Extracted from The Natchez Democrat (Natchez, MS)
Sunday, April 11, 2004

Virgil W. Maples

FERRIDAY, LA - Services for Virgil W. Maples, 85, of Ferriday, who died Tuesday, March 2, 2004, at Natchez Regional Medical Center, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Ferriday United Pentecostal Church with the Rev. Gary Howington and the Rev. Carlton Coon officiating.

Burial will be in Greenlawn Memorial Park under the direction of Young's Funeral Home Ferriday.

Visitation is from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the church.

He was a retired auto mechanic and a member of Ferriday United Pentecostal Church. He served in country during World World II with the U.S. Army. During his service Mr. Virgil was stationed in Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland and Central Europe. He received the Good Conduct Medal, EAMETO Medal and the American DEESV Medal.

Mr. Virgil was preceded in death by his father, John Wesley Maples; his mother, Evelyn Maples; daughter, Virgie Maples Jacques; grandson, Dean Travis Wilson; brothers, Joel Maples, Robert Maples and Ozie Maples; sister, Mattie Maples.

Survivors include his wife, Sarah Maples of Ferriday; son, Earl Wayne Maples of Beekman, LA; daughters, Laura Sontoyo and Betty Jean Wooten of Ferriday, Katherine Marie Wilson of Vidalia and Mary Jane Tyson of Natchez; brother, Alton Maples of Brookhaven; sisters, Marie Montpelier of Harrisonburg, LA and Rose Mock of Jonesville, LA; 19 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Wesley Wilson, David Webb Jr., Jerrod Webb, Jason Tyson, Kenneth Stevens Jr. and Charles Stevens.

Honorary pallbearers will be Steve Cockerham, Jerry Franklin, Jerry Wooten, George Scott, Joe Sontoyo and John Sanders.