Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 12

The Clarion-Ledger I Monday, November 18, 1996 JACKSON-AREA DEATHS Billy Ray Laster, carpenter By Tracyi Brooks Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer BATESVILLE Billy Ray Laster, 38, a self-employed carpenter, died of a heart attack Saturday at his home. Services are 2 p.m. today at Wells Funeral Home with burial in Sardis Lake Baptist Church Cemetery. Mr. Laster was a Marks native and a member of Locke Station Baptist Church.

Frank Laster said his younger brother Billy loved kids. "'He loved to carry the kids fishing and swimming," said Frank Laster of Batesville. "More than anything he loved to take them on the river bank and help them pole fish. He rather do that than anything else." Frank Laster said his brother enjoyed working with his hands. "He was an excellent carpenter." he said.

"He did superb work. He loved doing stuff for Momma and Daddy. Daddy liked working with his hands too. It was just a trait he picked up and kept it Laster said his brother enjoyed squirrel hunting. Survivors include: daughter, Jennifer Laster of Oxford; sons, Timothy Laster and Lonnie Laster, both of Oxford; parents, Leo Frankie and Mary Magaline Dunn Laster of Batesville; sisters, Ann Topper and Fran Flemons, both of Clarksdale, Carolyn Walker of Cleveland, Barbara Black of Oxford and Betty Robertson and Shirley McGinnis, both of Batesville; and brothers, Paul Laster, Donald Joe Laster and David Laster, all of Batesville.

Charles E. Daniels retired U.S. Army major CLINTON Charles E. Daniels, 78, a retired U.S. Army major, died of heart failure Saturday at Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Jackson.

Graveside services are 2 p.m. today at Jessamine Cemetery in Ridgeland. Breeland Funeral Home in Canton is handling arrangements. Major Daniels was a Canton native and lived most of his life in Jackson before moving to Clinton three years ago. He was educated in Mississippi schools, the U.S.

Army and the University of Louisville in Louisville, Ky. He retired in 1954 having received many decorations including the Bronze Star with cluster, Legion of Merit, the Korean Presidential Citation and others. After his retirement, he worked with the Mississippi Employment Security Commission, serving in a number of different positions. For the past 10 years, he was on fulltime loan at the direction of the Department of Labor to the National Alliance of Business and served as the senior manager of employment and training, retiring in 1979. In 1979, he became the state director of the National Alliance of Business.

He was a member of Retired Officers Association, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Walter Scott Club. Survivors include: wife, Jestine; daughter, Rebecca D. Richmond of Marietta, and brother, Homer Daniels of Lexington. Daphna M. Estess retired math teacher HUNTSVILLE, Ala.

Daphna M. Estess, 84, a retired math teacher, died of heart failure Saturday at Huntsville Rehabilitation Center. Services are 11 a.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church in Canton, with burial in Canton Cemetery in Canton. Visitation is 6-8 p.m.

today at Breeland Funeral Home in Canton. Mrs. Estess was a graduate of the University of Alabama, majoring in math. While there, she was a member of Sigma Kappa, National Mathematics Club and the Glee Club. She taught math i in Canton for 25 years.

She was a junior sponsor for 10 yeas and student council sponsor for 15 years. The high school annual was dedicated to her in 1963 and 1969. She was a member of Baldwin-Lee JACKSON 372-5623 PEARL 939-6110 MRS. FANNIE M. PACKER 11 AM Mon.

B- Chapel Jackson MRS. MARTHA H. MCMILLAN 2 PM Mon. B- Chapel Jackson OTT LEE FUNERAL HOME Since 1934 Brandon 824-6018 Locally Forest 469-3412 Owned Morton 732-6571 MR. JACK WHITE 2 PM Mon.

Chapel Morton Specialty Florist Funeral Sprays Flowers For All Occasions Call 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week Weekend Delivery GREEN OAK FLORIST 956-5017 All major credit cards accepted First Baptist Church, Delta Kappa Gamma, Twentieth Century Club and Morning Misses Home Demonstration Club. While in Huntsville, she was a member of Lakewood Baptist Church. Survivors include: daughter, Penny Adams of Huntsville; son, Sammy Estess of Carrollton, Texas; brother, R.G. Mitchell of Jackson, and six grandchildren and two great James E. Hutchins retired farmer, cattleman UTICA James E.

Hutchins, 82, a retired farmer and cattleman, died of heart failure Sunday at Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Jackson. Services are 10 a.m. Tuesday at Glenwood Funeral Home with burial in Utica Cemetery. Visitation is 5-8 p.m. today.

Mr. Hutchins was a lifelong Utica resident and a member of Midway Church of Christ. He was a World War veteran. Survivors include: brother, Wade Hutchins of Utica; and sisters, Amelia Grove of Brookford, Ruby Trapozzano of St. Petersburg, and Lileoa Marie Bearden of Clearwater, Fla.

Jack White retired supervisor PELAHATCHIE Jack White, 77, a retired supervisor, died of heart failure Saturday at Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Jackson. Services are 2 p.m. today at Ott Lee Funeral Home in Morton with burial in Rehobeth Cemetery in Rankin County. Visitation is after 8 a.m. today.

Mr. White was a Scott County native and a member of East Side Baptist Church. He was a World War II veteran. He retired from Delta Mills Wood Works as supervisor. He was the widow of Zulla White.

Survivors include: daughters, Betty Hill of Morton and Brenda Ragan of Pelahatchie; sons, Bobby White and David White, both of Pelahatchie; sisters, Laveren Harrell, Bobbie Jean Thompson and Jo Ann Allen, all of Pelahatchie; brother, Opie Ray White of Pelahatchie; and 12 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. MISSISSIPPI DEATHS Agnes Dorman, 83, former bookkeeper, heart failure, Whitfield; 2 p.m. today, Saulters-Moore Funeral Home, Prentiss. William Temple "Bill" Grafton, 45, food service and construction worker, suicide, Clarksdale; 3 p.m. today, National Funeral Home.

Lida Kimbrell Harmon, 81, retired commercial fisherman, heart failure, Benoit; 11 a.m. Tuesday, Boone-Wells Funeral Home. Lloyd Henson, 70, retired truck driver, cancer, Okolona; 2 p.m. today, East Chickasaw Memorial Gardens, Lee Memorial-Okolona Funeral Home, Verona. Claudia Mae Kestner, 91, homemaker, heart failure, Saltillo; 11 a.m.

Tuesday, Lee Memorial Funeral Home, Verona. Bill Massey, 90, retired truck driver and farmer, heart failure, Booneville; 2 p.m. today, Booneville Funeral Home. Harold Frank Myrick, 76, retired county worker, heart failure, Rosedale; 3 p.m. today, Thweatt-King Funeral Home.

Eartha Cotten Pratt, 61, homemaker, respiratory arrest, McHenry; 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oaklawn Cemetery, Moore Funeral Home, Wiggins. Joseph Riley, 87, retired farmer, pneumonia, Bentonia; 10 a.m. Tuesday, St. Mary's Catholic Church, Yazoo City; 6 p.m.

rosary, StricklinKing Funeral Home, Yazoo City. Willie A. Saul, 90, retired machinist, heart failure, Macon; 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Brooksville Mennonite Church, Brooksville, Cockrell Funeral Home, Macon. John Thomas Shelton IV, 86, former cotton mill worker, heart failure, Pace; 11:30 a.m.

today, Old Cleveland Cemetery, Cleveland, Thweatt-King Funeral Home, Cleveland. Mary C. Sherlock, 79, retired welfare department worker, heart failure, Belzoni; 10 a.m. today, All Saints Catholic Church, Mortimer Funeral Home. CLARION-LEDGER OBITUARY POLICY The Clarion-Ledger publishes obituaries free of charge.

Since they are news stories, certain facts are required. Included are the deceased's complete name, age and occupation; date, cause and place of death; time and place of services; and survivors. Families may add background information such as club and church memberships and school accomplishments. Obituaries received by 6 p.m. will appear in the next day's editions.

Obituaries will be published for any person who has lived in, or is being buried in, Mississippi. Information must be received from the funeral home. Funeral homes may dial 961-7252 or 1- 800-222-8015 Ext. 7252 and leave their names and phone numbers. Son's firm getting La.

work under Foster The Associated Press BATON ROUGE Since Gov. Mike Foster's term has begun, his son's law firm has gotten work in four of the eight bond issues handled through the Louisiana Public Facilities Authority. Murphy Foster III also arranged for LPFA officials and others to meet with his father to discuss a proposal to sell up to $2 billion in bonds to pay off state retirement system debt a project in which the law firm represents private interests seeking the business. The bond deal, which would be handled through the LPFA, would require special legislation, which Gov. Foster would have to sign into law.

More LPFA bond deals involving Murphy Foster's firm are in the works. The governor's son is a partner in the law firm of Breazeale Sachse and Wilson which, LPFA records show, made from the four projects. However, Richard Leibowitz, who handles the firm's LPFA bond work, noted that the firm was not bond counsel the most lucrative work, as lead attorney on any of the issues. The company has been named bond counsel on a project that is still in the works. The five LPFA board members' terms expire in September 1997.

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CRE CREMATION ON THE AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE We will discuss costs by telephone, and will help plan arrangements in your home, our office, or by phone or fax. MARK E. SEEPE Jackson's Only Crematorium Jackson: 366-5239 FUNERAL DIRECTORS a 1-800-748-9751 TOLL FREE CREMATORIUM 2 Ole Miss students' deaths may be suicides By Rob Robertson Gray. Special to the Clarion-Ledger Gray said that the apparent suiOXFORD Two University of cide could have taken place either Mississippi students are dead after Saturday night or early Sunday a pair of unrelated shooting inci- morning while Neelly's brother and dents over the weekend, according another friend were away from to authorities in Lafayette and Car- camp. An autopsy is pending, Gray roll Counties.

said. Robert James Peet, a first-year Members of Sigma Nu were inlaw student from Jackson, died of a formed of Neelly's death Sunday afself-inflicted gunshot wound to the ternoon. head at his home in Oxford late Sat- "Our thoughts and prayers are urday night, according to Lafayette with Tucker's family and his many County Sheriff Buddy East. friends," Matt Greene, Sigma Nu The sheriff's department had re- commander, wrote in an official ceived a call to come to the resi- statement issued from the fraternidence, said East, who would not ty. "Words are inadequate to exelaborate on the nature of the call.

press our feelings of loss. Tucker Sheriff's deputies had arrived at the was an important part of the Sigma scene and were trying to make con- Nu family. His death leaves a void tact with Peet when they heard the that cannot be filled." gunshot, East said. Marc Showalter, manager of proTucker M. Neelly, a freshman fessional services at the Student from Tupelo and a member of Sig- Counseling Center, said that counma Nu fraternity, was found dead seling services would be available Sunday morning of a self-inflicted for anyone affected by the deaths.

gunshot wound at the Teoc Tim- Arrangements for funeral serbers Hunting Club in Carroll Coun- vices for either student have not ty, said Carroll County Sheriff Don been announced. Attorney, psychic claim gambling behind disappearance of Levitz The Associated Press PALM BEACH, Fla. Police haven't found a trace of furniture store heiress and socialite Jacqueline Levitz in the year since she vanished from a new home in Vicksburg, Miss. Now Palm Beach psychic Barbara Norcross, a friend of Levitz, and attorney Elliot Shaw hint that Mississippi riverboat gambling may have been behind the disappearance. Levitz's sister, Tiki Shivers of Tallulah, currently managing Levitz's $4 million estate, scoffed at allegations Norcross and Shaw made in a petition filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court.

"She keeps referring to a murder," Shivers said Friday. "As far as the FBI and the law enforcement agencies in Mississippi are concerned, this is a missing persons case. No one has produced any evidence that she is deceased," Shivers said. "We're praying every day that something comes up." Norcross, Levitz' friend and psychic counselor for six years, asked in the court papers filed Nov. 8 that a co-curator of the estate be named.

The petition said that by following Levitz's money, police would find the killers, and that the family was trying to keep that a secret. Norcross and Shaw traveled in September to Vicksburg, where Norcross taped a television segment, dipping her hands in the Mississippi and saying she felt that her friend's body was in the river. "My main focus is to put everything to rest," she said. Levitz, 62, formerly of Palm Beach, mysteriously disappeared Nov. 21, 1995.

A bloodstained mattress and false fingernails were found inside her home. But expensive jewelry and furs and a Jaguar XJ12 were left behind, baffling investigators. Last week, the FBI distributed nationwide fliers with Levitz's photo and an offer of $200,000 for information leading to Levitz, dead or alive. "We know no more today than we did the day she was discovered missing," said sister Gerri Brown, "We're praying every day that something comes up." Tiki Shivers explaining why the family decided to double a $100,000 reward offered The LPFA is a quasi-public agency created in 1974 to issue tax-exempt bonds to help local governments, school boards, hospitals and others finance a variety of programs and projects. The board has traditionally renominated the incumbents.

But Gov. Foster has the final say and can block reappointments. The LPFA is a quasi -public agency created in 1974 to issue taxexempt bonds to help local governments, school boards, hospitals and others finance a variety of programs. In addition to appointing the LPFA board, the governor also makes decisions that affect the amount of bonds that LPFA can issue for a variety of programs. Gov.

Foster said he's "never raised a finger" to help his son's law firm. Foster said he will make LPFA appointments independent of what current members may or may not do to help his son's law firm. Foster said he asked Commissioner of Administration Mark Drennen to look into the pension matter. Murphy Foster said the LPFA Wood From 1B Because some people don't know what a cord is, Michel cautions they might be getting less wood than they think. "Some people will sell you a short cord in a split second," he said.

Even former Gov. Bill Waller is selling firewood this year. "I am really not in the business, but I had some wood from a lake project that is good firewood," said Wal- WRIGHT FERGUSON MRS. RUTH HOYLE 2pm Parkway Chapel Visit: 1:00 p.m. Monday Parkway MRS.

SUE ABBOTT FRANKLIN 352-3632 FUNERAL HOME MRS. MARY NICHOLS KENNEBREW 11a.m. Tuesday Temple Church of Christ Holiness USA Willow Park Cemetery Hour Today at the MASTER ROMARO TAYLOR Hour Today p.m.** 1p.m. Chapel Johnson Cemetery, Ridgeland MR. JAMES O.

WADE 11 a.m. Wednesday Peoples Chapel FUNERAL DIRECTOR SINCE 1925 969-3040 work has nothing to do with his father being governor. The firm has been involved with LPFA bond issues for some time and has been trying for years to increase its bond business with the LPFA and others, he said. Murphy Foster said he arranged the pension debt meeting with his father because others involved were having trouble getting it scheduled. He attended the meeting, but said he has no other involvement.

LPFA Vice Chairman Thomas Antoon, chairman of the committee that chooses legal counsel for bond issues, said the agency has done some business with Breazeale Sachse for many years. He said LPFA has been trying to spread the work around to qualified law firms. "Unfortunately, right now there is so little business to go around it's difficult," said Antoon. In 1994, Breazeale Sachse participated in four of 17 LPFA bond issues. In 1995, the firm participated in two out of 13 issues, making about $27,000, LPFA records show.

Since Foster took office in January, the firm has participated in four of the eight LPFA bond issues that have closed. Breazeale Sachse also earned about $2,000 this year for work on an LPFA employee handbook a project which began before Foster's election. ler, now a Jackson attorney. Cliff Francway is cutting and selling the wood on Waller's land on Tinnin Road in Clinton. "If people remember last year with the loss of electrical power, we should have good sales," Francway said.

Fairley knows sales will be strong. His biggest mistake, other than cutting his leg, was placing an advertisement in a newspaper in October before he had cut his wood. "I was bombarded with calls and I didn't have the wood," Fairley said. "I am about to catch up now." Jitney WE DELIVER Jungle FLOWERS! We specialize in Sympathy Designs Call 969-7673 OR 1-800-748-9996 WE CAN WIRE WORLD WIDE VISA MasterCord LAKEWOOD FUNERAL HOME MR. WILLIAM C.

STEVENS 2:00 Woodland Hills Baptist Church Lakewood Memorial Park MR. HENRY J. FLANAGAN 2:00 Visit: Tuesday 5-8PM Lakewood Memorial Park 922-2123 earlier. Levitz disappeared five weeks after buying the red brick home on the banks of the Mississippi River in Vicksburg. Four of her six siblings live within 50 miles of the river town.

She had been married to Ralph Levitz, head of a 135-store furniture chain based in Boca Raton. As part of the Palm Beach social scene she was profiled by Florida Woman magazine in 1988. A series of strokes left Ralph Levitz an invalid in 1990, and Jacqueline tended her husband for five years until he died in March 1995. In addition to the money Levitz left her, she owned two condominiums and a house in Palm Beach, real estate in California and the house in Vicksburg. Norcross said in the court documents she wanted a co-curator appointed because she suspected "someone in Jacqueline's family" didn't want disclosure of the remaining assets.

Disclosure of these assets and financial transfers will "lead a direct path to the murderers," the petition said. Shaw said debt collectors from the Mississippi riverboat gambling world might be behind the disappearance. Family members said neither they nor Levitz had anything to do with gamblers, but Brown said something was troubling her sister. "She would say, 'If something happens to me, I want you girls to look after Walter (her 35-year-old son living in Over and over, she said, 'If something should happen to 99 Brown recalled. "I said, 'Jackie, honey, what in the world could possibly happen to She wouldn't answer.

But she was afraid. All I can say is that Jackie was definitely afraid." Close-Up with The Clarion-Ledger1 teamwork between departments is amazing! It allows us to produce your Clarion-Ledger every day" Duane K. Lamb Retail Advertising Development Where He Lives Favorite Feature of Jackson. The Clarion-Ledger "Being from Forest means I've been "I have no favorite section. I like the a Mississippian all my life." entire newspaper!" First Job Life's Biggest Influence "I was a grocery bagger and later "My father, Mr.

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