Obituaries

Virgil Ales

BATESVILLE—Virgil Louis Ales, 76, died at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis on April 24, 2017.
A funeral service was held Thursday, April 27 at Central Academy Church of Christ in Batesville.  Interment followed at Cold Springs Cemetery.  Wells Funeral Home had charge.
Mr. Ales was born April 1, 1941 to the late Robert Levi Ales and Annis Clyde Ray Ales in Panola County.  He was retired and a member of Central Academy Church of Christ.

Cora Lee Barksdale

BATESVILLE—Cora Lee “Big Sister” Barksdale, 77, died at her residence in Batesville on April 19, 2017.
Visitation will be Friday, April 28 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Cooley’s Mortuary.  Funeral services will be Saturday, April 29 at 2 p.m. at Mt. Olive M.B. Church.  Pastor Jerome Battle will officiate the service.  Interment will follow at Rock Hill Church Cemetery in Sardis.
Ms. Barksdale was born August 4, 1939 to L.A. Ramsey and Elverda Deloach of Darling.  She was a homemaker.  She was a member of Mt. Olive M.B. Church, Mother Board, church choir, and Eastern Star.

Emmer Blake Caldwell

SARDIS–On April 18, 2017, the death trumpet of the Lord sounded for Emmer Blake Caldwell, 81, of South Holland, Illinois.  The voice of the Lord said, “Servant, I have come to take you from your earthly home to a place of peace and happiness; a life everlasting; come, thou good and faithful servant, for your work on this earth is finished and your journey is over.”
God gently took Emmer with him to rest from her labor.
Emmer Lou Blake was born in Sardis, Mississippi on July 12, 1935 to her loving parents, Hartie Blake and Mary Francis (Hill) Blake.
She was the third of their four children.  Emmer came from a blended family with a total of twenty siblings.
Emmer attended school in Water Valley, Mississippi where she completed her studies at Davidson High School on May 9, 1955.
Emmer was united in holy matrimony to Ellis Caldwell, Jr.  To this union four children were born: Harold Bernard, Darlene, Lionel Andrew and Renee.
Emmer worked for Rush Medical Center as a dietary aide for 31 years before she retired in 1997.
Emmer accepted Christ as her personal savior at a young age at Simon Chapel in Sardis, Mississippi.  Emmer was a lifelong member of True Solid Rock MB Church in Chicago, Illinois under the leadership of Pastor Heudy J. Carlisle, Jr.
Emmer leaves to cherish her memories; one daughter Renee McCline; one son, Lionel Andrew Caldwell; one son-in-law, Terry McCline; three granddaughters, LaTasha McGhee, Phylicia McCline and Monique Caldwell; one grandson, Lionel (Moses) Caldwell; five great-grandchildren, QwanTarius (Tay), Tony, LaNiya, Zabian, and Andrew; step-mother, Louise Blake; beloved sisters, Varnia Johnson, Bernice Freeman, Gladys Muhammad Ward, Bessie Dickson, Dorine Blake-Smith, Sharon Macon, Jessie Whitaker, Forestine Jackson; and brothers, Bemis Blake, Hardie Blake, David Blake, Fred Blake, Walter Blake, Robert Blake, Willie Salter, John Salter, Jessie Salter; and a host of relatives and friends.

Macelle Thornton Holliday

SARAH–Macelle Thornton Holliday, 83, passed away April 21, 2017 at Providence Assisted Living in Senatobia. She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Senatobia.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Allen Heber Holliday.
She is survived by her daughter, Ann Madsen (Mike); sons, Tim Holliday (Valerie), Lee Holliday (Lori) and Victor Holliday (Linda); sister, Dot Everett; 10 grandchildren, Renee, Cody, Chaz, Chandler, Cade, Camden, Whitney, Robyn, Brooklyn (James) and Caitlyn (Harrison); and 5 great grandchildren.
Memorials may be sent to The Allen and Macelle Holliday Endowment or The Charlie and Viola Holliday Endowment at Northwest Mississippi Community College.
Services were held Tuesday, April 25, at 2:00 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Senatobia. Burial followed in the LDS Cemetery. Pate-Jones Funeral Home had charge of the arrangements.

Laura Sanford

COURTLAND—Ms. Laura “Dee Dee” Sanford, 78, died at Baptist Desoto Hospital in Southaven on April 20, 2017.
Visitation will be Saturday, April 29 from 10 a.m. from 5 p.m. at Cooley’s Mortuary in Batesville.
Funeral services will be Sunday, April 30, at 11 a.m. at Pope Chapel AME Zion Church in Pope.  Pastor Nehemiah Martin will officiate the service.
Interment will follow at Pope/Nelson Chapel in Pope.
Ms. Sanford was born August 3, 1938 to Climmie Pough, Sr. and Cagalee Wright Pough of Pope.
She was a caregiver and a member of Pope Chapel AME Zion Church and was an honorary member of the Usher Board and Deaconesses.
She leaves behind to cherish her loving memory sons Timothy Smalley of Swansea, Illinois; Willie James Sanford and George Sanford of Courtland; daughters, Brenda Cosby of Blue Island, Illinois, Sandra Walker of Memphis, Glenda Smalley of Southaven, Mae Francis Sanford and Earlean Sanford of Courtland; brother, Clemmie Pough Jr.; sisters, Rose Shannon of Blue Island, Illinois, Carolyn Pough of Oxford, Dean Harvey of Pope; a special nephew, Coleman Street of Ann Harbor, Michigan; 19 grandchildren and a host of great grandchildren.

Rhonda Smothers

CROWDER–Rhonda Walker Smothers, age 55, passed away Monday morning, April 24, 2017 at the home of her mother in Crowder.
Funeral services were held on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at Crowder Assembly of God Church in Crowder.  Interment followed the service at Crowder Cemetery.  Wells Funeral Home in Batesville had charge of the arrangements.
Rhonda was born October 8, 1961 to Mary Jane Carpenter Walker and the late Audie Ray Walker in Clarksdale. Rhonda was a homemaker during her lifetime and a member of Crowder Assembly of God.
Survivors include her husband, Chuck Smothers of Lambert; two sisters, Vickie Austin of Courtland, and Monique Griffin of Charleston; two brothers, Bennie Walker of Batesville and Gary Walker of Crowder; and her mother, Mary Jane Walker of Crowder.

Jeanette Thomas

OXFORD–Jeanette Thomas, 82, retired schoolteacher, died April 22, 2017 at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi in Oxford.
Thomas had taught at Patton Lane High School.
Funeral services will be Saturday, April 29 at 1 p.m. at Tallahatchie Oxford Missionary Baptist Association Bldg. Burial will be in Oxford Memorial Cemetery.
Visitation will be Friday from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at L. Hodges Funeral Services.