Obituaries 05/18/2023
Julie Coker Denman
CHARLESTON – Julia Coker Denman, age 81, co-founder and Co-owner of Denman Animal Clinic passed away Tuesday, May 9.
Born February 12, 1942, she was the daughter of Lorena Haynes Coker and W. W. Coker. She was a member of Cowart Baptist Church.
Julia is survived by her husband of 60 years, Dr. Stuart Graham Denman, Jr.; three daughters, Ann (Eddie) Denman Reynolds of Charleston, Susan Denman of Charleston and Rena (Michael) Denman Montgomery of Olive Branch; one son, Joe Denman (Dee) of Iuka; 13 grandchildren, Sheriff Jimmy (Mary) Fly, Leanna (Tucker Hood) Reynolds, Will (Katie) Reynolds, Matt Borg, Michelle Borg, Jack Borg, Brexton Denman, Joey Denman, Stuart Denman, IV, Blakely Denman, Augustus Denman, Madison Denman Montgomery and Luke Montgomery; and two great-grandchildren, Denman Fly and McKarley Reynolds.
Judy was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Stuart Graham Denman,III; a sister, Jeanette Barnes; and a brother, Wesson Coker.
Visitation was held Friday, May 12, at Cowart Baptist Church from 10 a.m. until noon. The service followed at noon. with Rev. Ed McDaniel and Rev. Paul Blanchard conducting. Interment was at the Charleston Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Jimmy Fly, Will Reynolds, Matt Borg, Jack Borg, Brexton Denman, Joey Denman and Augustus Denman. Honorary pallbearers were Luke Montgomery, Michael Montgomery, Stuart Graham Denman, IV, Denman Fly, Joe Denman, Eddie Reynolds, David Mabus, Randy Cook, Tray Coker and Boyd Coker .
Memorial Request made to: Cowart Baptist Church, C/O Mrs. Jones Sandifer, 20948 Ms Hwy 32, Charleston, Ms. 38921; Or Camp Lakeside, 177 Lakeside Dr., Scobey, Ms. 38953.
Bessie Yvonne McGee Jones
WATER VALLEY– Bessie Yvonne McGee Jones died peacefully on April 27, 2022, at the Yalobusha County Nursing Home under the care of a wonderful staff. She was 86.
Bessie was born October 1, 1936 in Oxford to the late Curtis McGee and the late Ruby Bernice Fondren McGee. Bessie married Percy Augustus Jones of Taylor. They later divorced. She was a hard worker, raising six children. She attended South Salems Baptist Church during her early life. She later joined South Hopewell Baptist Church, where she was a faithful member until her health began to fail. She worked at RiceStix, formerly Big Yank, as a sewing machine operator. She was later employed with Mott’s Poultry, where she was a supervisor for many years working day and night shifts. She was also employed at Emerson’s for 19 years before retiring. She had a strong leadership work ethic.
Bessie shared joy and love with her six children, Leroy Percy (Rose Mary) Jones of Abbeville, Mae Ruth (Nezzie) Benson of Water Valley, Ruby A. “Chip” (Nathaniel) Rockette of Oxford, Lottie Pearl (James) Campbell of Water Valley, Horace E. Jones of Norfolk and Oliver “Tony” Jones of Davenport, Iowa. She taught them the strength of unity and ruled with strength and the rod.
Other survivors include one brother, Richard (Jane) McGee of Racine, Wisc.; nine sisters, Beulah Belcher, Cora Jenkins, Dora Clark and JoAnn McGee, all of Water Valley, Deborah Hodges of Oxford, Annie McGee of Taylor, Laura (Joe) Brown of Memphis, Barbara Martin and Curtis Marie McGee, both of Racine, Wisc.; 17 grandchildren; 36 great-grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Bessie was preceded in death by one sister, Willie Mae McGee; and two grandsons, Leroy Jones, Jr. and Nathaniel Rockette, Jr.
Services were held at South Hopewell Baptist Church in Taylor on Friday, May 5, at 11 a.m. with burial at Browning Cemetery in Taylor. Pastor Terry Wortham officiated. L. Hodge’s Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
William Jones, Jr.
COFFEEVILLE – Dr. William Jones Jr. departed this life on May 3, 2023 at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford. Born August 17, 1934, he was a son of the late William Jones Sr. and Mary Liza Jones. He accepted Christ at an early age at Pleasant Grove M.B. Church, where his membership remained.
Pastor Jones graduated from Bryant Colored School, Class of 1952, and received his GED from Northwest Mississippi Community College. In his younger days, he played basketball with the community youth. Hemarried Ella Mae Jones on December 12, 1953, and four children were born to this union. He loved music, singing and preaching, pastoring at Springhill South M.B. Church for 64 years and Oak Grove M.B. Church for 44 years until his health declined. He also pastored Oak Hill, New Canaan, Big Bethel and West Grove M.B. Church. He also retired from the Coffeeville School District as a bus driver. He worked as a fill-in substitute teacher in the school district, and as a bus driver for headstart in Water Valley and Coffeeville. He was also a farmer and a cook. In the early 1960s he opened his own business, Jones Grocery Store.
Pastor Jones was ordained into the ministry in 1959 at Pleasant Grove M.B. Church. He later received his Doctor of Divinity Degree in 1995. He was very active in the Mount Moriah District Association, where he served as first and second moderator, served on the advisory committee, a certified instructor and was dean of the Baptist Seminary. He was also awarded the newly established Dr. C.P. Bohanonon Founder Award for his dedication in his church and community.
Pastor Jones received the title of Jerusalem Pilgrim after fulfilling the Biblical injunction and traveling to Jerusalem, the Holy City. He was also honored for the services he provided to his congregations. He was recognized as the longest serving African American pastor in Yalobusha County. On June 19, 2022, he received a certificate of recognition of dedication and support in the town of Coffeeville and Yalobusha County on Juneteenth Day.
The funeral service was held Saturday, May 13, at 11 a.m. in the Mount Moriah Association Building. Clark-Williams Funeral Home, Inc. was in charge of arrangements.
He leaves to cherish his memories a devoted wife of 69 years, Ella Mae Jones; two daughters, Linda (Frank) Mays and Mary Jean (Larry) Armstead of Coffeeville; a son, William Earl Jones of Georgia; a sister, Lucille Jones of Coffeeville; a brother, Alex Jones of Grenada; two daughters-in-law, Helen Jones and Mary Ray Jones: eight grandchildren, Stephanie (Carl), Janita (Antonio), Letasha, Alonzo, Jr., Victoria (Dra), Krystle, Juliet and Damonica (Roderick); three extended grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; extended great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William Jones, Sr. and Mary Liza Jones; a son, Alonzo Jones; one grandson, Terence “Terry” Jones whom he babysat; four sisters, Mae Thelma Watson, Lee Elenor Benson, Allean Jones and Essie Maury; and six brothers, Charlie Torrance, Adam Jones, Wiley Jones, A.B. Jones, S.T. Jones and George Jones.
Vonda Kay Stone
WATER VALLEY – Vonda Kay Stone, 52, passed away Friday, May 5, 2023, at her home with family by her side. A private graveside service was held Tuesday, May 9, 2023. Seven Oaks Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Kay is described by her family as being loving, strong willed, a protector, and having a beautiful soul. She loved nothing more than spending time with her family and especially her grandchildren, spoiling them as much as she could.
During Christmas, she loved watching her family open gifts and the expressions on their faces. Her sweet spirit and character will definitely be missed by all those that loved and cherished her.
She is survived by her husband, Karl Hoyt Stone; her children, Nathan (Erica) Stone, Bruce (Carlota) Stone, Felicia LaShea (Jeremy) Bolen, William Matthew Hendricks, and Hunter Chase (Abby) Stone; her grandchildren, Micha Stone, Kaytlyn Johnson, Bryant Curtis, Natalie Stone, Dalton Stone, Emilia Grace Stone, and Olivia Jean Stone; her sister, Kimberly Wilburn; and her mother, Mary Frances Johnson. She was preceded in death by her father, William Harold Johnson.