By Staff
Castleberry
Mrs. Bessie B. Howell Kent Cooper, 97, of Gibson Lane, died Saturday, Jan. 12, 2008, at Century Health Care facility after an extended illness. She was a native of Antioch, Ala., and a long-time resident of Castleberry and Brewton. She was a retired seamstress with Gleaton Cleaners and attended the Glory Hill Holiness Church. She was preceded in death by her first husband, David Leroy Kent; her second husband, Eli Cooper; two sons, David L. “Junior” Kent and Edward Kent; two daughters, Doris Trea and Barbara Elliott; and three sons-in-law, Ronald W. Elliott, Robert J. Gibson and Kenneth E. Trea.
She is survived by a son, Bill (Lavenia) Kent of Castleberrry; four daughters, Jenny Pearl Gibson of Castleberry, Marie (Charles) Smith of Byrneville, Fla., Betty (Bruce) Campbell of Stowe, Ohio, and Everline (Arthur) Jernigan of Brewton; two daughters-in-law, Mildred Kent and Mary Kent both of Castleberry; two stepsons, Calvin (Mae) Cooper and Junior (Carolyn) Cooper, both of Brewton; three stepdaughters, Arcola (Roy) Jerkins of Range, and Claudia Elder and Stella (Ealy) Bradley, both of Brewton; 27 grandchildren; 54 great-grandchildren; 28 great-great-grandchildren; four great-great-great-grandchildren; 13 step-grandchildren; 22 step-great-grandchildren and two step-great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, Jan. 15, at 11 a.m. at Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. James C. Johnson and the Rev. Andy Peavy officiating. Burial followed at New Hopewell Cemetery in the Sandcut community with Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home directing. Pallbearers were David Jernigan, Edward Jernigan, Tim Elliott, Tommy Thompson, Waylon Thompson and Rodney Gibson.