Obituaries – July 23, 2009
Era Jane Coleman
WATER VALLEY – Mrs. Era Jane Coleman, 88, passed away Monday, July 20, 2009, in Baptist Memorial Hospital—North Mississippi at Oxford.
Born in Tupelo, Mrs. Coleman was a daughter of the late Raymond and Beatrice Sparks Williams. During her working life she was employed as a seamstress for Big Yank, at Yalobusha County Nursing Home, and at Emerson Electric, from which she retired. She was a member of Anchor Baptist Church in Lafayette County.
The public is invited to visit with the family prior to the service at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, July 22, in Seven Oaks Funeral Home at Water Valley. The funeral service will be held at eleven o’clock in the morning in the Henry Chapel at Seven Oaks Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Shipp Cemetery in Lafayette County.
Mrs. Coleman is survived by her three grandsons, Gerald (Kimberly) Coleman of Camilla, Georgia, Michael Coleman of Water Valley, and Jason Coleman of Belzoni; two sisters, Edith (Jimmy) Martin of Oxford and Dorothy (Clinton) McKinney of Water Valley; and five great-grandchildren.
Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, James Milton Coleman, and her son, James Ray Coleman.
Earnest Kee
COFFEEVILLE – Earnest Kee died Wednesday, July 8, 2009, in Yalobusha General Hospital after a battle with cancer.
A life celebration service was held Monday, July 13, in Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church, with Pastor Mitchell Steen and Pastor Barney Martin officiating. The committal was held in Pleasant Grove Cemetery, with Jonathan Kee, Kevin Kee, Terrell Kee, Raymond Kee, Cardell Guider, Reginald Watson, Reginald Kee, and Albert Covington, serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were James Kee, George Kee, Nathaniel Kee, Willie Davis, Clarence Brown, Jr., Dwight Kee, John Mister, David “Jake” Reed, Guy Baddley, and Eddie Towers. He was the first person to be funeralized in the new church sanctuary. Eddie Robinson Funeral Directors had charge of arrangements.
Born to Lee Kee, Sr. and Hattie Roberts Kee on June 1, 1941, in the Bryant Community of Yalobusha County, Earnest Kee was the 11th child to fill the Kee home with joy. Mr. Kee was a concrete mason, independent contractor, and real estate investor.
Lovingly bonded with his own siblings, as well as his extended family, he was well known in the Bryant Community as fun-loving and loyal. Initially attending the Bryant School, he transferred to Central High School in Coffeeville and graduated in 1960. His experiences there accounted for many hilarious stories and the self-proclaimed legend of the Kee basketball dynasty.
After acknowledging the presence of God in his life, he joined Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church, where he attended until moving to Chicago. There he met and married Barbara Scanton and to this union three sons were born. He relocated to his beloved Coffeeville in 2004.
Survivors include sons, Earnest Todd Kee of Seattle, Washington, Eric Lee (Lisa) Kee of Chicago, and Brian Heston (Dawn) Kee of Pine Lake, Georgia; daughter, Jaleesa Rivers of Seattle; six grandchildren, Simone Wilson, Jonathan Kee, Syrus Kee, Elan Kee, John S. and Earnest T. Kee; brothers, James E. Kee (Nancy) of Chicago, George W. Kee of Maywood, and Nathaniel Kee (Dorothy); his nephew, and legally adopted brother, Dwight Kee of Chicago; sisters, Lee Vora Williams and Katie Phillips of Chicago, Mazella Sanderson of Bolingbrook, Ill., Liliar V. Hervey McKellery of Terre Haute, Ind., and Eva G. Boyd of Oak Park, Ill., sisters-in-law, Rachel Kee of Coffeeville, and Aggie Noel of Maywood, devoted caregivers, Nora Johnson and Niece Anne Kee, other nieces, nephews, and many other relatives.
In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by a sister, Eula, brothers, Ulysses and Lee, and a grandson, Elias.
Evelyn Rogers Williamson
MEMPHIS – Mary Evelyn Rogers Williamson was born February 24, 1916, and passed away July 15, 2009, at the age of 93.
Mrs. Williamson called Water Valley home as a young lady. Soon after graduating form high school, she married Harvey Williamson where they lived in the countryside on the outskirts of Water Valley. Evelyn and Harvey later moved to Memphis, where they raised their three children. She worked as a nurse at Baptist Memorial Central for 30 years. When Evelyn retired, she traveled extensively with her husband and grandchildren. Their travels included visiting all 50 states.
She was known to those who loved her as Sissy, Eve, Mother, Mom, Mama, Mommommy, Grandmother, Will, Ommama, and even “Granny” by her co-workers. Evelyn was one of three daughters and six sons born to I. S. and Lena Mae Rogers.
She is survived by two sisters, Frances Simosik and Helon Anthony, as well as her three children, Greta Markle (Franklin), Mary Ann Schubert (Bill), and Gary Williamson (Linda). She also leaves a tremendous family legacy, having touched each of there hearts over the years. She leaves 11 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren.
“The world changed significantly during her 93 years of life, but Evelyn remained very principled with a strong value system. She held on to her depression age ethics and firm moral values. The center of her life was family, and this was never more evident than watching her become an integral part of the lives of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. What a lady! If we follow by her example we will all be the better for it. We will never forget the memories and life lessons shared with us by Evelyn Williamson,” stated a family member.
The funeral service was held Saturday, July 18, at one o’clock in the afternoon, in the Riverside Chapel at Memorial Park. Interment was in Memorial Park Cemetery.
The family request memorials be sent to St. Matthews United Methodist Church or to the American Cancer Society.
William Wayne Wilson
ATLANTA, GA. – William Wayne Wilson passed from this life on Saturday, July 18, 2009, in Atlanta, Georgia. He was 93 years of age.
Born in Paris in 1915, he was a son of the late Marion Lafayette Wilson and Anna Kelley Wilson. A brave man, who lived his life with humor, optimism, love and a beautiful spirit, he served his country in World War II in the First Division, 18th Infantry of the Armed Services.
He was among the first to land on Omaha Beach on D-Day and was on the front lines crossing Europe until the end of the war. He was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious achievement for action in a critical period of the invasion of Western Europe.
Mr. Wilson was an engineer and sales manager for Kyova Pipe Company and later Armco Steel Company. Upon retirement he opened Lunch Encounter, a favorite Buckhead (Atlanta) restaurant, which he operated for over 15 years. He extended his culinary talents to print, following his life as a restaurateur. Drawing on his love of travel, food, and inexhaustible curiosity he began a writing career. He and his wife traveled the world, exploring the history, cuisine and cultures of many countries. With this knowledge he began writing for weekly newspapers in Georgia, North Carolina and Florida, which he continued to the present. Out of love and adoration for his granddaughter, Nichole, he wrote a book, “The One Hundred Years of the Twentieth Century, A Tribute to My Granddaughter.”
A “Celebration of Life” for Mr. Wilson will be held Saturday, August 1, at four o’clock in the afternoon at Calvin Court, 479 East Paces Ferry Road, Atlanta. It was his wish that donations be made to his granddaughter’s adoption agency in lieu of flowers. Tax deductible donations may be made in memory of William Wayne Wilson, to Frank Foundation/Kiroy Orphanage in Russia, Attention Julie Hogan, 5550 Friendship Boulevard, Suite 230, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815.
Survivors include his loving wife of 65 years, Hazel Elizabeth Wilson of Atlanta; daughters, Janet Ann Wilson of Scaly Mountain, North Carolina, Karen Elaine Miglionico of Roswell, Georgia; granddaughter, Nichole Aleksandra Miglionico of Roswell; and many beloved family members and friends.