Funeral services for Mrs. Gloria Jean Dyess were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018, at the Santee Baptist Church. Mrs. Dyess, 76, died Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018, in Hattiesburg. Rev. Seth Bond and Rev. Brad Roberts officiated. Burial was in the Santee Baptist Church Cemetery.

Saulters Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

The pallbearers were B.J. Wilson, Tony Reid, John McRaney, Johnny Lee Hawthorn and Chad Hutchinson.

Jean Dyess was born Nov. 6, 1941, in Lamar County to Woodrow Wilson Scruggs and Virgie Mae Broom Scruggs. Mrs. Dyess was a cook at Bassfield High School. She was a member of Santee Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her mother and father; husbands, Johnny Ray Dyess and Mack Daniels and one brother, Robert Townsend.

Mrs. Dyess is survived by; one daughter, Pamela Strack and her husband George of Bassfield; three sons, Wayne Dyess and his wife Machelle of Bassfield, Allen Ray Dyess and his wife Barbara of Bassfield, and J.D. Dyess and his wife Melinda of Petal; one sister, Dot Johnson and her husband Jan of Kokomo; one brother, James Townsend and his wife Carolyn of Seminary; 11 grandchildren;   17 great-grandchildren and  a host of other relatives and friends.

Visitation was Friday, Jan. 26, 2018 5-8 p.m. at Saulters Funeral Home. Another visitation was held Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018, 9-11 a.m. at Santee Baptist Church prior to the service.