GREENVILLE–Verna Kingsley “Mamaw” Helms, 88, died Thursday, September 20, 2007, in Pope.

Services were Monday at Wells Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in Liberty Hill Cemetery. Rev. Charles Turnage officiated. Wells Funeral Home had charge.

Helms, born March 10, 1919, in Tupelo, to the late Robert Bob and Callie Christian Kingsley, was a member of The First Assembly of God Church in Greenville and a homemaker.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Leroy Helms; one son, James R. Helms Sr.; one sister, Virgie Nichols and husband, H.D. Nichols; three brothers, Guy C. Kingsley and wife, Jewel Kingsley, Marline Kingsley and wife Lerena Kingsley and J.R. Kingsley; one granddaughter, Wanda R. Helms, two sons-in-law, James A. Manning Sr. and Winfred F. Griffis and her brother-in-law, Roswell Bishop.

Survivors include: two daughters, Dorothy Manning Hill and her husband, Bobby Hill of Pope and Betty Jean Helms of Leland; one sister, Mac K. Bishop of Tupelo; two sisters-in-law, Kate Lee Kingsley and Pauline Helms, both of Tupelo; 13 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren.

Herman Gary Hicks Sr.
MEMPHIS– Herman Gary Hicks Sr., 62, died September 19, 2007 at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis.

Services were Friday at Waller Funeral Home Chapel. Randal Harris officiated. Burial was in Eastover Memorial Cemetery. Waller Funeral Home had charge.

Hicks worked in maintenance for the Willow Lake Apartments and was a veteran of the U.S. Navy.   

Survivors include: his mother, Hazel Louis Black of Memphis; three daughters, Joy Katherine Hicks of Memphis, Evette Hicks Hendricks of Denver City, Texas and Karen Akey of Batesville; three sons, Donald Anthony Hicks of Southaven, Herman Gary Hicks Jr. and Kenneth Wayne Gurley, both of Batesville; three sisters, Corrine King, Kim Black and Krystal Eaton all of West Memphis, Ark.; one brother, Joe Hicks of Byhalia; 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Billie Jean Arendale Stephens Sossaman
BATESVILLE–Billie Jean Arendale Stephens Sossaman, 80, died September 15, 2007,  at Baptist Hospital-Desoto.

Services were  Monday, September 17 at  Locke Station Baptist Church..  Burial was in Batesville-Magnolia Cemetery. Dickins Funeral Home had charge.

Sossaman, born Oct. 28, 1926,  to the late Ollie Clyde Arendale and the late Edna Ruth Smith Arendale,  in Crowder, was a member of Locke Station Baptist Church  and a retired farmer.

She was preceded in death by  four sons, Reggie, Joe, Felix and Zay Stephens; one daughter, Redonda Watson and two sisters, Berna Dean Sanders and Bonnie Jo Brister.

Survivors include: her husband  Jim Sossaman of Batesville,; one son,  Danny Stephens of Meridian; one brother, William “Dub” Arendale of Batesville; six grandchildren and  10 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to Locke Station Baptist Church, Building Fund, Bill Locke Rd.,  Marks.

Jimmy Lee Thacker
SARA–Jimmy Lee Thacker, 60, died Wednesday, September 19, 2007, at Regional Medical Center in Memphis.

Services were Sunday at Crenshaw Baptist Church. Burial was in Pleasant Grove Cemetery. Wells Funeral Home had charge.

Thacker, born July 11, 1947, in Quitman County to the late David and Leona Dykes Thacker, was a Baptist.

Survivors include: one son, Johnathon D. Thacker of Crenshaw; three sisters, Bobbie Thacker Stuart of Askew, Patsy Thacker Mitchell of Crenshaw and Judy Thacker Mayo of Sara; four brothers, David Thacker and Stanley Thacker, both of Sara, Paul Thacker of Olive Branch and Robert Thacker of Crowder and six grandchildren.

Gene D. Wright
SENATOBIA–Gene D. Wright, 74, died Saturday, September 22, 2007, at Baptist Memorial-North Mississippi.

Services were Monday at Wells Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in Forrest Memorial Park. Wells Funeral Home had charge.

Wright, born April 8, 1933, to the late Henry Douglas and Grace  Tubbs Wright, was a factory worker for Crown, Cork and Seal of Batesville and a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War. He was a member of the North Batesville Baptist Church.

Survivors include: his wife, Ella Ruth Gordan Wright of Senatobia;  two daughters, Delores Wright of Senatobia and Donna Wright Hughes of Oakland; two sons, Terry Douglas Wright of Como and Thomas Dale Wright of Rio Rancho, New Mexico; seven sisters, Alliene Wright Vick of Jackson, Hazel Wright Jones of Oxford, Jeanette Wright Smith, Judy Wright Tidwell and Sylvia Wright Hadinger, all of Batesville, Priscilla Wright Carter and Susan Wright Stevens, both of Sardis; one brother, Donald Wright of Batesville and four grandchildren.