Obituaries

George Dees

George L. “Brother” Dees a loving husband, father, brother and grandfather was born February 17, 1937 and passed away at 6:35 p.m., Wednesday, June 23, 2010 at his residence surrounded by his loving family. Mr. George was 73, a native of New Orleans and a resident of the Mt. Nebo Community. He was US Army Veteran and retired from the finance business after 32 years of service.

Mr. George is survived by his devoted wife of 50 years, Evelyn Jean Simmons Dees, Mt. Nebo Community; daughter, Lynn D. Frazier and husband, Chris, Kentwood; 2 sons, Chris Dees, Kentwood and Brad Dees, Gillsburg, MS; 2 grandsons, Colton Frazier and Paxton Dees; 3 sisters, Gayle Owens, Mt. Nebo Community, Susie St. Alexandre, Mt. Nebo Community and Sylvia Jackson, Amite.

Preceded in death by a daughter, Ann Dees; parents, Perry and Lena Mae Lawrence Dees; brother, John Perry Dees, Jr.

Visitation at McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite, on Friday, June 25, 2010 from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and on Saturday, June 26, 2010 from 8:00 a.m. until Religious Services at 11:00 a.m. in the Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. John Fulda officiating. Interment in Dees Cemetery, Mt. Nebo Community.

An on-line Guestbook and to view a Video Tribute is available at http://www.mckneelyvaughnfh.com

McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite, is located at I-55N & Hwy 16W (Exit 46) next to Bill Hood Automotive and behind Mr. Tom’s Car Wash and Holiday Inn Express.

Tom Brister

Thomas Mitchell Brister, 88, of Jackson, MS passed away Tuesday, June 22, 2010.
Visitation will be at 9:30 AM on Friday, June 25, 2010, with the funeral service at 11:00 AM at Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home on High Street, in Jackson, MS.
Tom (Mitch or Mitchell to his family) was born on October 26, 1921, in Memphis, TN to Majure Moses Brister and Ada Belle Thomas Brister, the fourth child among seven, the third of five boys. He grew up in Isola, MS on a large working farm. One of his earliest memories was of his mother calling in the night to “Get up! Everyone UP!” When he stood up, his feet were in rising water. It was the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927.
As an older teen his family moved to Terry, MS, where he met and married the love of his life, Evelyn Mae Myers, whom he called “Coot”. After high school Tom began a forty-two year career with the Illinois Central Railroad.
He served as Trainmaster of New Orleans during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s.
Tom was an ordained deacon of the Baptist Church and a long time member of Woodville Heights Baptist Church and First Baptist Church of Jackson.
After his retirement, Tom stayed busy for twenty years volunteering at First Baptist Church of Jackson; he particularly enjoyed being the bus driver for the International Missions group. He kept a huge vegetable garden in his back yard, sharing his harvest with friends and family. He began a second career in woodworking, making furniture, baskets and dollhouses. The Clarion-Ledger published an article about Tom and the thousands of Christmas reindeer baskets he sold all over Jackson for years. Tom and Coot also enjoyed trips to Branson, the Smokies, and to see the Braves in Atlanta.
Tom was preceded in death by his wife of sixty-five years, Evelyn Mae Brister; his mother and father; his brothers, Hillary, Marvin, Freddie, and J.W.; and his sister, Zelma Keeler.
He is survived by three sons, Thomas Mitchell Brister, Jr. and wife, Gail of Kentwood, LA, Majure Steven Brister and wife, Barbara of Yazoo City, MS, Michael Everett Brister and wife, Rosemary of Brandon, MS, sister Ouida Holt of Crystal Springs, MS; sister-in-law, Willie Dean Brister of Terry, MS; nine grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
The family wishes to express a special “thank you” to the staff at Building 69 of Jaquith Nursing Home for their kindness, patience, and loving care of our Papa. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, P. O. Box 250, Jackson, MS 39205.