Obituaries for Friday, Oct. 31, 2008
Posted: 10/31/08 - 11:02:20 am CDT
Harvey J. Vest Jr., Dorothy M. Power, Leleia M. Lombas, Phyllis Bennett Cook, Rev. Joseph L. Small
Harvey J. Vest Jr.
Harvey Johnson Vest Jr., 90, a longtime McComb businessman and former city councilman, died Oct. 29, 2008, at Camellia Estates in McComb.
Visitation is 5 to 8 tonight at Jones Family Funeral Services in McComb, then 10 a.m. Saturday at Centenary United Methodist Church until services there at 11 a.m. The Rev. Karen Koons Hayden will officiate. Burial will be in Hollywood Cemetery.
Mr. Vest was born Feb. 16, 1918, in Fernwood. He was the son of the late Harvey Johnson Vest Sr. and Ruby Perry Vest
His family moved to McComb when he was 3. At age 12, he delivered newspapers on his bike to provide extra income for his family during the Great Depression. He graduated from McComb High School in 1935 and attended Southwest Mississippi Junior College. After college, he worked for his father’s North Front Street shoe business. On nights and Sunday afternoons he worked at the soda fountain at Gillis Drug Store on State Street.
In 1941, Mr. Vest went to work for Illinois Central Railroad as a brakeman, but joined the Air Force less than a year later when the United States became involved in World War II. He received his wings and 2nd lieutenant commission in June 1943. He was a pilot and commander of a B-17 four-engine bomber with a crew of 10. He and his crew completed 35 bombing missions over Germany and enemy territory, and Vest attained the rank of 1st lieutenant. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with five oak-leaf clusters.
At the end of the war, Mr. Vest decided to return to McComb to the family business, Vest’s Shoes and Apparel, which relocated to Main Street in 1946. He operated the downtown business until 1999. Founded in 1924, Vest’s was in operation for 75 years. Many former customers treasure the memory of getting the traditional Easter chick there.
Mr. Vest married the former Laurie Bacot of the Friendship community in 1948. They were married 47 years until her death in 1994. They lived the first 15 years of marriage at her old homeplace in Friendship.
Mr. Vest was a faithful member of Centenary United Methodist Church, where he had attended since age 12. He taught the Oliver Emmerich Sunday School Class for many years, and at various times served as lay leader and church school superintendent and was a member of the administrative board, a delegate to the annual conference, president of the Methodist Men, and Sunday school teacher.
He was a McComb city selectman-at-large for two terms, was president of the Pike County Chapter of the American Red Cross, president of the McComb Lions Club and received the Lions Club Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005. He served on the board of directors of the McComb Chamber of Commerce and the board of directors of the Mississippi Retail Merchants Association. He was selected Small Business Person of the Year in 1992 by the Pike County Chamber of Commerce. He served on the advisory board of Deposit Guaranty National Bank, the McComb-Pike County Airport Board, and was president of the McComb Alumni Association and director of the Salvation Army Advisory Board.
He was a member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. A Life Scout, Mr. Vest was assistant scoutmaster for Centenary Troop No. 121. He served on the executive council of the Tall Pine District Boy Scouts of America and was an executive board member of the Andrew Jackson Council of Boy Scouts.
Mr. Vest was chosen as king of the Azalea Court by the McComb Junior Auxiliary in 1995. He enjoyed playing golf and was a life member of the Mississippi Seniors Golf Association. He was a member of the Half-Fast Joggers and organized annual deep-sea fishing trips for the Methodist Men. He enjoyed riding horses on his farm and participated in horseback wilderness trips to Colorado, Missouri and Arizona. He enjoyed flying and maintained his certification for both single- and multi-engine airplanes, accumulating more than 2,400 hours of flying time. He also enjoyed the friendships of his coffee and card groups.
Mr. Vest’s family said he “was beloved, respected and revered by his family, his church and the community. A gentleman in the truest sense, Mr. Vest was humble, generous, genteel and wise. As a Christian, he always endeavored to do ‘the right thing,’ and was a living example for his children and grandchildren, loving them steadfastly and encouraging them to do their best. Mr. Vest had a heart of gold and many were blessed by his sweet, kind spirit. He will certainly live forever in their hearts.”Survivors include his brother and sister-in-law, Dr. Norris N. and Jenny Vest of Greenville; two sons, Mark Perry Vest and wife Danon Jones Vest of Columbia, and Michael Vest and Rhonda Vest-Redwine of Sugar Land, Texas; two daughters and sons-in-law, Martha Vest Barker and Dale of McComb, and Mary Vest Tullos and Ted of McComb; 12 grandchildren, Heather Laurie Vest Briggs and husband Roger of Dallas, Mark Perry “Rocky” Vest Jr. and wife Kortney of Des Moines, Iowa, Jessica Gayle Vest of Gaithersburg, Md., Thomas Brad Barker and wife Brandi of Madison, Michael Bacot Barker of Tahoe, Calif., Martha Lane Barker, Aaron Vest Tullos, Alan Frith Tullos and Anne Elisabeth Tullos, all of McComb, Andrew Jacob Tullos and wife Kayla of Maumelle, Ark., Robin Katherine Vest and Jaime Laurie Vest of Sugar Land; five great-grandchildren, Ethan Thomas Barker, Emily Alliece Barker, Thomas Scott Briggs, Jackson Taylor Vest and John Porter Vest; and numerous nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be his grandsons. Honorary pallbearers will be Johnny Balser, Warren Fesmire, Joe Giacone, Gene Jones, Dr. Whip Kennedy, David Kimble, Bobby Maddox, Gerald McMillan, Jewel Rushing, Johnny Thompson and Leon Williamson.
Memorials may be made to Centenary United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 712, McComb, MS 39649.
Dorothy M. Power
Dorothy Evelyn McDaniel Power, 61, of Tylertown, died Oct. 29, 2008, at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg.
Services were noon today at Capps Funeral Home in Tylertown. The Rev. Keith Smith officiated. Burial was in Tylertown Cemetery.
Mrs. Power was born Nov. 7, 1946, in Tylertown, to Ottis and Undean Brown McDaniel.
She was a homemaker and member of Calvary Temple Pentecostal Church.
Mrs. Power was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter, Towanna Doreen Pangan; and two daughters-in-law, Dee Dee Leigh Pangan and Phyllis Baye Pangan.
Survivors include her husband, William K. Power of Tylertown; two sons, Melvin and Renny Pangan of Metairie, La.; a brother and sister-in-law, Winston and Sheila McDaniel of Tylertown; two grandchildren, Randi and Rachel Pangan; a great-grandchild, Colby Lake; four stepchildren, four step-grandsons and a step-great-granddaughter.
Leleia M. Lombas
Leleia M. Lombas, 83, of Magnolia, died Oct. 31, 2008, at Billdora Senior Care in Tylertown.
Arrangements are incomplete with Jones Family Funeral Services in McComb in charge.
Phyllis Bennett Cook
Phyllis Bennett Cook, 57, of Summit, died Oct. 26, 2008, at her residence.
Visitation is 4 to 7 tonight at Young’s Funeral Home in Summit and continues at 11 a.m. Saturday at Spring Beulah Church of Christ Holiness, USA, 5026 D.P. Guy Road in Ruth, until services there at noon. Elder Euliss Brown will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Mrs. Cook was born July 30, 1951, in McComb. She was the daughter of Ora Lee Reed of McComb and the late Bernis G. Reed Sr.
She was the oldest of six children. Bennett, as she was affectionately called, was reared in Chicago and educated in the Chicago Public School System, graduating at the top of her class in 1969 from Chicago Vocational High School.
Upon graduation she worked as a legal secretary at City Hall while attending Southeast Junior College, where she continued to improve her secretarial and business skills. She later worked as a secretary for a real estate agency, where she met the love of her life, Samuel E. Cook.
On April 27, 1971, her daughter Tara Linnear was born, and on Nov. 12, 1974, her son, Dennis Ronaldo was born. Bennett and Sam married on Sept. 30, 1978, in Chicago. They lived there until 1992, when Sam retired and they moved to Summit, where they planned to live out the rest of their days. But Mrs. Cook had a lot of energy and decided to go back to work for the Mississippi State Department of Health, where she worked for nine years until her health began to fail.
Her family said, “She fought a long battle with numerous ailments and persevered to the end. She was a strong person, who tried never to show her family and loved ones how very sick she really was.”
She accepted Christ at age 9 in Chicago and rededicated her life to Christ in 1993 under Elder Gervis D. Kendrick at Spring Beulah Church of Christ Holiness, USA.
“Bennett never met a stranger. She was a warm, loving, wonderful and generous person with a big heart. There was nothing she would not do for you if she knew you had a need or if it was something you just wanted. She will be dearly missed,” her family said.
Mrs. Cook was preceded in death by her father; a sister, Marjorie O’Dell; a stepdaughter, Sheila Cook; paternal and maternal grandparents; five aunts and seven uncles.
Survivors include her husband of 30 years, Sam; a daughter, Tara Linnear Reed of Summit; a son, Dennis Ronaldo Hunter of Florida; a stepson, Stanley Cook of Chicago; a goddaughter, Jasmine Patrice Sargent of Summit; three grandchildren, Brenden Jacquez Reed, Latrell Donshae Barnes and Dennis Ronaldo Hunter Jr.; a step-grandson, Austin Cook of Chicago; her mother; three brothers, Donald Marcus Reed and wife Lorraine of Riverdale, Ill., Ronald Marshall Reed Sr. and special friend Alice Pate of Harvey, Ill., and Bernis Glenn Reed Jr. of Milwaukee; a sister, Marilyn Denise Goines of McComb; five nieces, Twan Brown of Lansing, Ill., LaDawna Reed of Dolton, Ill., LaWanda May and husband Tim, and Teres Solomon and husband Eugene, all of Chicago, and LaRissa Briana Reed of McComb; four nephews, Donyel Billings and wife Sylvia of Country Club Hills, Ill., Ronald Reed Jr. and wife Keshia of Sturgis, Ky., Albert Lee Goines Jr. and special friend Brenda and son Jalen Baker of Utica, and Bernis G. Reed III of Milwaukee; nine aunts, Casiolean Hill of McComb, Eudedia Turner and husband E.J. of Ruth, Hazel Handy and her special friend Pericles Dillon of Summit, Ruby Jenkins of Ruth, Dorothy Nell Jenkins and Sue Jenkins, both of Milwaukee, Benita Reed of Natchez, Montee Addison of Upper Marlboro, Md., and Maude Hudson of Hattiesburg; four uncles, Tommie Jenkins of Ruth, Lonnie Ray Jenkins and Ed Reed, both of McComb, and R.J. Stovall of Summit; a sister-in-law, Eldora Cook of Summit; four brothers-in-law and their wives, Noah Cook and Johnnie, and Andrew Cook and Emma, all of Summit, X.L. Cook and Gloria of California, and Willie Lee Cook of Chicago; five great-nieces, four great-nephews and a host of other close relatives and friends.
Rev. Joseph L. Small
The Rev. Joseph L. Small, 87, of Poplarville and formerly of McComb, died Oct. 27, 2008, at Wesley Medical Center in Hattiesburg.
His body has been donated to University Medical Center in Jackson, as he wished. Therefore, no funeral services were held.
A private memorial was held by the family at his home.
Rev. Small was born June 13, 1921, in Bogalusa, La., to W.E. and Nora Small.
He was a Baptist minister for more than 50 years.
He also served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
Rev. Small’s family said, “He was a faithful servant to our Lord and touched the lives of many people. He loved his family very much and will be greatly missed.”
Rev. Small was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Lamar and Charles Small; and a sister, Gloria Breland.
Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Jewell Small of Poplarville; two sons and one daughter-in-law, Eric Small of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and Craig and Robin Small of McComb; five grandchildren, Gary Small of McComb, Mandi Small Prescott and her husband Ron of Perdido Key, Fla., Jamie Beth Small Rials and her husband Bradley of Smithdale, Jonathan Small of Mount Dora, Fla., and Justin Small of Hattiesburg; five great-grandchildren, Colby and Stiles Small of McComb, Leighton and Ella Claire Prescott of Perdido Key and Kaylee Beth Rials of Smithdale; one sister, Sylvia Bell of Bogalusa, La.; and a special sister-in-law, Dymple Nohra of Hattiesburg.
|
Let us know what you think about this story or topic.
|
Your comment may not
immediately appear on this Web site. We appreciate your patience.
|
|
|
|
|
RSS
