Obituaries

Geneva Reese Young, 86, passed away Sept. 24, 2023. A service was held Oct. 7 at Greater Damascus Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A., Hazlehurst. Survivors include her son, LaMarcus Young; nine grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren; brothers, Carroll Reese and Lee Reese; and sisters, Florine McCoy, Helen Wortham, and Viola Reese.

Debby White, 68, of Hazlehurst, passed away Oct. 2, 2023. A memorial service was held Oct. 7 at Bethel Baptist Church, with burial at Bethel Cemetery. Stringer Family Funeral Services in Hazlehurst handled arrangements. Debby was preceded in death by her parents, Forrest and Bonnie Parks Strickland; brother, Dale Strickland; and brother-in-law, Vick Alba. She…

Norma Jean Gardner Russell died peacefully Oct. 6, 2023, at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center in Jackson surrounded by her family. Norma was born in Gallman. She graduated from Hazlehurst High School in 1953. She always said that she continued her education and graduated from the College of Hard Knocks. Anding and Norma married in June…

Kip Higdon, Wesson, passed away Oct. 4, 2023, at Copiah Living Center, where she had been a resident for three years. A service was held Oct. 6 at Stringer Family Chapel, with burial at Hazlehurst Cemetery. Stringer Family Funeral Home in Hazlehurst handled arrangements. She was born Sept. 4, 1938, in Coxburg to Vardaman and…

Joan Elizabeth Martin, of Crystal Springs, passed away on Sept. 16, 2023, in Hazlehurst. She was born on Dec. 5, 1951, in Tokyo, Japan. The family eventually settled in Crystal Springs, where she attended and graduated from Crystal Springs Attendance Center. As an adult, she spent her career in the field of customer service, perfecting…

Francis Floyd Hood, of Hazlehurst, was a beloved husband, father, and grandfather. He was born Dec. 30, 1941, and departed this world the morning of Oct. 1, 2023, at 81 years old. He was preceded in death by his parents, W. E. Hood and Frances Hood. He is survived by his devoted wife of 59…

Mary Louise Greer, of Crystal Springs, passed away peacefully on Sept. 27, 2023.  She was born on Feb. 22, 1936, to H.C. Glisson and Edna Elizabeth Craig Glisson, who both preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by her beloved husband of 40 years, R.E. “Pete” Sanders.  She and Pete were long…

Anita McNeely Thomas, 79, passed away Sept. 17, 2023. A memorial service was held Sept. 23 at Brookhaven Funeral Home. Graveside service followed at Midway Cemetery, Meadville. She was born on Jan. 15, 1944, in Bude to the late Helen Adams McNeely and Earl B. McNeely Sr. Christened as a child in the United Methodist…