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James Earl Parnell Jr.

James Earl Parnell Jr., 19, of Crystal Springs, passed away Feb. 2, 2023, at River Oaks Hospital in Flowood. A funeral service was held Feb. 8 at Hopewell Baptist Church, with burial at Hopewell Cemetery.
James was a lifelong resident of Copiah County. He had fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming a towboater, where he worked as a deckhand and was in training to become a tankerman, with Magnolia Marine Transport of Vicksburg. He was a member of Hopewell Baptist Church. He was an avid outdoorsman with a love of fishing and hunting. He was a yellow belt in karate that he earned at TKO – Full Armor Karate Ministry.
James was preceded in death by his great-great-grandmother, Verna Carslile; grandparents, Joy and James Phillips; grandfather, Edwin Brown; grandfather, Melvin Lewis; and aunt, Debbie Parnell.
James is survived by his mother, Brandy McLendon (James Wood); father, James Parnell; sisters, Christa (Donald) Quin, Gillian Brown, Lysa (Nick) Courtney, Brianna Parnell, Tanisha Benson, Shanoria Benson, Aliyah Moore, Kayla Harris; brother, Antwan Nelson; grandparents, Brenda and Terry Ashley; grandmother, Sarah Lewis; aunts, Tonya Brown, Stephaney (Teddy) Ashley, Kevin Ashley, Steven Ashley, Janice (OV) Flowers, and Windy (Kevin) Box; nephews, Devin Quin, Averill James III, and Viktor Courtney; nieces, Vada Quin, Josylyn Whittington, Eazalee Whittington, Gracie Jackson, Alicia Courtney, Adaline Box, and Annisten Box; cousins, Andrew (Katie) Whittington, Aundrea Jackson, Ray Dykes, Philip Ramsey, Heaven Smiley, Destiny Smiley, John Ashley, Avanell Ashley, Devin Box, Christopher Box, Destiny (Kris) White, Okiesha Flowers, Obrinia Flowers, Jakeyzes Parnell, and Larry Chess.