Samuel Hunter Vaughn

Mr. Samuel Hunter Vaughn April 15, 2012 Funeral services for Mr. Samuel Hunter Vaughn, 32, were held at Ackerman Baptist Church in Ackerman on Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 11 a.m. Rev. Danny Irvin and Rev. Larry Odom officiated. Burial at Enon Cemetery in Ackerman.

Mr. Vaughn was a pharmacist and a member of Ackerman Baptist Church. Mr. Vaughn died on Sunday, April 15, 2012 in Jackson.

Survivors include wife, Angel Bell Vaughn; parents, Eddy Vaughn and Joyce Erwin Vaughn of Ackerman; son, Jaxon Hunter Vaughn of Starkville; brothers, Brad Vaughn of Ackerman, Richard Vaughn of Tupelo.

Family suggests memorials to Hunter Vaughn Memorial Fund c/o Hood, P.O. Box 759, Ackerman, MS 39735. Coleman Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. 

Martha Sue Ward (Beloved Choctaw County Teacher)

Ms. Martha Sue Ward, 89, died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011, at her residence in Starkville.

Ms. Ward was a member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Starkville. She graduated from Delta State University and Louisiana State. Ms. Ward taught school in Choctaw County for many years and was a retired librarian at Mississippi State University.

Funeral were held Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011, at Coleman Funeral Home in Ackerman, with Rev. George Buell officiating.

Burial followed at Enon Cemetery in Ackerman.

Ms. Ward was preceded in death by her parents, Joe M. and Ruth Ward; brother, Edwin Ward; sisters, Nellie Hughes and Alice Gammill.

She is survived by a her sister, Nina Griffin, and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews and her caregivers.

The family suggests sending memorials to Aldersgate United Methodist Church or a charity of choice. 

Donna McDowell Sexton

Donna McDowell Sexton died on Thursday, May 31, 2012 at the age of 72. Donna McDowell Sexton was the sixth daughter born to the late Lee and Hilda McDowell of Ackerman, Mississippi. She was a graduate of Ackerman High School and East Central Community College, Decatur, Mississippi.

She married Wayne Sexton of Clinton, Mississippi. She was a faithful member of Highland Baptist Church in Clinton and actively involved in the choir and her Sunday School class. She loved her Lord, her husband, family, church family and friends. Mrs. Sexton began her career as a legal secretary at the law firm of Bacon & Smith in Jackson, Mississippi. She began her service at the Supreme Court of Mississippi in January 1981 as Judicial Assistant to Chief Justice Neville Patterson and Presiding Justice Michael Sullivan. She retired as Assistant Court Administrator of the Supreme Court of Mississippi in December 2010. She was an active member of the Mississippi Legal Secretary organization and had served as President. She had devoted her fifty-year career to the legal profession and felt it was an honor to serve.

She joins the following family members in heaven: her loving husband, Wayne Sexton; her parents, Lee & Hilda McDowell; her brother, Terrell McDowell; her sisters, Kathryn Beck, Mary Jane Jones, and Della Thompson.

Her earthly family includes her brother and sister-in-law, Myron and Lesia McDowell of Dayton, Texas; her sister, Elsie Todd of Hattiesburg, Mississippi; and her sister and brother-in-law, Margie and Pete Grantham of Athens, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to Highland Baptist Church, 160 Columbia Ave., Jackson, MS, 39209. Mississippi Volunteer Lawyer's Project, or the charity of your choice. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, June 5, 2012 a 2:00 pm from the chapel of Lakewood Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 12 pm - 2 pm at the funeral home. Interment will follow in Lakewood Memorial Park. 

Jimmie Lou Henderson (Beloved AHS Teacher)

Funeral services for Ms. Jimmie Lou Henderson, 95, were held at 2 p.m., July 24, 2012 at Coleman Funeral Home Chapel in Ackerman. Rev. Doug Herring officiated. Burial followed in Mt. Nebo Methodist Cemetery near Ackerman.

A native of Choctaw County, Ms. Henderson was a retired teacher. Ms. Henderson died July 21, 2012 at the Choctaw County Nursing Home in Ackerman.

Survivors include sons, Douglas Henderson of Weir; James Neal Henderson of Ackerman; Jimmy Hugh Henderson of Ackerman; Ralph Henderson of Tupelo; Thomas Henderson of Tupelo; and William Henderson of Flintstone, GA., 10 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Mt. Nebo Cemetery Fund C/O Hayward Perry 189 Waggon Drive Weir, MS 39772. Checks payable to Mt. Nebo Cemetery Fund.

Coleman Funeral Home of Ackerman was in charge of arrangements. 

Linda Joyce McKnight Black

The funeral service for Linda Joyce McKnight Black, age 63, was held at Enon Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Ackerman, MS on Wednesday, September 19, 2012 at 11 am. Burial was in Enon Cemetery. Rev. Jerry Lawson and Rev. Ray Lathem officiated.

Mrs. Black was a native of Choctaw County and a retired school teacher. She was a member of Enon Cumberland Presbyterian Church. She died on September 17, 2012 at her residence in Ackerman.

Survivors include her husband, Frank Black; her son, Brandon Black; daughters, Lacee Black Bruce, all of Ackerman and Vicki Black Williams of Franklin, TN; her brother, David McKnight of Tampa, FL; her sisters, Merlin Smith of Porter, TX and Sharon Stevens of Ackerman; and three grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Enon Cumberland Persbyterian Church, P O. Box 294, Ackerman, MS 39735. Coleman Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. To leave a message for her family, go to http://www.colemanfuneralhome.com. 

Rose Swann Mitchell (AHS Teacher 61 & 62)

What a magnificent sight to behold as the Angels came to take Rose Swann Mitchell home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Tuesday, September 18, 2012. She passed away at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

She was born on January 27, 1938, to Allie and Evelyn Swann, in Columbus, Miss. She was raised in Macon, Miss. and graduated from Macon High School. She graduated from Delta State University with a degree in Home Economics and received her Masters from the University of Mississippi in Education.

Her first teaching job was in Byhalia, Miss. where, on her first day of work, she met the love of her life, Ralph Mitchell. They were married on May 29, 1960. They had two sons, David and Jamie Mitchell. "Mama Rose" taught school, in almost every grade, in Byhalia, Ackerman, Walnut, Baldywn, and Pontotoc. She loved every student she taught and inspired many of those to develop a love for Math.

After retirement, Mama Rose spent her days catering, working in her yard, reading her Bible, following her grandchildren's activities, and drinking coffee with her special friends. She loved God, her family, and friends. She lived a humble life and never wanted to be in the spotlight. She and her husband enjoyed camping, and she always had a recipe magazine close by. One of the most unique qualities she had was praying for her six grandchildren on a daily basis. Each day was dedicated to praying for one of the six. She spent the Sabbath Day praying for her entire family. Her quiet manner and simple ways will continue to influence people for many years to come.

She was an active member of West Heights Baptist Church where she was a member of the Ladies Sunday School Class and the Kitchen Committee. She served in many other capacities during her membership at the church.

She is survived by her husband of 52 years and four months, Ralph Mitchell of Pontotoc, Miss.; her sons, Dr. David Mitchell (Theresa) of Cabot, Ark. and Jamie Mitchell (Ginger) of Starkville, Miss.; and six grandchildren, Jill Mitchell, Maggie (Jeff) Grissom, Luke Mitchell, Noah Mitchell, Dillon Mitchell, and Alli Mitchell.

She also was blessed with three great-grandsons, Jackson, Milo, and Owen Grissom. She has one brother, Allie Swann (Linda) of Huntsville, Ala. and Sallie Swann Ellis (Jack) of Natchez, Miss. and a special niece, Janet Wilder (Johnny) of Pontotoc, Miss.

She was proceeded in death by her parents Allie and Evelyn Swann.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the West Heights Baptist Church Kitchen Fund, 328 West Oxford Street, Pontotoc, MS 38863, or to a charity of your choice. Visitation will be held at the West Heights Baptist Church gymnasium on Wednesday, September 19, 2012, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be on Thursday, September 20, 2012, at 2:00 p.m. in the church gymnasium. Dr. David Mitchell, Bro. Dan Young, and Bro. Gerald Buckley will officiate the service. Browning Funeral Home in Pontotoc, Miss. is in charge of the arrangements. Burial will be in West Heights Baptist Church Cemetery.