Joe W. Blissard

PHEBA – Joe W. Blissard, 74, died Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009, at his home in the Cairo Community. He was born Oct. 4, 1934, in Houlka to the late Eva Adell Lowery and Jonathon Alonzo Blissard. He was an electrician for American Can Company for 30 years and a member of Enon Baptist Church. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army serving during the Korean War. He married Eunice Nell Young Blissard on Jan. 17, 1958, in Houston.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009 at Calvert Funeral Home Chapel in West Point with the Rev. Avery Jones officiating and Rev. Danny Avery and Bro. Larry Haggard assisting. Burial followed in Cairo Cemetery in Clay County.

Survivors include his wife, Nell Young Blissard of Pheba; one daughter, Ruth Wooten (Scotty) of Montpelier; one son, Tony Hill (Becky) of Cedar Bluff; six grandchildren, Tonya Williams, Toby Wooten, Yancy Wooten, Katina Smith, Trisha Dorroh and Jana Hill; seven great-grandchildren; and one sister, Verlie Hinton of Houlka.

He was preceded in death by one brother.

Pallbearers were Toby Wooten, Yancy Wooten, Stan Dorroh, Carl Hinton Daniels, Chris Turner and Mike Smith.

Honorary pallbearers were Lucian Poss, Toni Dichiara, Johnny Hamblin, Henry Johnson, James Rowe, Albert Mattox, Dudley Williams and the Enon Baptist Church Family.

Memorials may be made to the Cairo Cemetery Care Fund, c/o Jack Thompson, 5381 Hopewell Road, Cedar Bluff MS 39741.

Friends may leave a memory message at www.calvertfuneralhome.com.

David A. Johnson

VARDAMAN – David A. Johnson, 88, died Sept. 17, 2009 at his home in Vardaman. He was born June 2, 1921 in Morriston, Fla., to Snyder Sadock Johnson and Eva Pearl Simons Johnson. He was a member of New Hope Baptist Church and was a retired carpenter. He served in the United States Army in World War II.

Services were held Sept. 19, 2009 at New Hope Baptist Church in Vardaman with the Rev. J.R. Eaton officiating. Interment followed in the Elzey Cemetery in Vardaman. Parker Memorial Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Survivors include his wife, Betty Sue Johnson of Vardaman; one son, Jimmy Wright and wife, Bobbie Jean, of Houston; sisters, Lula Mae Walls and husband, Junior, of Houlka and Thelma Cherry and husband, David, of Houston; brother, Luther Johnson and wife, Trudy, of Elli Jay, Ga.; grandchildren, Monica McManus of Houston and Matthew Wright of Houston; great-grandchild, Justin McManus of Houston.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Raleigh and Carl Johnson; sisters, Pearl Crawford, Fern Storment and Ellen Barker.

Pallbearers were Edward Long, Bryant McClusky, Craig McClusky, George Clements, Ravis Winters and Matthew Wright.

Weenonah Louise Bayer

BELLEVUE, Neb. - Weenonah Louise Bayer passed away at home surrounded by her family. She had finished her life's work as "just a volunteer" following a nine-month battle with cancer. Born in Memphis, Tenn., to Hugh and Weenona Yarbough, Nonah was a military brat, wife and mother who made a loving home for her family in 14 states and three foreign countries. She and husband of 45 years, Colonel Curt Bayer, moved to Nebraska in 1989 and soon declared it their home of choice. A dedicated "professional volunteer," Nonah served in many nonprofit leadership positions at the local, regional and national levels. She was the national Volunteer Chairman of American Red Cross of Military and Social Services programs and also served as the organizations national EEO/Diversity Committee Chairman for many years. She chaired two Nebraska Governor's Conferences on Community Service and served as President of the Nebraska chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Immediately prior to her illness, she served as the Board Chairman of Planned Parenthood of Nebraska and Council Bluffs; as President-elect of the Altrusa Club of Bellvue; as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Advisors for the Midwest Blood Region of the American Red Cross; and as a board officer of Latinas Unitas of Omaha.

She is survived by her husband, Curt; daughter, Weenonah (Jr.) and son-in-law, Jason, and grandson, "J.B.", of Bellevue; son, Curtis; daughter-in-law, Tori, and granddaughters, Emory and Josephine and grandson, Colin, of Arlington, Va.; mother, Weenona Watson, of Woodland; brother Hugh Yarbrough, of Houston; brother, Tad Watson, of Athens, Ala.

A private ceremony was held to mark her passing. In late October, a public celebration of her life will be held for her many friends. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at 907 Bellevue Blvd. North, Bellevue, NE, 68005; or to curtbayer@cox.net. Nonah has asked that in lieu of flowers, her memory be honored with donations to the Heartland Chapter of the American Red Cross, to Planned Parenthood of Heartland and to the Latino Center of the Midlands. Bellevue Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Jerry McGee

HOUSTON – Jerry Dean McGee, 50, died Monday, Sept. 14, 2009, at his residence in Houston. He was born Nov. 27, 1958, in Calhoun County to Biver Doyle McGee and Margaret Burrage. He was a carpenter and a member of Parkway Baptist Church.

Services were held Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009 at Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Houston. Burial was in the Wesley Chapel Cemetery. Memorial Funeral Home of Houston was in charge of arrangements.

Survivors include one son, Dean McGee (Rachel) of Houston; one daughter, Barbie Brassfield Gill (Richie) of Houston; his mother, Margaret Burrage; two brothers, Mickey McGee (Donna) of Warner Robins, Ga., and Dale McGee (Diane) of Coldwater; six sisters, Sandra Langley (Frankie) of Big Creek, Shirley McAnally (Cleveland) of Houston, Cindy Cofield (Ken) of Saltillo, Bettye Wright (Joe) of Murphreesburo, Tenn., Nettie Ware (T.K.) of Tupelo and Lisa Stewart of Memphis; and two grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his father, Biver Doyle McGee; an infant son; and a sister, Barbara McGee Crenshaw.

Jimmy Bray

HOUSTON- Jimmy Lee Bray, 58, died Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at Trace Regional Hospital in Houston. He was born November 20, 1950 in Houston. He was a disabled brakeman for the GMO Railroad and had been an employee of Astro Lounger and he was a member of Houston First Baptist Church.

Services were held Thursday, September 17 at Houston Funeral Home with Rev. Scott Samuell officiating. Burial followed at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in Houston.

Survivors include his wife, Sandra Harmon Bray of Houston; two daughters, Amanda Pettit (Brucey) and Tara Bray (Rocky), both of Houston; his mother, Clarice O’Barr Blaylock of Houston; three sisters, Linda Young (Johnny), Donna Golden, and Nancy Utz (Jamie), all of Houston; one brother, Bobby Bray of Houston; and seven grandchildren, Devin Boggs, Wyatt Bray, Hayden McGee, Ryder Pettit, Gunner Pettit, Sky Pettit, and Madelyn McGee.

He was preceded in death by his father, Joe Blaylock, and his grandparents, Jake and Ethel O’Barr.

Pallbearers were Dewayne Hallmark, Jake Young, Johnny Young, Bill Marion, Delane Harrington, and Johnny Huffman.

Friends and family may sign the online register at houstonfuneralhomesms.com.

Johnnie Moore

OKOLONA – Johnnie James Moore, 60, died Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009, at the North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo.

Services were held Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009 at Williams Memorial Chapel in Okolona. Burial was in the Oddfellows-Okolona Cemetery.

Willie Mae Waldrep

CEDAR BLUFF – Willie Mae McDougal Waldrep, 95, died Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009, at Dugan Memorial Home in West Point. She was born Oct. 8, 1913, in Cedar Bluff to Hattie Ophelia Murphy McDougal and Edward Monroe McDougal. She was a homemaker and a member of Calvary Baptist Church. She married Thomas Olen Waldrep Sr. on Jan. 14, 1933, in Waddell; he died on March 9, 1990.

Services were held Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, at Calvert Funeral Home Chapel in West Point with her grandson, Father Jeffrey Waldrep, officiating. Burial followed in Cumberland Presbyterian Cemetery at Cedar Bluff.

Survivors include two daughters, Mildred Faye Johnson (Ben) of Houston and Shirley Smith (Billy) of West Point; one son, Joe Ed Waldrep (Mary) of West Point; 18 grandchildren; 37 great grandchildren; and five great-great grandchildren; two sisters, Annie Hamby and Evie Watson; a daughter-in-law, Mary Frances Waldrep, all of West Point.

She was preceded in death by her husband; her children, Thomas Olen Waldrep Jr. and Alice Ray Freeman; and her brothers and sisters, Jodie Harrison McDougal, Minnie Lou Woolbright, Ruth Mae Blakeney, Jessie Lee Jones, Willie Marie Henley, Bessie Mae Seymore, Lucille Wright and Edward McDougal.

Pallbearers were Danny Waldrep, David Dwayne Waldrep, Troy Michael Waldrep, Thomas Freeman, Steve Freeman, Corey Smith and Shayne Smith.