Obituaries for Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Published 5:00 am Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Flora Jean Calcote Byrd

Services for Flora Jean Calcote Byrd, of Brookhaven, are 2 p.m.Thursday, June 4, at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Brookhavenwith burial in the church cemetery.

Visitation is Wednesday from 5 until 8 p.m. at Riverwood FamilyFuneral Service in Brookhaven.

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Mrs. Byrd, 71, died June 1, 2009, at Mississippi Baptist MedicalCenter in Jackson. She was born on April 15, 1938, to Cade VernonCalcote and Mary Bernice Smith Calcote.

She was a homemaker. She was a member of Pleasant Grove BaptistChurch. Mrs. Byrd was Women’s Missionary Union director at PleasantGrove Baptist for many years. Her greatest accomplishments werebeing an outstanding Christian wife, mother, mother-in-law andgrandmother.

Preceding her in death were her father, Cade Calcote; herhusband, James “Jamie” W. Byrd; and her sisters, Raye Calcote andJanice Saterfiel.

Survivors are her mother, Bernice Calcote; her sons, Kevin Byrdand wife, Carla, and Karl Byrd and wife, Dana; a daughter, MaryKaren Case and husband, Jason; her brothers, Mike Calcote and wife,Cheryl, Charles Calcote and wife, Cathy, and Chester Calcote andwife, Cheryl; a sister, Linda Faye Seymour and husband, Jerry; amother-in-law, Aline Byrd; her brothers-in-law, Jerry Byrd andwife, Betty, Keith Byrd and Ken Saterfiel; a sister-in-law, BarbaraRobinson and husband, Jerry; and her 10 grandchildren, Julie Case,Jay Case, Jared Case, Jena Case, Kody Byrd, Aaron Byrd, KarltonByrd, Will Byrd, Matt Byrd and Alexis Byrd.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or PleasantGrove Baptist Church building fund at 2162 Old Highway 84 West,Brookhaven, MS 39601.

To express your thoughts to the family, you may visitriverwoodfamily.com and click on their name to leave a comment.

Aronell Snyder Cade

Services for Aronell Snyder Cade, of Wesson, are 10 a.m.Thursday, June 4, at Brookhaven Funeral Home Chapel on NatchezDrive with burial in New Hope Methodist Church Cemetery.

Visitation is Wednesday from 4 until 7 p.m. at the funeralhome.

Mrs. Cade, 87, died June 3, 2009, at her residence. She was bornin Brookhaven on May 21, 1922, to Prentiss Snyder and Lona WattsSnyder.

She was a Loyd Star graduate. She retired from Stahl-Urban Co.She was a member of Friendship Baptist Church.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband of 67years, Vernon Cade; a brother, Versie Snyder; and a sister, VernaSnyder Vaughn.

Survivors are a son, Lanny Ray Cade and wife, Gerldean, ofBrookhaven; a daughter, Katrina Turk and husband, M.K., ofHattiesburg; a sister, Thelma Snyder Smith, of Brookhaven; her fourgrandchildren, Shannon Cade Smith and husband, Kurt, Juston Cadeand wife, Lora, Michelle Turk Hession and husband, Tony, andMalisha Turk Siders and husband, Drew; her fourgreat-grandchildren, Jered and Malori Cade and Turk Hession andAddison Claire Siders.

The family wishes to thank her caregivers, Billie Amic, LindaHarveston, Magruda Spillers, Faye Watts and the staff of HospiceMinistries Inc. for their devotion, loving care and many acts ofkindness.

Memorials may be made to the New Hope cemetery fund or to theFriendship Baptist Church building fund.

Annie Mae Newton Gaston

Services for Annie Mae Newton Gaston, of Brookhaven, are 11 a.m.Friday, June 5, at Damascus M.B. Church with burial in HillcrestCemetery.

Visitation is Thursday from 1 until 7:30 p.m. at WilliamsMortuary with family present from 6:30 until 7:30 p.m.

Mrs. Gaston, 97, died May 31, 2009, at her daughter’s home inEllicott City, Md. She was born in Lincoln County on May 24, 1912,to Mary Howard Canes.

She married Minyon Gaston on May 23, 1947. To this union twodaughters were born, Bertheria Delores and Felicia Menette Gaston.She was united with Damascus M.B. Church at an early age andcontinued to serve the Lord faithfully throughout her life. She wasan active member at Damascus most of her life. She was a member ofMt. Sinai M.B. Church during the 14 years she lived in Roosevelt,N.Y. Mrs. Gaston worked faithfully as a Sunday school teacher inboth churches. She has been a dedicated member of the missionaryboard, serving as president during her time at Damascus. Sheexemplified her love for God by her service to the church and tothe community. She always had an open heart and a willing hand andspirit to offer service and aid when needed.

Mrs. Gaston received her early education in the Lincoln Countyand Brookhaven Public School System. She graduated from high schoolat Natchez College in Natchez. She received her bachelor’s degreein education from Alcorn State University in 1937. She wasadditionally honored with a Golden Certificate in 1987. Shereceived her master’s degree in elementary education from TuskegeeUniversity in 1962. Further study was completed at NorthwesternUniversity in Evanston, Ill.; Atlanta University in Atlanta, Ga.;and Nassau Community College in Uniondale, N.Y.

Much of her life was spent serving youth as an educator. Mrs.Gaston taught in Brookhaven Separate School District for 27 yearsas a fourth grade teacher and in the New York City Public SchoolSystem in Jamaica, N.Y., for 10 years. In 1974, she retired fromthe New York City Public School System. Mrs. Gaston was active inreligious and civic activities. She served the Damascus M.B. Churchin different capacities. She was a Girl Scout leader in Brookhavenfor a number of years. She was a founding member of the Gamma BetaZeta Chapter of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. She was a member of theRetired Teachers Associations of Mississippi and New York, AlcornAlumni Association and several other organizations.

Preceding her in death was her husband of 50 years, MinyonGaston.

Survivors are her daughters, Bertheria Delores and FeliciaMenette, of Ellicot City; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousinsand friends.

Robert ‘Bob’ Jones

Services for Robert “Bob” Jones, of Brookhaven, are 2 p.m.Friday, June 5, at Macedonia M.B. Church in Brookhaven with burialin Hillcrest Cemetery.

Visitation is Thursday from 1 until 6 p.m. at WilliamsMortuary.

Mr. Jones, 86, died May 28, 2009, at his residence. He was bornin Brookhaven on Oct. 7, 1922, to Sam Newton and Beulah Jones.

He was educated in Brookhaven Public Schools. He was owner andoperator of the Jones Janitorial Service Business. Mr. Jones was aWorld War II veteran. He was a member of Macedonia M.B. Church.

Preceding him in death were his parents; his wife of 67 years,Areace “Sis” Jones; his daughters, Bridgette Williams, Roberta Lee,Barbara Taylor, Linda Collins, Pamela Fields; a brother, Fred”Tiny” Newton; a sister, Eleanor Ross; and his grandchildren, KeithNewton, Farrell Jones, Dwight Jones and Raymond Williams.

Survivors are his sons, Robert Newton and wife, Jeanette, SamuelA. Jones and James Jones and wife, Jacqueline, all of Brookhaven;his daughters, Lillian Bridges and husband, Ronnie, Wydell Dixonand husband, Luther, Dorothy Hunter and husband, Robert, all ofBrookhaven, and Vernetta Vaughn and husband, Ray, of Delta City;his sons-in-laws, Moses Taylor and Jimmy Fields, of Brookhaven; his37 grandchildren; and his 48 great-grandchildren.