed away quietly in her sleep on March 31, 2021. She is survived by her beloved sister Ethelene Keck of Gastonia, NC; 4 sons, William L. Kimmel (Edra) of Flowood, MS; Richard L. Kimmel (Terri), Greenwood, MS; Mark A. Kimmel (Kay) Greenwood, MS; and Frank S. Kimmel III (Courtney) Greenwood, MS; along with 11 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren. Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents Loyd Smith and Annie Mae Smith (McKnight) and one son Stephen Claude Spratlin. During her life, Dorothy was beloved by all who knew her...

Mrs. Barbara June Oglesby Davis, 83, passed from her earthly home on March 30, 2021 at Diversicare in Eupora, MS. She was born on October 23, 1937 in Columbus, MS to Jack Oglesby and Elouise Beasley Oglesby. Mrs. Davis attended New Hope High school in Lowndes County. She was a resident of Webster County near the Mantee area for over 60 years and was also a member of Mantee Baptist Church. A graveside service was held on April 3, 2021 at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Webster County and was officiated by Rev. Zach Sanford of Mantee Baptist Church, and her nephew Jack Wilson. Houston Funeral Home was in charge of Mrs. Davis`s arrangements. To her family, June Davis is remembered as a great...

Mrs. Gloria Rae Caffey Clay, 73, passed away at home on February 13, 2021. She was born in Memphis, Tennessee on September 15, 1947 to James T. Caffey and Audrey S. Caffey. She graduated from Clarksdale High School and received a bachelor's degree in home economics from Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. Because of her love for children, Gloria began a teaching career as a kindergarten teacher at Houston First Baptist Church. Continuing her career, Gloria completed teacher certification and taught eighth grade history at Houston Middle School until retirement. Active in the Houston community, Gloria was a member and president of the Cosmopolitan Club. She led Brownie and...

Ronald Joseph Fender of Jackson, Mississippi, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, February 9, 2021. A private memorial service was held at Northminster Baptist Church at 10 am Friday, February 12, 2021. The service will be available for live stream at northminsterbaptist.org. Ron was born in Lima, Ohio on December 20, 1969 to Joann and Bill Fender. After graduating from Lima Central Catholic High School in 1988, Ron enrolled in Ohio State University where he co-opted at Virginia Power and earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering in 1993. He was later licensed as a Professional Engineer. After college, Ron moved to Mississippi to begin his career at Entergy Nuclear. In 2005, he...

THORN -- James David Alford Sr., 77, passed away Sunday, January 24, 2021, at his home in Thorn. Services will be on Tuesday, January 24, 2021 at 2:00 at Thorn Church of God. Visitation will be at 11:00 until 2:00 Thorn Church of God parking lot.

William "Bill" Joseph Rea, Jr. was born September 25, 1930, in Houston, Mississippi to William Joseph Rea, Sr. and Adele "Queenie" Griffin Rea. Bill and his parents moved to Muskogee, Oklahoma in 1936 where they founded the Rea Brokerage Company, a wholesale food brokerage. In Muskogee, Bill attended Franklin Elementary, West Jr. High, and graduated from Muskogee Central High School in 1948. Bill attended St. Paul's United Methodist Church, was active in sports, local civic groups, and Oklahoma Boys State. Bill also started a lifelong involvement with the Boy Scouts in Troop 7, where he earned the rank of Eagle Scout and was selected to the Order of the Arrow. Throughout high school...

Jensen Asher Wiggs entered this world and went to his heavenly home on Thursday, January 14, 2021. He was born to Mason Wiggs and Jessica Sykes Wiggs at Baptist Memorial Hospital Union County in New Albany. He leaves behind his parents, Mason and Jessica Wiggs of Houlka; his siblings Alec Long, Lucas Dendy and Mila Wiggs all of Houlka; his grandparents, Faye and Kevin Doss of Houston, Jerry Wiggs of Houlka, and Joyce Wiggs of Algoma. He was preceded in death by his brother, Oliver Henry Wiggs. A graveside service will be held on Saturday, January 23, 2021 at 2:00 at Rose Hill Cemetery in Houlka with Brother Jason Brassfield officiating. Southern Funeral Chapel in Houston is in...

Andrew "Andy" Cortus Orr, 54, of Olive Branch, MS passed away January 4, 2021. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 6, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Coleman Funeral Home (6815 Parkview Blvd, Olive Branch, MS). A graveside service for family and close friends will be held on Thursday, January 7, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. at New Liberty Cemetery in Vardaman, MS. Coleman Funeral Home of Olive Branch is in charge of arrangements. Andy Orr was born May 17, 1966 in Utrecht, Netherlands. He had been with the Desoto County School system since 1992. Andy received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Mississippi State University and later received a Master's Degree in Education from the...