Obituaries for Thursday, April 3, 2003

By Staff
Contractor
RIDGELAND Services for Thomas R. "Tommy" Simpson will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at Trace Ridge Baptist Church. Burial will be in Natchez Trace Memorial Park Cemetery. Nowell-Flippin Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Simpson, 63, of Crystal Springs, died Tuesday, April 1, 2003, in his home. He was born Oct. 28, 1939, in Clarke County and lived in Brandon for 26 years before moving to Crystal Springs. He was a member of the Air National Guard from 1958 until 1963 and was the owner of Simpson and Son Construction, Inc. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, and was a member of the River Bank Hunting Club and was an active member of Trace Ridge Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Betty Herrington Simpson of Crystal Springs; a daughter, Melissa Langford and her husband, Dale, of Crystal Springs; sons, Michael Simpson and his wife, Cindy, of Brandon and Mitchell Simpson and his wife, Anissa, of Brandon; a sister, Lucile Burnham of Laurel; and eight grandchildren, Brittany Simpson, Joseph Simpson, Amber Langford, Mattie Langford, Teresa Langford, Katelyn Simpson, Kendall Simpson and Jacob Simpson; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.- 8 p.m. at the funeral home and Friday 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the church.
Pine Creek Apartments employee
Memorial services for Bradley Coleman Dukes will be held Friday at 6 p.m. at Macedonia Baptist Church in Suqualena.
Mr. Dukes, 51, of Meridian, died Tuesday, April 1, 2003, in Suqualena. He was a veteran of Vietnam and a longtime member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 79. He was a member of the Moose Lodge.
Survivors include his daughters, Jennifer Brewer and Christy Dean, both of Hattiesburg and Kayla Fulmer of Richton; three sisters, Toni White of Puckett, Chrell Johnson of Pasadena, Texas and Tracey Allday of Suqualena; five grandchildren and several aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. H.A. Dukes and his sister, Sandy Dukes, all of Meridian.
Beverage truck driver
DEKALB Services for Jessie Griggs will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Mallelieu United Methodist Church in Meridian with the Rev. Carl Jackson officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery in Meridian. E.E. McDonald Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Griggs, 71, of Meridian, died Friday, March 28, 2003, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include his children, Bobby Jones of Memphis, Tenn., Linda Jones, JoAnn Griggs, Donald Griggs and his wife, Deloris, Patsy Griggs, Nathan Griggs, Jessie Griggs Jr. and his wife, Frankie, and Tracy Griggs and her husband, Nathan, all of Meridian, and Patricia Spencer Hall of Erie, Pa.; 25 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; sisters, Louise Lawrence Hearn and her husband, Al Gene, Pearlie Smith and her husband, Charles and Ethel Mosley, all of Meridian; a brother, Adam Grimes of Kewanee; and several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by a daughter and five siblings.
Visitation will be Friday 3 p.m.- 7 p.m. at E.E. McDonald Community Chapel in Meridian.
Sales representative
JACKSON Services for Patrick H. McKinnis were held Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Broadmoor Baptist Church in Madison. Burial was in Magnolia Cemetery. Mark Seepe Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. McKinnis, 60, of Brandon, died Sunday, March 30, 2003, at Hospice Ministries in Ridgeland. He was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Vietnam.
Survivors include his wife, Penny Bubeck McKinnis of Brandon; daughters, Katherine Treffeisen and her husband, Brian, of Charlotte, N.C., and Samantha McKinnis of Brandon; sons, Patrick McKinnis and his wife, Danelle, of Madison and Paul McKinnis of Brandon; and two grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Broadmoor Baptist Church, 1531 Highland Colony Parkway, Madison, Ms., 39110.
Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for Charlotte Robinson, 53, of Quitman, who died Tuesday, April 1, 2003, at Heartfelt Hospice.
Arrangements were incomplete at Barham Funeral Home for I.B. Alexander, 84, of Meridian, who died Wednesday, April 2, 2003, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.
Arrangements were incomplete at E.E. McDonald Funeral Home for De'Angelo T. McElroy, 6, of Whynot, who died Tuesday, April 1, 2003, at Whynot.