Obituaries
Bobbie Nell Johnson
Services for Mrs. Bobbie Nell Johnson of Crystal Springs are 2:00 pm Friday, February 22, 2019
at Bethesda Methodist Church with visitation from 12:00 until time of service and interment at the church cemetery.
Mrs. Bobbie Nell Johnson, 87, went to be with her Lord on February 19, 2019 at Copiah County Medical Center.
She was born on October 6, 1931 to the late Jake Tully Knight and Dovie Mae Sullivan Knight.
She was a homemaker and a member of Bethesda Methodist Church.
She was best known for her pepper jams & jellies, basket weaving, making teddy bears
and spending time in the “little house” with her husband.
Bobbie Nell started the Bethesda food pantry to help the community.
She loved cooking for everyone and everyone loved her food.
Preceding her in death are her parents; husband R.F. Johnson;
brothers, Spud Knight and Earl Knight.
Those left to cherish her memory are her are her sons, Ronnie Johnson, Gary Johnson, Dennis Johnson and David Johnson;
sisters, Joan Kennedy, Peggy Johnson, Carolyn Duboise, Sylvia Beach;
11 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren.
Michael Stephan Brown
Graveside Services for Michael Stephan Brown, of Bogue Chitto are 11:00 am Monday, February 18, 2019 at Montgomery Baptist Church Cemetery.
Michael Stephan Brown, 65, went to be with the Lord on February 16, 2019. He was born on November 11, 1953.
Preceding him in death are his parents, George and Shiela Brown.
Those left to cherish his memory are his son, James Michael Brown and wife Jessica;
daughter, Kimberly Pointer and husband Shaun; sister, Cheryl Ezell and husband Eddie;
and three grandchildren, Taylor Brown, Finn Brown, and Declan Pointer.
John Willie Whatley
Graveside Services for Mr. John Willie Whatley will be held on Sunday, February 17, 2019, at 2:00pm, at Sylvarena Baptist Church Cemetery.
John Willie Whatley, 90, of Philadelphia, passed from this life on February 15, 2019, in Meridian, Mississippi. He was born on March 8, 1928, to Willie O. Whatley and Oma Whatley.
Mr. Whatley proudly served his country in the United States Navy during World War II and Korean War. After his service, He was a self-employed Farmer. Mr. Whatley also was a member of the Church of Christ of Philadelphia.
Preceding him in death were his parents; three sisters; and two sons, Ken Whatley and John Gilbert Whatley.
Those left to cherish his memory is his loving wife of 73 years, Ruby Garner Whatley; sons, Bernard Whatley and Phillip Whatley; seven grandchildren, Virginia Peden, Sharon Waltman, Bill Whatley, David Whatley, John Richard Whatley, Ashli Whatley and Skylar Whatley along with five great-grandchildren.
Audrey Rebecca Cummins
Audrey Rebecca Cummins, 95, of Brookhaven passed away on February 15, 2019 at her home.
She was born on May 3, 1923 to the late Albert Fuller and Susie Sanders Fuller.
She was a member of Homeseekers Bible Church and a loving mother and grandmother that
will be missed by all that loved and knew her.
Preceding her in death are her parents and her husband, James H. “Dick” Cummins.
Those left to cherish her memory are her son, Jim Cummings and wife, Joyce: daughter, Dot McClendon;
4 grandchildren, Chris Cummings, Tamicia Cummings, Pam Parsons Ellis and Wanda Parsons Gharibian.
She is also survived by 6 great grandchildren and 2 great- great grandchildren.
Bruce Bryant Dow
Services for Bruce Bryant Dow, of Brookhaven are 3:00 pm Sunday, February 17, 2019
at Nola Baptist Church with visitation from 1:30 pm until time of service and burial at Nola Baptist Church Cemetery.
Nola Baptist Church Cemetery, 183 Sontag Nola Road Sontag, MS
39665
Bruce Bryant Dow, 64, went to be with the Lord on February 12, 2019. He was born on January 14, 1955.
Preceding him in death are his father, Shelton Dow, Jr.
He worked as a carpenter; and was a member of Nola Baptist Church.
Those left to cherish his memory are his mother, June Dow of Baton Rouge;
sons, Shane Dow, Jeffrey Dow and Johnny Dow; sister, Lisa Posey;
9 grandchildren, Tarra, Julie, Wyatt, Abbi, Allie, Ian, Maddie, Barrett and Bryson.
Gwendolyn O. Moreton
Gwendolyn O. Moreton, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, who spent much of her life in southeastern Mississippi and Virginia,
died of natural causes on June 13, 2018. She was eighty-six years old.
Ms. Moreton was the daughter of Eugenia Brazil and Marion Delbasty, and the adopted daughter of Alfred E. Moreton, Jr.,
former Mayor of Brookhaven, Mississippi, and Jessie Oliver Moreton. She was educated at St. Mary of the Pines Academy in Chatawa, Mississippi,
then moved with her mother to the Washington, D.C. area soon after the end of the Second World War. There, she met and, eventually,
married Forrest G. Ramsey, Jr., then a midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
Together they raised seven children. She enjoyed cooking, knitting, crocheting, needlework, sewing, painting, carving,
and was a devoted gardener, serving as the President of her garden club in northern Virginia.
Later in life she returned to live in Natchez, Mississippi, and she spent her final years in the Charlotte, North Carolina area.
A private interment will be held at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Brookhaven on Saturday February 16.
Ralph Porter Kern
A memorial service for Mr. Ralph Kern is to be held February 23, 2019, at Riverwood Family Funeral Service at 11:00am with visitation starting from 9:00am prior to the service
with a burial service in Riverwood Memorial Park. Rev. Mike Grenn and Dr. P. A. Michel will conduct the services.
Mr. Kern was born October 25, 1936 to J. Hayward and Doris Allmand Kern in Canton, MS.
His family moved to Brookhaven when he was six years of age. Ralph graduated from BHS in 1955 and attended MS State
before joining the U.S. Air Force. After duty, he returned to Brookhaven, where he met his wife of 58 years.
He joined his parents in the restaurant business for the next 20 years before going into the oil exploration business for the next ten years, with much success.
After moving to Florida in 1987, he was co-owner with his son, Wyndell, building two Honda Motorcycle dealerships and purchasing world-renowned Gatorback Cycle Park.
Ralph was of the Baptist faith. He was preceded in death by his father, mother and one son Christopher.
He is survived by his wife, Margaret Ann Grenn Kern;
sister, Dolores Hoff; two sons, Kyle Barry (Judy), Wyndell Todd (Kim); daughter-in-law (Elizabeth); one granddaughter (Kalie),
four grandsons (Christopher, Matthew, Justin & Keegan); one step-grandson, Justin Nelson (Andrea) and three step great-grandchildren.
Ralph will be greatly missed by all that loved and knew him.
Reggie Daniel Watts
Services for Mr. Reggie Daniel Watts of Brookhaven are 11:00 am Tuesday, February 12, 2019
at Riverwood Family Funeral Service with visitation Monday, February 11 from 5:00-8:00 pm
at Riverwood and burial at Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery.
Reggie Daniel Watts, 48, passed away on February 9, 2019 at King’s Daughters Medical Center.
He was born on December 4, 1970 to Danny and Beverly Watts.
He was a member of Friendship Baptist Church and worked for Mike Benton Logging.
He loved classic cars and loved spending time with his two granddaughters.
Preceding him in death are his grandparents, J.W. and Ava Watts and Horace and Louise Cato.
Those left to cherish his memory are his parents; girlfriend, Stacy Case and her children;
son, Daniel Cole Watts; daughter, Hannah Rene’ Hutson and husband, Kyle; brother, Randy Watts,
sisters, Dana Alexander and Missy Rhodus.
He is also survived by 2 granddaughters, Lillian Cole Hutson and Katherine Camilla Hutson and friend, Tarla Phillips.
Mary Herman Sexton
The funeral service for Mrs. Mary Ann Sexton will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, February 9, 2019, at Central Baptist Church.
There will be a time of visitation from 9:00 a.m. until time of the service. Burial will follow on Sunday,
February 10, at 2:00 p.m., at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Cemetery in DeRidder, Louisiana.
Mary Ann Sexton, 93, of Brookhaven, passed from this life on February 7, 2019. She was born in St. Louis, Missouri,
on June 25, 1925. Her parents were Frank Horak and Mary Herman Horak. She worked as a sales clerk for many years,
but her passion was her family. She cared for her home and was an example of grace and love to all who knew her.
Mrs. Mary was a member of Central Baptist Church.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Mills Sexton; her parents; brothers, Frank Horak and Wesley Horak; and sister, Frances Horak Baggett.
Those who will cherish her memory are, her daughter, Carol Ann Sexton Buckels and husband, Roy Lee Buckels, Jr.; sisters,
Lillian Horak Dulaney and Barbara Horak Matlock; three grandchildren, Amy Lea Buckels Walker and husband Aaron, Kelly Lynn Buckels,
and Beth Ann Buckels Wallace and husband, Jamie. She is also survived by five great grandchildren, Kaylee Rachel Walker,
Layton Mills Walker, Riley Addison Walker, Avery Brooks Wallace, and Beckett Miles Wallace.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Gideons International, Brookhaven Gideon Camp, P.O. Box 1106, Brookhaven, MS 39602
Phil Dexter Hall
Services for Mr. Phil Dexter Hall will be held on Saturday, February 9, 2019, at 11:00am
at Riverwood Family with interment at Gum Grove Baptist Church Cemetery.
Visitation will be on Friday, February 8, 2019, at Riverwood Family from 5:00pm-8:00pm.
Phil Dexter Hall, 69, of Brookhaven went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on February 7, 2019.
He was born on March 3, 1949, to Maxie Ellis Hall and Ella Johnson Hall.
Mr. Hall was a retired Locomotive Engineer from CNIC Railroad and also was
a member of Gum Grove Baptist Church.
Preceding him in death was his parents, Maxie and Ella Hall; father-in-law and mother-in-law,
Gus Laird, Jr. and Elaine Sullivan Laird.
Those left to cherish his memory is his wife of 32+ years, Cindy L. Hall; sons, Wade E. Hall and Todd D. Hall;
daughter, Misty L. Newman and husband Billy; brother, Brad Hall and wife Terri; along with seven grandchildren,
Mason Hall, Bailey Hall, Skylar Hall, Ramsey Hall, Elaina Newman, Mylane Newman and Ben Newman;
two great-grandchildren and a sister-in-law, Lisa Givens. Mr. Hall was also survived by a host of nieces and nephews.