Obituaries

Claude Otis Reese Jr., 82, passed away Feb. 7, 2023. A funeral service was held at Hall’s Hill M.B. Church in Hazlehurst, with interment at Mt. Hope Cemetery. House of Peoples Funeral Home handled the arrangements. Survivors include his sons, Kelvin Reese, Alvin Reese, and Claude Otis Reese III; 11 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; brothers, Carroll…

Clara Jean Virgil, 65, passed away Feb. 6, 2023. A funeral service was held Feb. 11 at Temple Church of Christ Holiness USA in Hazlehurst, with interment at Hazlehurst City Cemetery. Hazlehurst Funeral Home handled the arrangements. Survivors include her husband, Eddie Stanley Virgil; daughters, LaTanya Minor-Hart, Cantrennia Harris, Shondra Barker, Larisa Williams, and Latisa…

Joe Willie Collins, 85, passed away Jan. 20, 2023. A funeral service was held Feb. 4 at Greater Damascus Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A. in Hazlehurst, with interment at New Salem M.B. Church Cemetery. Hazlehurst Funeral Home handled the arrangements. Survivors include his daughter, Judy Collins; sons, Joseph Collins, Michael Collins, Dennis Collins, and Patrick…

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…

Larry Bryan Barlow, 88, died Jan. 24, 2023, at the Mississippi State Veterans Home in Jackson. He was born in Beauregard to Albert Bryan and Virgie Lusk Barlow. He was the youngest son to brother Albert Hillery Barlow. He is survived by his daughter, Melonie Leverett, of Oakdale, Calif.; two grandsons, Randy and Travis Leverett;…

Joy Davis, 84, of Wesson, passed away Feb. 3, 2023. A funeral service was held Feb. 5 at Stringer Family Chapel, with burial at Poplar Springs Cemetery. Mrs. Davis was a high school graduate of Central High School in Jackson, then graduated from Mississippi College in Clinton with a degree in elementary education. She taught…

Mary Nell Little Phillips, of Georgetown, passed away peacefully with her husband of 76 years, Justin Phillips, by her side on the evening of Jan. 29, 2023. A funeral service was held Feb. 1 at Stringer Family Chapel, with burial at Georgetown Cemetery. She was a longtime business owner and notary. In her spare time,…

Ella Reed, 72, of Hazlehurst, passed away Jan. 30, 2023. A funeral service was held Feb. 4 at St. John Catholic Church, with burial at Gallman Cemetery. Stringer Family Funeral Home in Hazlehurst handled the arrangements. Mrs. Reed graduated from St. Martin Catholic Church, and she loved to sing. She worked at LC Industry for…