Obituary for Bobby White, Edwards, Mississippi

Bobby G. White

EDWARDS — Bobby G. White died June 3, 2010, at his residence in Edwards. He was 73.



Born Nov. 11, 1936, in Prentiss, he was the son of the late Heady and Fannie Irene Butler White. Mr. White served in the U.S. Army for six years including a tour of duty in Korea. He was a Master Carpenter with more than 52 years of experience. He was a member of the Baptist faith.



He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Betty White of Edwards; son, Steven L. White of Vicksburg; three daughters, Sharon Ladd, Stacie Griffin and Shannon White, all of Vicksburg; sons-in-law, Don Ladd, Jeff Griffin and Archie Kirkley; seven grandchildren, Taylor Ladd, Chase Ladd, Elizabeth Bowers and Katie Kirkley, all of Vicksburg, Jaxon Griffin of Pearl and Shane White and Brandy Banks, both of Wichita, Kan.; four great-grandchildren; five sisters, Faye Willis of Utica, Irene Jones of Delta, La., and Carolyn Hearn, Eileen Lowery and Lois Muirhead, all of Vicksburg; and a brother, Robert White of Delta.



Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. today, June 5, 2010, at Riles Funeral Home with Dr. John G. McCall, interim pastor of the Edwards Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be at the Edwards Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1:30 today until the service.



Pallbearers will be Don Ladd, Chase Ladd, Jeff Griffin, Archie Kirkley, Jimmy Cox and Michael Cox.



Honorary pallbearers will be Nancy Butler, Carla Donovan, Dr. Dan Edney, Bill Vinzant, Cil and Charles Riles, Eddie Minnifield and Teresa Cox.



Memorials may be made to Providence Hospice, 1825 I-20 N. Frontage Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180 and to the American Cancer Society-MS Chapter, 1380 Livingston Lane, Jackson, MS 39213.

              Bobby on the roof at the old Cannada house on Royal street Edwards Mississippi

Christiansen Comments, Hinds County Gazette May 27 2010

Today, Monday, May 24, The Vietnam Veteran’s “Run for the Wall” will be passing by Edwards. This is an annual memorial event, veterans of the Vietnam war band together… the event begins on the west coast and they pick up riders all along the way and ride to Washington to the Vietnam War Memorial Wall…. to honor their dead…those thousands of young men who died fighting for a cause that many of us of that generation….did not understand and grew very weary of…and began to ask questions…. Why? Is it a just war?

But no matter what conclusion you came to personally….It does not take away from the reality those men and women who went to Vietnam and died ….died for this country. This is America the president is the commander and chief of the armed forces, he can send our troops to the far end of the earth, he did …and they went.



It was a heartbreaking time in America’s history….the veterans of that war were not treated as heroes…no ticker tape parades for them as had been in previous wars. Many Americans treated the returning soldiers with distain….They blamed the soldiers….soldiers who thought they were fulfilling their duty to America.



And on into that long, long war…it became more and more unpopular among Americans…protests broke out in the streets. Protesters too, were wounded and some died for their cause…remember the young students at Kent State? Many young men of draft age went to Canada to avoid serving,



I shall get up from here in a few minutes drive to the Edwards, I 20 overpass, take photographs, and cheer for those aging, tattooed, pony tailed, bike riding, ole’ soldiers. On their way to Washington, to pay tribute to their dead. There will be hundreds of them…odds are I would know a few. Because my John was career army…. a Vietnam war veteran ..two tours….

At the time of the war, he was a soldier, but, he was also a father of a young boy. Once in a discussion with some of his army buddies, about the war, the protests and the protesters …John said, “I chose this… I will go where the tell me to go…but I will send Adam to Canada.” It was not an uncomplicated time for anybody….who was trying to be a patriot.



The war was hard for some the men who went, fought and came back too ….it did something to their mind… Many of the men, when they got back to the states were never the same. A few years after the war finally ended… John and I were driving past a food kitchen….scores of homeless men waiting on the sidewalk for the doors to open, waiting to get a hot meal. John said, with sadness in his voice, “Lots of those guys are veterans…that would be me if it hadn’t been for you and the kids” John’s heart went out to those men, he felt like they too give their life for their country.



When we began sending troops to the middle east, John and I were watching the news one evening, as young men were boarding planes to go…John began to cry…his big heart went to hurting again…War is hell….

I’ll see you next week

Christiansen Comments, Hinds County Gazette May 13 2010

Jerry Gibbens passed away shortly after noon, Wednesday, May 5, at the age of 92. When Paula called to tell me about Jerry’s death, my mothers words on the death of old people came to mind, “ we can’t live forever, just because our kids want us too. We are tired and want to go live with Jesus.” I can not tell you how much comfort mother’s words have brought me.




And Jerry’s death like mother’s was not long and lingering, both were at peace and ready …Just a few weeks ago the little children from the church traveled to Raymond to Riggs Manor, to sing for the residents…Jerry was too weak to come down…so they went to her room to sing for her, weak as Jerry was she sat up on the edge of her bed and sang “Jesus Loves Me” with the little children. I did tear up and had to reach for a tissue when Reverend Rydbeck told that story at her funeral.



Jerry was such a lady, she and her husband Julian sat in the pew front of me at church, and they came to church nearly every Sunday, until just a few months ago. Jerry was a petite little lady, I doubt she was 5 foot tall, and she could not have weighed 100 pounds. Jerry, at all times, was dressed beautifully…. Jerry was at always flawlessly attired in her little pastel suits and high heels, and not a hair out of place. And Jerry was accessorized beautifully too, pretty scarves, handsome purses, I always told her, she looked like a little doll, somebody had stood on a stool and dressed….Jerry was a girly girl for sure. But Jerry’s loveliest accessory was her charming smile and sweet southern nature.



Jerry loved parties, so for the family meal after the funeral…When Jacqueline I were discussing what we were going to do, I declared, “We got to make it look like Jerry!” Jacqueline agreed…. I called Robert Edward asked him to come, and help me get the fellowship hall ready…we set up tables and spread on the sparkling white table clothes. Jacqueline came with buckets of pink roses, and queen Anne’s and when she finished her magic with flower arrangements…. the fellowship hall at the Edwards Presbyterian church looked more like we were fixing to have a tea party then a funeral meal.



I wish I had taken a picture of the room when the meal was being served…of two of the men, farmers, Jerry’s son, Lewis Montgomery, and one of the pall bears, Russell Cannada, in their suits and ties, sitting at the girly girl, prissy tables. I thought to myself, “Jerry got Lewis and Russell to a tea party“ It brought a grin to my face…

Love to all