Obituaries for Sunday, March 2, 2003

By Staff
John E. Walker Sr.
Retired worker
Services for John E. Walker Sr. will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at St. John Baptist Church with the Rev. Jimmy Johnson officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Cemetery with Berry and Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Walker, 87, of Meridian, died Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2003, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Mr. Walker, a native of Noxubee County, was born Aug. 15, 1915, to the union of Lee and Fannie Walker in Brooksville. John was the fourth child in a family of six children. His early education began at the Noxubee County School System in Brooksville.
John confessed to Christ at an early age and united with Second Baptist Church in Brooksville. He later united with St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Meridian, where he remained a faithful member until his death.
Some of his duties while at St. John included Sunday School teacher for 30 years; director of the Baptist Training Union; and member of the Number Two Choir, where he served as president. John also was a dutiful chairman of the Deacon Board for many years.
John was united in holy matrimony in 1938 to Lucille Jackson. After Lucille's death, he married E. Darlene Brown on Dec. 22, 1946, and they were married for 51 years. A devoted and loving husband, John took care of his beloved Darlene, who was ill, for many years until the Lord called her home on Jan. 4, 1997.
John was a dedicated employee with Soule's Steam and Feed Works, where he retired after 36 years in 1980.
On Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2003, John E. Walker Sr. went home to his eternal resting place.
He was also preceded in death by his parents, one sister and two brothers.
He leaves to cherish in his memory, his son, John E. Walker Jr. of Crawford; his daughter, Jessie Allen Anthony of Flint, Mich.; two brothers, Sam Walker of Brooksville and James Walker and his wife, Rosetta, of Jackson; a sister-in-law, Beatrice Walker of Brooksville; 19 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; and a number of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
John will be remembered by those who loved him and those whose lives he touched.
Visitation will be Tuesday from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
P.J. Miles
Retired manager
COLUMBUS Services for P.J. "Pat" Miles will be held today at 2 p.m. at Gunter and Peel Funeral Home Chapel in Columbus with the Rev. Ben Yarber officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
Mr. Miles, 78, died Thursday, Feb. 27, 2003, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle in Columbus. He was born May 13, 1924, in Avery to Broxton and Eva Davis Miles.
He was a graduate of Sand Hill High School near Richton and also attended Hinds Junior College for two years after he served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II in Africa, Italy and Germany.
Mr. Miles married Vivian Landrum in 1945 and moved to Almongordo, N.M. He witnessed the testing of the first atomic bomb in White Sands.
Mr. Miles had lived in Columbus since 1959. He retired as general manager in 1987 from Dairy Fresh, formerly Brookshires.
Mr. Miles was a member of First Baptist Church and was an avid golfer, fisherman and football fan and had a loving and generous spirit.
Survivors include his wife, Vivian Landrum Miles of Columbus; a daughter, Sherry Miles and her husband, Lee Whitehead, also of Columbus; a son, Paschal Don "Bubba" Miles and his wife, Terri, of Dagsboro, Del.; a sister, Iris Williams of Metairie Beach, Fla.; three grandchildren, Elizabeth "Beth" Miles Otto, Patrick Wayne Miles and Storm Broxton Miles; two great-grandchildren, William Dean Otto and Miller Grace Otto; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Broxton and Eva Davis Miles; a brother, Garland Broxton Miles; and a sister, Dora Mae Hutto.
Pallbearers will be Dr. Joseph Hillman, Mayo Whitten, Lee Whitehead, Tommy Richardson, Ernie Stockett, Gene Beatty and David Shelton.
Honorary pallbearers will be Sam Kindred, Bill Fleore, Wayne Richards, Coy Mitchell, Leroy Langford, Burt Wheeler, Curt Brown, Wayne Seymer and past and present employees of Dairy Fresh.
Maurine Ford Bonner
Secretary
BUTLER, Ala. Services for Maurine Ford Bonner will be held today at 3 p.m. at Eureka Baptist Church in Cromwell with the Rev. Leon Ross officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with Bumpers Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Bonner, 81, of Cromwell, died Friday, Feb. 28, 2003, at Willow Trace Nursing Center in Butler. She was both a secretary and a homemaker.
Survivors include two sons, Robert L. "Buddy" Bonner of Pennington and James L. "Jimmie" Bonner of Cromwell; a daughter, Joyce Bonner Wagner of Meridian, Miss.; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and a special family friend, Thomas "Spooks" Watson.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert James "Buddy" Bonner, her parents, John Lawrence and Mary Elizabeth Ford; and a sister, Marie Ford.
Memorials may be made to the church cemetery fund.
K.P. Nelson
Carpenter
SHUBUTA Services for K.P. Nelson will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at New Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Shubuta with George Price officiating. Burial will be in Hayes Cemetery in Shubuta with Turner Funeral Home of Waynesboro in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Nelson, 73, of Quitman, died Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2003, at H.C. Watkins Memorial Hospital in Quitman. He was a U.S. Army veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Annette Nelson of Quitman; a son, K.P. Nelson II of Chicago; an adopted son, Artegus Nelson of Quitman; two granddaughters; three great-granddaughters; and a brother, Odell Nelson of Shubuta.
He was preceded in death by a daughter and his parents.
Visitation will be today from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.