Obituaries
Robin Lee Simmons
A memorial service will be held at Riverwood Family Funeral Service in Brookhaven, MS on Friday, August 2, 2019.
Visitation hours will be from 4:00 – 6:00pm with a service held in the funeral home chapel at 6:00pm.
The eulogy will be performed by Bro Rodney Jones, her pastor from Oakdale Baptist Church in Brandon, MS.
Robin was born on January 16, 1958 in Minot, North Dakota but lived most of her life in Brookhaven, MS.
Her family includes her mother, Marjorie Beeson Lemery (deceased), and her father, Harold R. Beeson; five siblings,
Rachel McQuade, Snookie Winborne, Lori Thames, Lyn Foster and William Beeson; three children, Amy King, Anthony Nations
and Ronnie Pickering; two step-children, Dana DeCosta-Peiler and Brent Simmons, and eight grandchildren.
Robin is also survived by her husband, Rondal Simmons, whom she happily married on March 11, 2012 in Brandon, Mississippi.
Robin worked for the Mississippi school system for 25 years, retiring in the summer of 2013. After retiring,
she and Rondal moved to the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. She was an avid outdoor person and enjoyed hiking and backpacking.
Prior to her and Rondal getting married they hiked 40+ miles of the Appalachian Trail in the Smoky Mountain National Park
(and still got married!). Robin also enjoyed motorcycle riding, bass fishing, swimming, boating and running.
She really enjoyed cooking and entertaining family and friends. She was an accomplished fourth-degree black belt in Isshinryu
Karate and ran her own Dojo in Brookhaven, MS for nine years.
Robin and Rondal recently joined the Appalachian Bear Rescue in Townsend, TN as volunteers.
Robin enjoyed riding the back roads and loved seeing bears in the wild.
Rondal respectfully asks that in lieu of flowers,
please honor her memory by donating to this cause at https://appalachianbearrescue.org/.
Florence Katherine McLaurin
Services are incomplete at this time
Rachel White
Funeral service for Mrs. Rachel White will be 11 a.m., Friday, August 2, 2019, at Calvary United Pentecostal Church, with interment at Powell’s Grove Church Cemetery. Visitation is 5 p.m.-until Thursday, August 1, at Calvary.
Mrs. Rachel, 62, of Jayess, passed from this life July 28, 2019 at Southwest Regional Medical Center in McComb. She was born in Tylertown, MS, October 22, 1956, to Charles Cecil Boyd and Mary Ellen Wallace Boyd. She was so much more than a homemaker, she was a loving wife, mother, Nana, and a friend to many. She will be missed by all who loved her.
She is preceded in death by her father; brothers, Wayne Boyd and Donnie Boyd; and sister, Pat White.
Those left to cherish her memory are her husband, Steve White; mother; son, Brad White; daughters, Melissa White Montgomery, Kayla Wallace; brothers, Everette Boyd, Charles Ray Boyd, Stanley Boyd, Ronnie Boyd; sisters, Judy Boyd Hux, Evelyn Boyd; five grandchildren, Austin White, Donavin White, Cannon Wallace, Gatlin Wallace, and Rayanna Wallace. She is also survived by a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other loving family members and friends.
Carl Richard Morgan
Memorial service for Mr. Carl Richard Morgan will be 11 a.m., Saturday, August 3, 2019,
at First Baptist Church in Madison, Mississippi with visitation beginning at 10 a.m.
Graveside service will be 3 p.m., Saturday at Riverwood Memorial Park in Brookhaven.
Mr. Morgan, 77, of Ridgeland, passed from this life July 28, 2019.
He was born in Brookhaven April 26, 1942, to the late Carl and Sarah Ann Morgan.
He was a member of First Baptist Church, Madison. Mr. Morgan served his country
in the United States Army as a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War,
where he received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star.
He continued to serve other veterans by volunteering at the VA Hospital.
He was employed as a sales manager. Mr. Morgan was an avid fan of all sporting events with Mississippi State.
He was an accomplished artist and spent much of his free time painting old barn scenes.
He is preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Lori Young; and his sister, Nancy Dunaway (Dan).
Those remaining to cherish his memory are his wife, Marita Morgan; son, Craig Clifford Morgan;
sister, Catherine Griffin (James); two grandchildren, Austin Young and Morgan Young;
as well as other loving family members and friends.
Billy Sasser, Jr.
Graveside Services for Mr. James “Billy” William Sasser, Jr., of Bogue Chitto are 10:00 am Tuesday, July 30, 2019
at Bogue Chitto City Cemetery with visitation from 5:00-8:00 pm Monday, July 29 at Riverwood Family.
Mr. James “Billy” William Sasser, Jr., 67, lost a long battle to cancer, surrounded by his close family on July 27, 2019 at his residence.
He was born on December 29, 1951.
He served his country in the United States Marines during the Vietnam War and was a member of the Bogue Chitto Baptist Church.
Preceding him in death were his mother, Ivy Jo Blackwell; grandfather, Vivian A Sasser “Pistol” grandmother, Dorothy Sasser;
brother, Timothy Sasser; uncles, Bobby Sasser, Paul Sasser and Ray Sasser.
Those left to cherish his memory are his father, James “Billy” W. Sasser Sr. and step-mother, Charlene Sasser;
daughters, Natalie Grimes, Amber Thomas, Ginger Sasser; brother, Michael Sasser (Sharon Sasser, Anna Windmiller, and Michael Sasser),
the late Timothy Sasser family (Kitty Sasser, Ashley Gray, and Hali Reed); sister, Rhonda Lynn Barfuss (son, Christopher Lamb).
He is also survived by his 5 grandchildren, Bryson Lambert, Kylie Grimes, Brandon Thomas, Loren Thomas and Miles Oakley McPhail;
aunt Dorothy Milling, the friends and family of Amite County Poles and Piling and a special thank you to the staff of Hospice Compassus.
The V.A. Staff, Jennifer Frost, nurses, Jill and Buddy,
The DME Medical Supplies staff and Bogue Chitto Baptist Church.
Samuel Edward Oldham, Jr.
Funeral service for Mr. Samuel Edward Oldham, Jr. will be 11 a.m., Wednesday, July 31, 2019,
at First United Methodist Church, with interment at Riverwood Memorial Park.
There will be a time of visitation from 10 a.m. until time of the service.
Mr. Oldham, Jr., 77, of Brookhaven, passed from this life July 25, 2019, at his residence in Brookhaven.
He was born December 2, 1941, to Samuel Edward Oldham, Sr. and Jean Ratliff Oldham.
He was a graduate of Mississippi State with a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology
and was employed with Georgia Pacific as a Plant Superintendent until his retirement.
While at Georgia Pacific he was awarded “Papermaker of the Year”. Mr. Oldham was an active member of First United Methodist Church in Brookhaven.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Carolyn Oldham, and his parents.
Those left to cherish his memory are his son, Samuel Edward Oldham, III;
daughter, Lesley Oldham McCormick; brother, Scott Oldham; sister, Bettye Ware and husband Clif;
and his seven grandchildren and other loving family members and friends.
William Moore
Services are incomplete at this time
Rose Mary Hocker
Services for Mrs. Rose Mary Hocker of Bogue Chitto are 11:00 am, Tuesday, July 30, 2019
at Riverwood Family Funeral Service with visitation from 9:30 a.m. until time of service.
Interment will be at the Cold Springs Church of Christ Cemetery.
We are announcing the passing of Rose Mary Hocker, 70. She was born Sept 29, 1948, in Bogue Chitto, MS.
She is survived by her husband Robert Vernon Hocker Sr. Her children, Robert Vernon Jr., Veronica Rose and Charles Norman.
She was the grandmother of Nathan, Mathew and Cameron Hocker. She was the daughter of Charles and
Winnie Maude Cannon, one of seven children.
Preceded in death by Katherine Ann Cannon, Audrey Nell Dickerson,
Charlie Cannon, and Terry Dale Cannon and survived by Lynda Gayle Williams, Dixie Boyd and Elaine Ramsey
Mrs. Hocker was a member of Cold Springs Baptist Church and was retired from the medical field as a LPN.
She also served her country in United States Army.
Nellie Elizabeth "Betty" Rials
The funeral service for Mrs. Nellie Elizabeth “Betty” Justice Rials will be 11 a.m., Monday, July 29, 2019,
at Riverwood Family with interment at Mallalieu UMC Cemetery. Visitation is 5-9 p.m., Sunday, July 28,
at Riverwood and will resume at 9 a.m. Monday until time of the service.
Mrs. Rials, 81, of Brookhaven, passed from this life July 25, 2019 at Diversicare Living Center.
She was born January 12, 1938 in Biloxi, Mississippi, to her parents, the late Emmett Ernest Justice and Myra Dora Garrett Justice.
She was retired from Packard Electric and was a member of Mallalieu United Methodist Church. Mrs. Betty was not an idle person.
She was involved with her church family as well as other community and county sponsored clubs including LLL,
50 Plus, ILR, the Order of the Eastern Star, and Woodman of the World. She enjoyed playing cards and dominos with her friends
and spending valuable time with her family. She loved the beauty of flowers and her yard was a testimony of that love.
She is preceded in death by her husband, John E. Rials, Sr.; parents; sons, John E. Rials, Jr., and Paul Christopher Rials;
and her brother, Billy Justice.
Those left behind to cherish her sweet memory are, her daughter, Lisa Rials Jackson (A.J.); sister, June Justice Bradford;
two grandchildren, Christy Jackson Kramer (Chris) and Melissa Jackson Henderson (Cody); five great grandchildren,
Julie, Jeffrey, and Jordan Kramer, and Macy and Meredith Henderson.
She is also survived by her special friend, Gloria Kramer and her dog, Peppy.
In lieu of flowers, you may send memorials to Mallalieu UMC 1862 Bessonette Ln Brookhaven, MS 39601.
Helen L. Page
Funeral services for Mrs. Helen L. Page will be at 2 p.m., Saturday, July 27,
at Decell Memorial United Methodist Church in Wesson,
with interment at Lowe Cemetery, Pearl Valley Community.
There will be a time of visitation from noon until time of service on Saturday.
Mrs. Helen L. Page, 91, of Hazlehurst, passed from this life July 24, 2019, in Ridgeland, Mississippi.
She was born September 2, 1927, in Kokomo, Mississippi, to her parents, Robert Irvin Lee, Sr. and Essie Martin Lee.
Mrs. Page earned a bachelor’s degree in business education from the University of Southern Mississippi
after completing her associate degree at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. After graduation,
she worked as Director of Christian Education in Methodist churches in Natchez, Mississippi, and Evansville, Indiana.
She later taught business education for 10 years, keeping up with her students even after retirement.
Mrs. Page loved staying connected to others, and she and her husband Ralph traveled across
the county to unite with other military families at Navy Ship Reunions. She was a member of Decell Memorial United Methodist Church in Wesson.
She was active in the United Methodist Women, the Decell chancel choir, and the American Legion Auxiliary.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph A. Page; her parents; and her brother, Robert Irvin Lee, Jr.
Those left to cherish her memory are, her son, Wayne Page (Sheryl); daughter, Patti Page Wade (Frank);
two grandchildren, Rachel Wade Hudson (Jake); Sarah Rebecca Wade; and a host of nieces and nephews and other loving family members and friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to
Lowe Cemetery, P.O. Box 77, Georgetown, MS 39078,
and Decell Memorial United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 65, Wesson, MS 39191.