Obituaries

Willie Dean Sojourner Brister, 92, of Terry, passed peacefully in her sleep on Friday, June 26, 2020. Private graveside services will be held at Lakewood Memorial Park in Jackson. Chancellor Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Willie Dean was born September 18, 1927, in the Palestine community in Simpson County, to Dewey and Ruth Hemphill Sojourner.…

Shirley Ann Boyett, 83, of Crystal Springs, passed away June 30, 2020, at Merritt Health Rankin. Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Old Crystal Springs Cemetery. Stringer Family Funeral Services in Crystal Springs is handling arrangements. She is survived by her daughter, Joan Derouen, of Crystal Springs; five grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and…

Catherine Jackson Bailey, 63, of Hazlehurst, passed away June 19, 2020. Funeral services were held June 27 at Westhaven Funeral Home Chapel, Hazlehurst. Westhaven Family Funeral Home handled arrangements.

Raja Dawn Tedder, 31, of Hazlehurst, passed away June 16, 2020, at her home. Visitation was held June 18 at The House of Peoples Funeral Home. Ms. Tedder was born September 27, 1988, to Roger M. and Kimberly Dawn Woods Tedder in Jackson. She was reared in Cherokee, Kan. Her parents preceded her in death.…

Cora Deline Springfield Taylor, 96, of Crystal Springs, passed away June 17, 2020, at Copiah County Medical Center in Hazlehurst, following complications from surgery. She was born in West on December 30, 1923. She graduated from West High School, where she met Luther C. Taylor, who was her teacher her senior year. He proposed to…

L.C. Stewart, 79, of Hazlehurst, passed away June 13, 2020. Services were held June 20 at Wayside Church of Deliverance Cemetery, Terry. Westhaven Funeral Home handled arrangements.

Leon Ervin Smith, 71, of Hazlehurst, passed away June 15, 2020, at his residence in Copiah County. The family will hold a private memorial service at a later date. Brookhaven Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Mr. Smith was born February 22, 1949, in Brookhaven, to William Smith and Ola Mae Lynch Smith. He…

John C. (Carroll) Johns, 91, of Hazlehurst, passed away Sunday, June 21, 2020. A private service was held June 24 at Gallman Cemetery. Stringer Family Funeral Home in Hazlehurst handled arrangements. Mr. Johns was a lifelong resident of Copiah County. As a faithful member of Gallman Baptist Church, he served as chair of deacons, on…

James (Tom) Hutcherson Sr., 84, of Terry, passed away June 16, 2020, at his residence. Services were held June 19 at Stringer Family Chapel with burial Saturday at Poplar Grove Cemetery in Drummonds, Tenn. Stringer Family Funeral Home in Crystal Springs handled arrangements. Mr. Hutcherson is a native of Randolph, Tenn., and lived there until…

Tyrone Harris, 46, of Hazlehurst, died June 17, 2020. Services were held June 20 at Clear Creek #1 M.B. Church in Gallman, with Rev. Martin Washington officiating. Mr. Harris was born Aug. 13, 1973, to Mary Esther Harris and Edward Lee Harris, in Hazlehurst. He was a member of Spring Ridge M.B. Church and a…