Obituaries for Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2002

By Staff
VIVIAN SALVO MCCRORY PIAZZA
Research medical technologist
JACKSON Services for Vivian Salvo McCrory Piazza will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. at St. Richard Catholic Church. Burial will be in Natchez City Cemetery at 3 p.m. Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Piazza, 80, died Monday, Jan. 7, 2002, at St. Dominic Hospital.
She was born and raised in Natchez and lived in Vicksburg for many years before moving to Jackson in 1959. Mrs. Piazza was a magna cum laude graduate of Loyola University, New Orleans, and retired from the University Medical Center where she was a research medical technologist. She was a long time communicant of St. Richard Catholic Church, where she was a member of the St. Gerald Majella Circle.
Survivors include three sons, Ben J. Piazza Jr. and Preston D. Piazza, both of Jackson, and Michael G. Piazza of Gulfport; a daughter, Vijean Piazza Burden of Jackson; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ben J. Piazza Sr.
The family requests memorials be made to St. Richard Catholic Church in Jackson or St. Mary's Basilica in Natchez.
Visitation will be today 4 p.m.-7 p.m. at the funeral home. Rosary will be at 6:15 p.m.
ANNIE LEE CARMICHAEL HIGHTOWER
PASCAGOULA Services for Annie Lee Carmichael Hightower will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Church on the Rock with CDR James M. Hightower, Chaplain, USN and the Rev. Ernest Ruben Freeman officiating. Burial will be in Serene Memorial Gardens in Escatawpa with the Rev. Rodger Bradley officiating. O'Bryant-O'Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Hightower, 88, of Gautier, died Saturday, Jan. 5, 2002. She was born Nov. 8, 1913, in Meridian, and had been a resident of Jackson County for 51 years. She was a member of First Assembly of God in Pascagoula and attended Church on the Rock in Pascagoula. She served with her husband in Assemblies of God pastoral ministries for 45 years in Mississippi and Alabama. She was very active as a Sunday school teacher, Women's Ministries leader, church pianist and a faithful devoted homemaker and mother.
Survivors include a daughter, Jackie Anne Hightower Stiers and her husband, Tim, of Hinesville, Ga.; four sons, Thomas Lee Hightower and his wife, Barbara, of Moss Point; Wayne Hightower and his wife, Karen, of Pass Christian, Willie Mack Hightower of Gautier and James Monroe Hightower and his wife, Libby, of Jacksonville, N.C.; 11 grandchildren, Richard Anthony Hightower, Michael Jared Hightower and his wife, Ann, James Stephen Hightower and his wife, Wendi, Joel Seth Stiers, Sherri LeAnn Hightower, Kala Denise Hightower, Lindsay Collette Hightower, Sarah Waynette Hightower, Regina Carol Hightower, Joy Abigail Stiers and Charity Elizabeth Stiers; several nieces, nephews and dear friends.
She was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Faye Delores Hightower; her husband, the Rev. Ruben Thomas Hightower; her parents, Archibald Monroe and Florence Julia Carmichael; nine brothers and four sisters.
Pallbearers will be her grandsons and Grady Campbell, E.L. Casey and Roy Crane.
The family requests memorials be made to the Church on the Rock Building Fund.
Visitation will be today 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
MARY LYDIA HARRIS
Homemaker
NEWTON Services for Mary Lydia Harris will be held Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church with the Revs. Winnie McHahon and Leon Everett officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with James F. Webb Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Harris, 87, of Hickory, died Monday, Jan. 7, 2002, at Rush Foundation Hospital. She was a member of Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Syble Addy and her husband, Bobby, of Chunky; a son, Richard Harris and his wife, Mary Jo, of Hickory; a sister, Lettie Kenndy, two sisters-in-law, Jewel Cochran and Gertrude Gordan, all of Hickory; a son-in-law, James Rasmussen of Meridian; seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Louis Harris; a daughter, Lou Nell Rasmussen; a sister, Burnice Robinson; two brothers, Olin Cochran and Mason Cochran.
Pallbearers will be Ricky Harris, Phil Harris, Kenny Addy, Randy Addy, Steve Rasmussen and Hal Ethridge.
Visitation will be today 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home and 30 minutes prior to the service.
FRANK D. ROSS
Ellisville State School employee
LAUREL Services for Frank D. Ross will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Old Enterprise Baptist Church in Enterprise. Burial will be in Musgrove Cemetery with Brown Mortuary Inc. in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Ross, 64, of Laurel, died Thursday, Jan. 3, 2002, in Laurel.
Survivors include a brother, Alfred R. Ross and his wife, Martha H., of Enterprise; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert George and Alafair Ross; his wife, Annie Joyce Ross; five brothers and two sisters.
Visitation will be today 1 p.m.-5 p.m. in the chapel of Brown Mortuary.
WILLIE MAE COLE
Homemaker
Services for Willie Mae Cole will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at New Hope Blackwater Baptist Church with the Rev. Roosevelt Clark officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with Berry and Gardner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Cole, 88, of Detroit, died Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2002, at New Light Nursing Home.
Survivors include a brother, Charlie Cole of DeKalb; two sisters, Fannie Mae McChristian of New York and Ethel Wheeler of Brooklyn.
Visitation will be today 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. at the funeral home.
RACHEL S. JOHNSON
Homemaker
Services for Rachel S. Johnson will be held at a later date in Spokane, Wash. Stephens Funeral Home is in charge of local arrangements.
Mrs. Johnson, 58, of Meridian, died Sunday, Jan. 6, 2002, at Heartfelt Hospice.
Survivors include a daughter, Roxanne Lucky and her husband, Dr. Thomas Lucky, of Meridian; and a son, Daniel Rice of North Carolina.
INEZ CARLISLE
Arrangements were incomplete at Berry and Gardner Funeral Home for Inez Carlisle, 88, of Meridian, who died Monday, Jan. 7, 2002, in her home.