All Obituaries

Conneill Cohran-Burnett was born April 8, 1969 in Oxford,MS to the late Sylvester “Butch” and Odessa Davidson Cohran.She accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at New Hope M.B. Church, where she was a faithful member serving as a choir member, mission society, and usher. She remained a member until her death.Conneill received her education from Oxford City schools and graduated from Oxford High School with the class of 1988.She worked in the food and cleaning industry until she...

Ms. Catherine J. Young was born to the Late Mr. Curtis Jones, Sr. and the Late Mrs. Zula McGhee Jones on October 8, 1944. She was the fourth child of seven to be born of this union.She lived in the Abbeville/Oxford community the bulk of her life. As a young girl she attended school only for a short time because her father was a sharecropper. However, that never stopped Catherine or “Cat” as she was so affectionately known. She instilled in her children and grandchildren that education...

Billy Joe Perry (better known as) "Howl-N-Madd" was born August 20th, 1947 in Tula, MS, in a shack with only a coal light to illuminate his mother’s, grandmother’s, and the mid-wife’s ssurroundings. Howl-N-Madd  slave ancestors lived in the same shack that he was born in. His mother always worked and she carried him on her cotton sack while she picked cotton in the fields long before he could walk. He later worked in those same fields picking and chopping...

Mrs. Mary Louise Jenkins Gipson, daughter of the late Rufus and Bessie Young Jenkins was born September 18, 1946, in Lafayette County, Mississippi. She accepted Christ at St. Paul CME Church in Oxford, which later merged with Armstead Chapel CME Church and the two was renamed Christ Temple CME Church. Mary continued to serve faithfully under the leadership of Pastor Brian Davis, Sr., attending worship service on Sunday, May 7, 2023,  Mary received her formal education at Oxford...

James, affectionately known as "Hambone" by family, son of the late Broadis and Ruby Lee Toles, was born February 19, 1955, in Water Valley, Mississippi.  His walk with Christ started at an early age at Mount Hope Missionary Baptist Church where he was baptized and completed at Deliverance Tabernacle Holiness Church in Georgia where he actively served as a deacon.  James received his education from Lafayette County schools, and he was an accomplished baseball player in high...

Miss Erin Stephanie Williams was born to Rosemary Mullin Williams and Fred J. Phillips, III on April 19, 1979, in Oxford, Mississippi.She professed a belief and hope in Christ at an early age and her faith was nurtured at Cypress Grove M.B. Church.Erin’s talents touched many lives. After graduating from Oxford High School in 1997, she attended Xavier University in New Orleans and later received her Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from the University of Massachusetts - Boston. She later...

Bessie Yvonne McGee was born October 1, 1936, in Oxford, MS to the late Curtis and Ruby Bernice (Fondren) McGee in Oxford, MS.She attended South Salem Baptist Church during her earlier life and later joined South Hopewell Baptist Church, where she was a faithful member until her health began to fail.Bessie met and married Percy Augustus Jones of Taylor, MS, they later divorced.She was a proud mother of six children with whom she shared joy and love with. She taught them the importance of...

Rosie Pearl Jones was born on May 20, 1959, to the late Fred “Tom Cat” and Sarah Oliver Jones in Oxford, MS. Pearl, as she was affectionately known, professed Christ as her savior at an early age and joined Philadelphia M.B. Church. She attended Lafayette County Schools and was employed as a food service worker with the school district. She became known as the “Lunch Lady” and worked faithfully for 10 years before her health failed. Being around family and friends,...

Reverend, Dr. James Wesley Johnson was born to Robert Abe and Fannie Johnson on June 25, 1953 in Oxford, MS.  He accepted Christ at an early age at St. John Missionary Baptist Church and later joined Galilee Christian Methodist Episcopal (C.M.E.) church with his grandfather, Daddy Willie.  Later he joined Jordan Chapel C.M.E. church and remained a member until death.  Wes as he was affectionately called was a devoted pastor, father, grandfather, brother, nephew, cousin, and...

Alexandria L. Starks, the eldest child and only daughter of Dwayne and Cartena (Delbridge) Starks, was born December 29, 1993, in Oxford, MS. “Al,” as she was affectionately called by her mom or “Punkin,” as her dad would call her, was reared in a Christian home and accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at Mount Zion M.B. Church in Memphis, TN. Along with her parents, she later moved her membership to New Sardis M.B. Church in Memphis where she sang in in...