L.C. ‘Shorty, The Volkswagen Man’ Benjamin

Services for L.C. “Shorty, The Volkswagen Man” Benjamin, ofBrookhaven, are 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22 at Alexander Junior HighAuditorium with burial in Carver Heights Cemetery.

Visitation is Wednesday from noon until 7 p.m. at R.E. TylerFuneral Home Chapel. The family will be present from 6 to 7p.m.

Mr. Benjamin, 81, died Dec. 15, 2005, at his residence. He wasborn on Feb. 11, 1924, to Isaiah “Sonny” Benjamin and Gladys IreneWilson Benjamin.

He was a mechanic and he served in the Army.

Preceding him in death were his parents; and two sisters, AlmetaBenjamin and Gussie Brown McIntyre.

Survivors are his wife, Ella M. Benjamin, of Brookhaven; hissons, Lawrence Benjamin, of Brookhaven, Simmie Benjamin, of SilverCreek, Bruce Benjamin, of Hazlehurst, and Joseph Franklin Jr., ofBrookhaven; his daughters, Doris Coleman, of Brookhaven, BettyGriffin, of Brookhaven, Marjorie Benjamin, of Jackson, and DanitaBrown, of Killeen, Texas; his brothers, Alvin Benjamin, ofBrookhaven, and Calvin Benjamin, of Chicago, Ill.; his sisters,Alease Houston, of Chicago, and Marie Brice, Hazel Jackson, andHelen Diggs, all of Brookhaven; 23 grandchildren; 25great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Louis Butler Jr.

Services for Louis Butler Jr., of Bogue Chitto, are 11 a.m.Thursday, Dec. 22 at Springfield M.B. Church in Bogue Chitto withburial in the church cemetery.

Visitation is Wednesday from 1 to 6 p.m. at WilliamsMortuary.

Mr. Butler, 59, died Dec. 16, 2005, at his residence. He wasborn in Lincoln County on Aug. 14, 1946, to Louis Butler Sr. andAnnie Lee Butler Wall.

He was disabled. He was a member of Springfield M.B. Church.

Preceding him in death were his father; his son, Brian Butler;and other relatives.

Survivors are his wife, Ida Delores Butler, of Bogue Chitto; hisdaughter, Annette Edwards and her husband, Theron, of Bogue Chitto;his mother, Annie Lee Wall, of Bogue Chitto; his sisters, Rose MaryCook, Alice Faye Knox and her husband, Anthony, Patricia Bouie andGloria Wall, all of Bogue Chitto; his brothers, Harold Wall Jr. andJessie Butler, both of Bogue Chitto; his three grandchildren,Dezmon Coleman, Avianna Coleman and Mackenye Fields, all of BogueChitto; and a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, otherrelatives and friends.

Mildred P. Laird

Services for Mildred P. Laird, of Meadville, were 11 a.m. today,Dec. 20 at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Franklin County with burialin the church cemetery. Franklin Funeral Home was in charge ofarrangements.

Mrs. Laird, 89, died Dec. 18, 2005, at the Meadville NursingHome. She was born in Franklin County on March 22, 1916, to DotsonBennett Pickett and Lillie Terry Pickett.

She was a homemaker. She was a member of Mt. Zion BaptistChurch.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, John M.Laird Sr.; a son, John M. Laird Jr.; a great-granddaughter; abrother; and one sister.

Survivors are her two daughters, Evelyn Laird Godbold, of McCallCreek, and Peggy Laird Brocato, of Smithdale; a daughter-in-law,Brenda Ratcliff Laird, of Brookhaven; her sisters, Tommie Jean Nixand Martha Gammill, both of Natchez, Wanzie Smith, of Gloster, andGlen Schmidt, of Donaldsonville, La.; seven grandchildren; and 10great-grandchildren.

Katherine Criscoe Lee

Services for Katherine Criscoe Lee of Conyers, Ga., a Brookhavennative, were 2 p.m. Dec. 14 at Scot Ward Funeral Home’s Harry WhiteChapel in Conyers with burial in Green Meadow Memorial Gardens.

Mrs. Lee, 91, died Dec. 12, 2005. She was the daughter of LutherCriscoe and Mamie Felder Criscoe.

She was retired. She was a member of Conyers First MethodistChurch, where she was a member of the Maxwell class, Dorcas Women’sCircle and Herald Voices Choir. She attended the University ofSouthern Mississippi in Hattiesburg and taught elementary school inSavannah for a number of years. She made Savannah her home fornearly 50 years before moving to Conyers in 1984.

Preceding her in death was her husband, Girault D. Lee.

Survivors are her son Larry Griffin and his wife Sue, ofGriffin, Ga.; her daughter, Lynda Lee Gilbert and her husband,Warren, of Conyers, Ga.; five grandchildren; and severalgreat-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Pleasant Grove Methodist Church, 1098Pleasant Grove Dr. SE, Monticello, MS 39654.

James Edwin ‘Ed’ Russell

Services for James Edwin “Ed” Russell, of Brookhaven, are 2 p.m.today, Dec. 20 at Harrigill Funeral Home Chapel with burial inEasthaven Cemetery.

Mr. Russell, 76, died Dec. 17, 2005, at Forrest General Hospitalin Hattiesburg. He was born in Ruth on Feb. 26, 1929, to J. BensonRussell Sr. and Wadie Brister Russell.

He was an over-the-road truck driver for Campbell (66) Expressand a cattle farmer. He was a member of Easthaven Baptist Church.He and his wife, Ginny, would have been married 57 years onChristmas Day.

Preceding him in death were his parents; three brothers, J.B.Russell Jr., Huey P. Russell and Boyce Russell; and five sisters,Pauline Woodrow, Helen Falvey, Dora Mae Allen, Virginia Toomer andBetty Drake.

Survivors are his wife, Alma F. “Ginny” Russell, of Brookhaven;his daughters, Judy R. Patt, of Brookhaven, and Amanda R. Artmannand her husband, James “Buddy” Artmann Sr., of Bogue Chitto; onesister, Yvonne Russell, of Brookhaven; six grandchildren, JamesPatt and his wife, Melissa, Jennifer Dickerson and her husband,Chris, Rebecca Jordan Schrader and her husband, Shannon, RachelJordan Williams and her husband, Jacob, Regina Jordan and MatthewJordan; and six great-grandchildren