Obituaries 12/1/15

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, December 1, 2015

William James Davis

POPE––William James “Bill” Davis, 64, died Tuesday, November 24, 2015, at his residence.

Services were held Saturday at Wells Funeral Home. Burial was in Forrest Memorial Park Cemetery. Wells Funeral Home had charge.

Davis, born April 5, 1951 in Key West, Fla. to the late Walter David and Mary Elizabeth Mooney Davis, was an attorney holding a license to practice in both Mississippi and Tennessee. He was a member of the Mississippi Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, and he was a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Batesville. He was also a member of Gideon’s International and honorably served his country in the U.S. Army. He was the inaugural recipient of the Award for Professionalism by the Mississippi Bankruptcy Conference, INC.

Survivors include: his wife of 41 years, Patricia Louise Marsh Davis of Pope; two daughters, Carrie Elizabeth Davis Simon (Ashley) of Erath, La., Stephanie Ann Davis Ritchie (Josh) of Batesville; five sons, Curt Bentley Davis (Stacy) of Bartlett, Tenn., Mark Arnold Davis (Jennifer) of Canton, John Stephen Davis (Laura) of Dalton, Ga., William Andrew Davis (Meagan) of Kingsville, Texas, David Preston Davis of Pope; brother, David W. Davis (Maria) of Killeen, Texas, and 12 grandchildren.

James W. “Billy” Ford

OXFORD––James W. “Billy” Ford, 87, died Saturday, November 28, 2015 at the MS State Veterans Home in Oxford. He was born April 1, 1928 in Yalobusha County to the late Riley and Myrtis Cook Ford. 

He served in the United States Army during the Korean War and was Yalobusha VFW. He was retired from Holley Carburetor/Borg-Warner in Water Valley where he worked as a mechanic for 23 years. 

Visitation will be held Tuesday, December 1, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Seven Oaks Funeral Home in Water Valley. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, December 2 at Seven Oaks with James West and Daniel Minor officiating. Burial will be in the Pilgrim’s Rest Baptist Church Cemetery.

Survivors include his daughter, Janie Cosby of Water Valley; his sons, Bob Ford of Batesville, John D. Ford of Panola County, and Kenny Ford of Dallas, Ga.; two sisters, Dorothy Mixon of Batesville, and Kay Mettetal of Sardis; two brothers, Boyd  Ford and Sonny Ford all of Batesville; 15 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 39 years, Betty Jane Mixon Ford.

Keith Miller

TUNICA––Keith Miller, 37, died Thursday, November 26, 2015 in Tunica.

Funeral services will be 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 1, 2015 at the Tunica Church of Christ. Burial will follow the service in Pleasant Grove Cemetery near Sardis. Wells Funeral Home has charge. 

Keith was born January 5, 1978 in Shelby, to Herbert Joe and Jerri Earline Hudgins Miller, was a member of Tunica Church of Christ and worked as a chef.

Survivors include: his wife, Robin Gale Miller of Tunica; daughter, Elizabeth Gale Miller of Tunica; two sons, Benjamin Keith Miller Jr., Brandon Kyle Miller both of Tunica; parents, Joe and Earline Miller of Tunica; sister, Betty Jo Smith of Strayhorn; brother, Justin Blake Miller of Biloxi and his paternal grandmother, Inez Miller of Tunica.

Jerry Wayne Sanford

COURTLAND––Jerry Wayne Sanford, 53, died November 22, 2015, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Desoto. 

Services were held Friday at Felix Cauthen Funeral Home. Burial was in Johnson Chapel Cemetery. Felix Cauthen Funeral Home had charge.

Sanford was a computer technician. 

Survivors include: one daughter, Desiree McElroy of Batesville; two sons, Darren McElroy and Mylos McElroy, both of Dallas, Texas; two sisters, Mae Pearl Jones of Courtland and Elaine Burgess of Batesville; four brothers, Jeffery Sanford, James Sanford Jr., Ricky Sanford and Bobby Sanford Sr., all of Courtland. 

Donna G. Vickers

WASHINGTON, Mo.––Donna G. Vickers, 52, formerly of Tutwiler, died Monday, November 23, 2015, at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis.

 Memorial services will be held Saturday, December 5 at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, 300 First St., in Tutwiler. Jason Wright will preside the services. Nieburg-Vitt Funeral Home has charge. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, James F. Denney and Mallie M. Denney of Tutwiler.

Survivors include: her husband–Lee Vickers of Washington; daughters, Leeah Vickers and Lydia Vickers both of Washington; sisters, Iva Waldo (Toby) of Coffeeville and Sandra Kaye Waldo (Fred Lowery) of Memphis, her sister-in law, Annette Denney of Batesville; niece, Schawn Waldo (Jason Adams) of Batesville, and great nephew Presley Adams.

Memorials may be made to Breast Cancer Research Foundation.