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Mary Farish Holmes
Mary Farish Holmes, 91, a longtime resident of Jackson, died of heart failure April 15, 2009, at the home of her beloved daughter, Mary Ann Mobley Collins in Beverly Hills, Calif. She was surrounded by her loving family.
Visitation is 5 to 8 tonight at Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home in Ridgeland and will continue at 1 p.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church of Jackson until services there at 2 p.m. Burial will be in Wright & Ferguson Parkway Memorial Cemetery.
Mrs. Holmes was born Nov. 5, 1917, at home in Jackson. She was the daughter of the late William Clancy “Peck” Farish and Mary Irene Stuart Farish.
She spent her early years in the Pearson community, where it was not unusual to see her riding her horses at a full gallop while standing straight up in the saddle. But her family said, “What else could you expect from someone who swam the Tchoutacaboutta River alone at the age of 10?”
Mrs. Holmes graduated from Central High School in Jackson and attended the University of Alabama. She lived many years in Brandon, where she was a businesswoman and homemaker, married to the late David Williams. For much of her career, she held a senior management position at the Mississippi Employment Security Commission and later worked for years as an administrative liaison in the Mississippi State Senate.
In 1986, the Los Angeles-based Westside Women’s Clinic honored her as one of 10 “Women of Achievement” for her dedication to helping other women. Following that was a proclamation from then-Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley.
She also was active in the March of Dimes and the Crohns & Colitis Foundation of America, serving as a tireless advocate for both causes. In her later years, she became involved with the National Juvenile Diabetes Foundation after one of her great-grandsons was diagnosed with the illness.
In 1989, she married Dr. Verner Smith Holmes of McComb. The late Dr. Holmes was a beloved physician whose influence on higher education in Mississippi is written in history. Dr. and Mrs. Holmes lived in McComb for many happy years and maintained contacts with family and friends there after retiring to Jackson.
As family friend and author A.J. Carothers once said, “God blessed us all by granting her a long life, giving several generations the opportunity to be acquainted with a true lady. She was certainly of the South, with Southern charm and Southern strength and following a great Southern tradition. She practiced the fine art of flirtation with a delicacy that put any man, of any age, at her quick disposal. I am proud to admit that I was one of her many conquests.”
She was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church and its Sunday school. Her family were charter members of the Central Presbyterian Church in Jackson. Mrs. Holmes was also a member of the J.J. White Memorial Presbyterian Church in McComb.
Survivors include two daughters and sons-in-law, Mary Ann Mobley Collins and Gary Collins, and Sandra Williams Young and Dr. E. Dixon Young; four grandchildren, Clancy Collins White, Guy William Collins, Lynn Covington Fifer and Katherine Fogerty Young; two great-grandsons, Garrett and Gaston Collins; a stepson, Verner S. Holmes Jr.; and a stepdaughter, Lissa Holmes Covington and her husband Jim Covington.
Memorials may be made to the Breast Cancer Center at John Wayne Cancer Institute, attention Dr. Armando E. Giuliano, 2200 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, Calif. 90404.
Walter Emanuel Tate
Walter Emanuel Tate, 76, of Summit, died April 17, 2009, at his residence.
Visitation is 10 a.m. Saturday at Rocky Point M.B. Church, north of Summit until services there at 11 a.m. Dr. Estes Taplin will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Young’s Funeral Home in Summit is in charge.
Mr. Tate was born Feb. 20, 1933, in Summit, to Estella and Sylvester Tate Sr.
His family said he was an amazing man, whose servitute and commitment to God and his community was unparalleled. He was an incredible father to his five children and an awesome grandfather.”
He enjoyed his work with Rocky Point M.B. Church, where he was a deacon and often helped neighbors with their daily tasks.
His family said, “It’s hard to sum up the life of a man who so few knew but who touched so many. Walter, “Daddy,” “Grandfather” and “Friend” are just a few of the names we used to greet Walter Tate. While we all called him different names, we can agree that his presence will be missed. So, let today be a celebration of his life. A life he lived fulfilling God’s ultimate commandment, treating others as he wanted to be treated.”
Mr. Tate was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, George, Nelson, Isaac and Sylvester Tate Jr.; a sister, Rebecca Tate Gayden; and a granddaughter, Jestina Pearson.
Survivors include three sisters, Ruth Tate Rudd, Hilda Tate Lee and Sarah Tate Collins; five children and their spouses, Anthony Tate, Kelvin Tate and Suretha, Felicia Belsar, Lanita Tate, and Ronald Tate and Gloria; 10 grandchildren and a great-grandson.
Luther Ratcliff
Luther Ratcliff of Liberty died April 22, 2009, at University Medical Center in Jackson.
Arrangements are incomplete at Cook’s Enterprise Funeral Home in McComb.
Rebecca Cook
Rebecca Cook, 91, of Magnolia, died April 21, 2009, at McComb Nursing and Rehab, after a sudden illness.
Visitation is 11 a.m. Monday at Mount Calvary M.B. Church until services there at noon. The Rev. Robert Jones, pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in the church Cemetery, with Peoples Undertaking Co. in McComb in charge.
Mrs. Cook was born Nov. 11, 1917, in Pike County, to Will and Lula Hampton Bates.
She was a faithful member of Mount Calvary M.B. Church, where she was in the Vocal Choir and the Mission Society.
Mrs. Cook was preceded in death by her husband, Claude Cook; her parents; a son, Claude Cook Jr.; two brothers, three sisters, a son-in-law and a daughter-in-law.
Survivors include three sons, William Cook and his wife Carolyn of Magnolia, Cephus Cook of Chatawa and Jesse Cook of Phoenix, Ariz.; three daughters, Billy Pitchett of Detroit, and Ella Brown and her husband Frank, and Jerristean Cook, all of Magnolia; 14 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; a special grandson she raised, Demond Cook of Phoenix; a special granddaughter she raised, Nicole Irwin of McComb; a special nephew she raised, Freddie Wallace of Magnolia; a brother, Wood-row Bates and wife Mildred of Magnolia; a sister, Mandy Nunnery of Magnolia; and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends.
Hilton Caston
Hilton Caston, 80, of Summit, died April 24, 2009, at University Medical Center in Jackson.
Arrangements are incomplete at Hartman-Sharkey Funeral Home in McComb.
To share sympathies, condolences and memories, go to Hartman-Sharkeyfuneralhome.com
Marilyn ‘Micky’ Cooper
Marilyn “Micky” Cooper, 70, a former longtime resident of McComb and wife of Jimmy Cooper, died April 23, 2009, at her residence in Woodland Park, Colo.
Arrangements are incomplete at Hartman-Sharkey Funeral Home.
To share sympathies, condolences and memories, go to Hartman-Sharkeyfuneralhome.com.
Octavis ‘Jimmie’ Ridley
Octavis “Jimmie” Ridley of Summit, died April 23, 2009, at his residence.
Arrangements are incomplete at Young’s Funeral Home in Summit.
Joyce Marie Jackson
Joyce Marie Jackson, 53, of McComb, died April 22, 2009, in Jackson.
Services are incomplete at Cook’s Enterprise Funeral Home in McComb.
Pearl A. Lowery
Pearl Beck Anderson Lowery, 76, of Liberty, died April 22, 2009, at Wesley Medical Center in Hattiesburg.
Visitation is 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Catchings Funeral Home in McComb, then 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Summit United Methodist Church until services there at 3 p.m. The Rev. Lloyd Calcote, the Rev. Mike Anderson and the Rev. Diane Woodall will officiate. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery.
Mrs. Lowery was born Jan. 1, 1933, in McComb, to John William and Mary Lettie Smith Beck.
She was a member of Summit UMC.
Mrs. Lowery was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Jimmy Washington Anderson; her second husband, Louis Lee Lowery; two sisters, Ina Beck Moak and Ernestine Beck Cowart.
Survivors include two sons, James Ladd Anderson and wife Bobbi of Hagerstown, Md., and the Rev. Mike Anderson and wife Peggy of Tylertown; a stepson, Larry Lowery of Bloomington, Ill.; a daughter, the Rev. Diane A. Woodall and husband Harold of Liberty and Baton Rouge; two stepdaughters, Loretta Corum and husband Denny of Bloomington and Lori Middleton of Natchez; two brothers, J.W. Beck and wife Sondra of Brandon and Fulton Beck and wife Nancy of Stedman, N.C.; two sisters, Irene Beck Smith of McCall Creek and Mildred Beck Anderson and her husband Harvey of Huntsville, Texas; 14 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and a host of friends.
Julia Webster Brown
Julia Webster Brown, 77, of Easleyville, La., died of respiratory failure April 22, 2009, at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge.
Visitation is 6 to 9 tonight at McKneely Funeral Home in Kentwood, La., and 8 a.m. Saturday until services there at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Brown Family Cemetery in Easleyville.
Mrs. Brown was born Nov. 6, 1931, in Savannah, Ga., to Earl and Margaret Webster.
She was a loving and generous wife, mom, grandmother and great-grandmother who dedicated herself to serving others. She was a caregiver to many elderly members of her community, but most of all she had a deep devotion to her family.
Mrs. Brown was preceded in death by her loving husband, Floyd R. Brown Sr.; her parents; and a brother-in-law, Joe Diaz.
Survivors include two daughters, Julie B. Phares and fiancé Ronnie Harvin of Easleyville and Kimberly B. Guillory of Greensburg, La.; three sons, Jonathan Dean Brown and wife Sherleen, and Floyd R. Brown Jr. and wife Mary, all of Morgan City, La., and Earl D. Brown and wife Caslyn of Elizabeth; 12 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; four sisters, Mary Diaz, Margaret Lyckman and husband Al, and Bobbie Fernandez, all of Austin, Texas, and Debbie Carter and husband Cliff of Tucson, Ariz.
Pallbearers are Timothy Marcus, Gregory Marcus, Chad Sampey, Jason Sampey, Benjamin Brown, Charles Brown, Matthew Brown and Jonathan Brown, Jr.
For an online guestbook, visit www.mckneelys.com.
Carolyn Knox
Carolyn Knox, 54, of Chicago and formerly of Smithdale, died April 19, 2009, at a hospital in Chicago.
Arrangements are incomplete with Craft Funeral Home in McComb in charge.
