Obituaries for Sunday, June 20, 2004

By Staff
Services for Clarence Durward Vance will be held today at 3 p.m. at Pine Bluff Baptist Church in Newton County, with the Revs. Lin Chesney, Clifton Thornton and Dennis Shaw officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Barham Funeral Home in Newton County is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Vance, 71, of Newton, died Friday, June 18, 2004, in Newton County. He was a member of the U.S. Army and of Pine Bluff Baptist Church, where he had served for approximately 45 years as a deacon. He became a Christian during his early adult years and enjoyed recounting the experience of his Christian conversion. Durward also served Pine Bluff as a Sunday School teacher and music director. He was a graduate of Decatur High School, then graduated from East Central Community College in 1953. He attended Mississippi College. Durward celebrated his 50th college reunion at ECCC in October. After college, he served as a member of the United States Army. He was a retired rural mail carrier, in which position he was employed for 30 years. As a mail carrier, he was a member of the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association. In this capacity, he was elected as president and secretary/treasurer for the fifth district. He served as a board member and president of the Newton Wire System. He was a tree farmer and greatly enjoyed working outdoors. He was also an avid reader and always carried a book with him.
Survivors include his wife, Lucy H. Vance of Newton; a daughter, Sherry Vance of Austin, Texas; sons, Mickey Vance and his wife Natalie of Decatur and Shelton Vance and his wife Marsha of Madison; four grandchildren and a brother, Bryan Vance of Newton.
Pallbearers will be Jordan Vance, Jeff Murray, Lynn Ezelle, Bud Hollingsworth, William Huey and Bill Eldridge. Honorary pallbearers will be Tom and Helen Prince, Don and Bobbie Evans, C.R. and Jean Chaney, Lucy Buckley, Linda Murray, Greg and Kay Evans, Billy Jack Thames, Reginald Thames, John Williams, Johnny Baucum, Don Wilhelm, Robert Mills, Donald Boutwell, Bobby Parker and Larry Loper.
CUBA, Ala. Graveside services for James Marvin Hardin will be held today at 2 p.m. at Clay Memorial Cemetery with the Rev. Tim Buchanan officiating. Bumpers Funeral Home in York is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Hardin, 75, of York, died Friday, June 18, 2004, at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include a brother, Lamar Hardin, and a sister, Grace Allen, both of Cuba.
Services for Nelda Skinner will be held Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at Barham Chapel will the Revs. Milford Gamble, Jerry Whitner and Norman Beard officiating. Barham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Skinner, 46, of Meridian, died Friday, June 18, 2004, in her home. She was a day care owner and a nurse at Rush Foundation Hospital.
Survivors include her husband, Donald Skinner of Meridian; son Anthony Gewin and his wife Amy, grandson Isaac Gewin, and son Stephen Skinner, all of Meridian; her mother, Jo Ann Coate of Meridian; her father, Shelby Beard Sr. and his wife Jean of Atlanta, Ga.; her sister, Lori Ramage and her husband Bobby of Meridian; her brother, Shelby Beard Jr. and his wife Georgia of Seattle, Wash.; brother Norman Beard and his wife Sandra of Meridian; sister Debra Leavy and husband Gary of Dayton, Ohio; stepbrothers David Morrow and Shawn Morrow of Atlanta; aunts and uncles, Jnell Ross, Juanita Seiberling of Meridian; Linda Mcleod, Louis Wicker of Los Angeles; Dorothy Lowe of Florida and Herbert Poole of Vicksburg and numerous neices and nephews.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Services for Selby Lee Nelson will be held Sunday at 4 p.m. at Pine Grove Baptist Church in Neshoba County, with the Revs. Jim Rigdon, Lin Chesney and Gilbert Allan officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. McClain-Hays Funeral Home in Philadelphia is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Nelson, 83, of Union, died Friday, June 18, 2004, at his home. He was a retired farmer and a native and lifelong resident of the House Community in Neshoba County. He was a member and deacon of Pine Grove Baptist Church and he was a member of the Senior Adult Sunday School class. Mr. Nelson served on the Board of Directors of the Neshoba County Gin Association for over 40 years and formerly served as president. He was a former member of the Board of Directors with the Neshoba County Farm Bureau. Mr. Nelson was a member of the Mississippi Cattleman's Association. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy having served in World War II and he was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.
Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Margueritte Slayton Nelson of Union; his daughters, Lynn Nelson Stokes and her husband Ray of Gulfport and Sheila Nelson Watson and her husband Hanna of Union; a son, Steve Nelson and his wife Barbara of Union; grandchildren, Shea Nelson Hodges, Lisa Nelson Jones, Leslie Nelson Taylor, Kim Stokes Schramm, Chris Stokes, Amy Stokes Vassalle, Mandy Watson Bowen, Sara Jo Watson and Kyle Watson and 11 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Lee and Sudie Nelson; a brother, Chestor Nelson; sisters Gladys Nelson Walker and Lois Nelson Smith and a granddaughter, Christina Nelson.
Pallbearers will be James Walters, Arlo Winstead, Jack Reynolds, James Walden and current Board of Director members of the Neshoba County Gin Association.
Memorials may be made to the Pine Grove Cemetery Fund.
Visitation will be today from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.