Everett
Leon Worthington, 77, died January 20, 2012
peaceably at his home in
He is survived by his wife Ann Worthington, four children, Fabian, Ember, Eve (Kendrick), and Everette, two step-children; Margaret (Billy), and Arlisa; one sister; Magga Holder, Overland, KS; one brother, Trivaniel Worthington, San Antonio, TX; 15 grandchildren, Keith, Jacoby, Sergio, Justin, Raven, Joshua, Fashandra, Anesha, Christian, Kirstin, Virgil, Devon, Amir, Delaney, Daijah; two nieces, Lisa Bruce and Janessa Bankhead and a small circle of friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents Charles and Magga; Charles Worthington, brother; Duane Johnson, nephew.
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EVA MAE WASHINGTON
WILLIAMS
1923-2012
Eva Mae Washington Williams passed
away in
She was born May 17, 1923 and the
daughter of Vence and Bertha Washington of
She was preceded in death by her
husband of 53 years Henry P. Williams, Jr.
They resided in the Belzoni area for 50 plus years.
She is survived by daughter, Sandra
(Joe) McLellan of Oxford, MS; son, Bruce (Wanda) Williams of Waynesboro, TN;
daughter, Gail (Grant) McElveen of Puckett, MS; and son, Trent Williams of Yazoo
City, MS. In addition she leaves
nine grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren and a brother, Vence Washington,
Jr. of Cleveland, MS.
Services were held Thursday, January
26, 2012 at 2 p.m. at Mortimer Funeral Home Chapel in Belzoni with burial in
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Judge W. Allen Pepper
Jr.
U.S. District Judge W. Allen Pepper
Jr. died Tuesday leaving
Pepper, born in
He took the oath of office as a
district judge for the Northern District of Mississippi on July 21, 1999, having
received the nomination on March 8.
A graduate of The University of
Mississippi, where he was a proud member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity and received
a bachelor of arts degree in 1963, Pepper served for two years as an officer
with the 101st Airborne Division of the U.S. Army.
Pepper received his Juris Doctor
degree from The University of Mississippi School of Law in 1968 and he
maintained a solo law practice for 30 years prior to his appointment to the
bench.
Being an exceptional attorney and
judge, Pepper was an even better human being.
He was a dear friend to many,
influenced thousands of lives and his own life was lived as exemplary as one
possibly can.
"He was a fine person," said Roy
Collins. "He was very conscientious about everything he did. He was a good close
friend of mine. I'm shocked. I had no idea this was coming. No idea. This was a
big loss to
"He was genuine in who he was and
honest in everything did," he added. "I have known him since high school. We
played football against each other. We then went to college together. He is well
thought of everywhere. It's hard to be so well thought of, I don't recall ever
hearing a bad word about him by anyone."
Butch Caston has also known Pepper
since 1983 when Caston moved back to
"Allen Pepper lived the Christian
life," he said. "He was an example to all of
"Among his many loves, besides his
faith and family, he loved
Dr. Kent Wyatt and his wife Janice
have known the Peppers for over 30 years.
"Allen and Ginger have been close
personal friends of Janice and I since he moved to
"Allen has served
Alinda Sledge and her late husband
Tommy, were good friends with the Peppers.
"He was one of the finest men I have
ever known," she said. "He was such a jovial, friendly man. It's such a shame
that we lost him. Everyone will feel this loss."
Ann Steen and her husband Jim were
also old friends of the Peppers.
"He was a moral man," she said. "He
had values and lived by them. He lived by his commitments. He was a fine, fine
person.
"We moved back to town the same year
they did and have been friends all these years," she added. "He never did
anything you would consider in the least anything less than upstanding. He had
humility."
Pat Tibbs said it was really hard to
describe Pepper in just a few words.
"He was such a kind, moral and
generous man," he said. "He was very, very witty. He was an active Methodist who
practiced what he believed, heavily involved in community
activities.
"He was known to sing the old song
'Elvira,' when we had gatherings," she said. "He knew how to be a good friend.
He was so trustworthy, a very responsible person, and totally devoted to Ginger
and Will. Sometimes when he looked at Ginger, you could see how much he cared
for her. "
Tibbs said he was accommodating and
went with the flow, but he was so sure in what he believed was right, he was
well respected.
"He would help you in any way he
could," she said. "He had friends all across the board. He made a wonderful
federal judge. He always had a big, big smile on his
face."
Pepper maintained an AV rating in
Martindale-Hubbell for 15 years and was listed in Martindale-Hubbell's Bar
Register of Preeminent Lawyers in the field of Civil Trial
Practice.
He was a nominee for the office of
president of the Mississippi State Bar Association in 1991, and served two terms
as a director of the Young Lawyers Section; been on the Lawyer Referral
Committee, the Admission Study Committee, the Complaints Committee, the
Nominations Committee, the Legislative Committee, the Disciplinary Review
Committee, the Law Office Management Committee, the Fee Dispute Resolution
Committee and the Complaints Tribunal.
He has been president of the
Mississippi Bar Foundation.
Pepper was elected president of the
Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association in 1985 following service as continuing
legal education chairman, secretary, vice president, and member of the board of
governors and executive committee.
He has been chairman of the Lamar
Order and a Director of the
He was a Fellow of the Mississippi
Bar Foundation, where he was also a Trustee and a member of the Grants
Committee.
He held membership in the American
Board of Trial Advocates and American Inns of Court, and was a former member of
the American Bar Association, was a State Committeeman for the Association of
Trial Lawyers of America, a Fellow of Young Lawyers Association of the MS Bar,
and a frequent speaker at legal education seminars.
Pepper was a public defender for 26
years, was a member of the Mississippi Public Defenders Association, Inc., and
was a participant in the Mississippi ProBono Project.
He held membership in both the
National and the Mississippi School Board Attorney's Association and was a
former adjunct professor at
As a fair and impartial judge, Pepper
also stood out amongst his peers.
Chief Judge Michael P. Mills said,
"The Northern District has lost a Judge of impeccable character and a man of
great personality. He was the most fundamentally decent man whom I have ever
known. He was a dear friend and a beloved colleague. We will not soon get over
Allen's passing. Our court family mourns his death and our hearts ache for
Ginger and Will."
Judge Sharion Aycock remarked, "We
are all saddened by the loss of our colleague, Judge Allen Pepper. Judge Pepper
loved his family, his court family and the good people of the Delta.
"He was a dedicated public servant,"
she added. "His life included practically every facet of public service-- with
over thirty years in private law practice, service on numerous state and
national professional boards and committees, his military service, his church,
his community, not to mention his exemplary service to the federal
judiciary."
Judge Neal Biggers commented, "Allen
Pepper was a good friend, a good judge and a good person. He was a pleasure to
work with and also just to hang out with. He loved his family, his work and the
Delta. He will be greatly missed by many."
Judge Glen H. Davidson noted, "Judge
Pepper and I entered the
Active in civic affairs, he is a past
chairman and was a 12-year member of the Bolivar County Elections Commission.
Formerly the president of the Lions
Club, the Crosstie Arts Council and the Bolivar County Ole Miss Alumni
Association, he has been vice president of the Chamber of Commerce and the
Industrial Development Foundation and a director of the Delta State University
Booster Club and Sunburst Bank of Cleveland, now Union Planters
Bank.
In his civic capacities, Pepper
always allowed his good humor to shine through.
He loved to make people
smile.
"I will never forget my good friend,
Allen Pepper, for a lot of reasons, including his sense of humor," said Walter
Herbison, who served in the Cleveland Lions Club. "Mr. Lewis Bays, a wildlife
conservation officer, was speaking to our Lions Club in
"Allen jumps up and said, 'Mr. Bays,
if those Alligators get out of hand, what are we going to put out there to eat
them?' Of course, it brought the house down. He was a quick-witted, fun guy.
Always inspiring and uplifting, Allen was brilliant minded with a great
personality and very wise
Herbison said Pepper was smart, witty
and fun to be around.
"He told me, 'Walter, future
generations will look back at our generation and say that the most significant
think about us was that that we drove 65 miles an hour on two lane highways,
with vehicles going in opposite directions and only a white line to divide
them," Herbison said laughing. "Besides being so humorous, he was brilliant
attorney. He had it all and knew it and appreciated it. He was very humble, fair
to all and never compromised his convictions. He treated everyone alike, with
respect."
Pepper served as chairman of the
Administrative Board, Finance Committee and Pastor Parish Relations Committee of
the First United Methodist Church, where he was a Sunday School teacher for 12
years, a member of the choir and Board of Trustees, Habitat for Humanity
volunteer, and served as scout master of the Cub Scout
Pack.
In 1996, he was recognized for his
contributions to the community by being chosen King of the Junior Auxiliary
Charity Ball.
He was vice president of the Fifth
Circuit District Judges Association, on the board of directors of the Federal
Judges Association, a former member of the Fifth Circuit Judicial Council, and a
member of the American Inns of Court.
Services will be under the direction
of Ray Funeral Home. The visitation
will be held in the fellowship hall of the
The Pallbearers for Judge Pepper will
be the men and women who spent their lives protecting his life: his Federal
Court Security. They include (in no
particular order): Tommy Williams, Will Jacobs, Hazel Provis, Ricky Spratlin,
Melvin Steadman, Charlie Murrah, Wayne Allen, US Marshall Hugh McClendon
Honorary Pallbearers include (in no
particular order): Butch Caston,
Kirkham Povall and Lawrence Mellen, Kent Wyatt, Bill Hardin, Mike Sanders, Bob
Reagan, Robert Koestler, Ed Kossman, Ned Mitchell, Bill Marchant, Joe Glenn
Peeler, Butler Denton, Bob Wilbanks, Charles Fioranelli, Homer Sledge, Guy
Hovis, Galen Roberts, Billy Nowell, Nott Wheeler, Jr., Jack Keen, Trent Lott,
Bud Whetstone, Carlysle Meek, Beau Gregory, Jimmy Heidel, Jim Steen, Stacy
Davidson, Jr., Harry Flowers, Parker Howard, Rod Brasfield, Eckward McKnight,
Steven Clark, and Bennie Wright.
He was preceded in death by his
parents, Elizabeth Love Pepper and William Allen Pepper. He is survived by his wife of 44 years
Virginia Brown Pepper, son William Allen Pepper III, daughter-in-law Samantha
Minga Pepper, and his sister Louanne Pepper Cossar and her husband George Payne
Cossar, Jr. He is also survived by Louanne and George’s children: George Cossar,
III, Pepper Cossar, and Anne Love Cossar Perry; their respective spouses: Betty
Cossar, Angela Cossar and Joe Perry: and their children: Mary Chandler Cossar,
Chip Cossar, Eliza Cossar, Pepper Cossar, Jr., Jessica Hartzog, Colton Musgrove,
AnnaLee Cossar, Joseph Perry, Jr., Elizabeth Perry and Kristen Louanne
Cossar.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be
made to the following: the First United Methodist Church of Cleveland,
By Aimee
Robinette
Online guestbook may
be viewed and signed at www.rayfuneralhome.net.
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CHRISTINE EDWARDS
BOLIN
Christine Edwards Bolin, 90, passed
away Friday, January 27, 2012 at Patients’
Services were held Monday at 10 a.m.
at
She was preceded in death by her
husband, Fred Bolin.
Survivors include sisters-in-law,
Marjorie Edwards and Marion Durr both of Belzoni and Hazel Bolin of Aberdeen;
and a host of nieces and nephews.
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