African American Obituaries
BENTON, Loston Ree Sr.
Submitted by Barbara Bonner
Services for Loston Ree Benton Sr. will be held at 11a.m. today, Feb. 9, 2002, at Stanmore Funeral Home Chapel with evangelist Elzie Williams Jr. officiating. Burial will be in New Hope Cemetery. Mr. Benton, a chef, was born in Panola County to Frank Sr. and Ida Briggs Benton. Survivors include two sons, Lawrence Benton of Lake Charles, La., and Loston Ree Benton Jr. of Lewisville; two sisters, Dorothy Fuller of Lexington, Ky., and Bertha Carr of Longview; six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; niece Evelyn Sentell of Longview; and a host of other nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
HAMILTON, Ja Leena Sarae
SMITH, JaLeesa Mona
Funeral services fo JaLeena Sarae Hamilton, age 4, and JaLeesa Mona Smith, age 2, of Gary were held January 28, 2002 in Pleasant Hill Cemetery in the Woods Post Office Community.
The Rev. Michael Darden officiated. Arrangements were under the direction of Black's Carthage Funeral Home. The girls died January 22 at their home.
JaLeena was born Jan. 20, 1998 in Palestine and was the daughter of LaRena Brown Smith and Charles Hamilton. She attended Carthage Primary School.
JaLeesa was born August 15, 2000 in Marshall and was the daughter of LaRena Brown Smith and Albert Smith.
Survivors include their parents, LeRena Brown Smith of Carthage, Charles Hamilton of Center and Albert Smith of Center; three brothers Joshua Hamilton of Carthage, Charles Hamilton, Jr. of Lufkin and Tyrese Smith of Center; sisters JoshLynn Hamilton and Alberta Smith of Carthage, Sharonda and Annette Hamilton of Lufkin and Aleix Smith of Center; grandmothers Lizzie M. Calloway-Brown of Gary and BBetsy Jackson of Center; grandfather Johnny Penson of Galveston and great-grandmother Sallie Bryant Caoolway of Gary.
Also surviving the girls are their uncles Jesse Brown, Jr. of New Orlenad, Ernest A. Brown of Tucson, Arizona, Curtis, Mack and Jesse Ray Hamilton all of Center; Ivan Hamilton of Beaumont and Mackauthur Hamilton of Garrison; aunts Lona J. Francis of Houston, Mary Alice Moore of San Antonio, Laronda Shawn King, Delores Johnson, Alice Johnson and Carolyn Smith all of Center; also many cousins, great-uncles and aunts and many other relatives and friends.
Pallbearers were Ernest A. Brown, Gonzales Calloway, the Rev. Ray Francis, Curtis Hamilton, Joe Jackson and Darrel McColster.
The Panola Watchman, Wednesday, February 6, 2002
JOHNSON, Alma R. H.
Black's Carthage Funeral Home announces services for Alma "Maria" Ree Harris Johnson, 62, of Marshall. Services were held February 2, 2002 at Pine Bluff Church in Marshall. The Rev. Michael Black officiated. She died January 28, 2002.
Born January 22, 1940, she was the youngest of three children born to the late Ernest and Martha Harris. She attended Marshall public schools where she specialized in cosmetology. Her early Christian training was done in Pine Bluff Baptist Church. She later moved to Dallas where she made many friends.
Survivors include her nephew, Harold Lovely; many close cousins and a host of friends.
Active pallbearers were her friends and family.
Honorary pallbearers were Asa Durley, Vernon C. May, John L. May, Herbert L.
Moore, Sr., Herbert L. Moore, Jr., Jemmell Sherman, Lorenza "Jelani"
Williams, Jr. and Wendell Yancy.
The Panola Watchman, Wednesday,
February 6, 2002
RAYSON, Willie B.
Submitted by Barbara Bonner
Longview News-Journal, Tuesday, April 30, 2002
Services for Willie B. Rayson, 98, of Dallas, formerly of Carthage, are set for 10 am Thursday at Pine Grove Baptist Church in Hollands Quarters with the Rev. Feldon Black and the Rev. Byron Mack officiating. Burial will follow in Hollands Quarters Cemetery. Arrangements are by Jimerson Funeral Home where visitation is 6 - 8 pm on Wednesday.