Funeral services were held Saturday, April 30, 2022, at The House of Refuge International Church for Mrs. Helen Ruth Reese, 73, who died on Wednesday, April 20, 2022 at Forrest General Hospital, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Rev. Vester Thompson officiated with interment following in Griffith Cemetery. Johnson Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Helen Ruth Reese was born to the late Raisola Harrien Bryant. She graduated from J. E. Johnson High School and joined the Job Corps where she was stationed in Trenton, New Jersey. She returned to Prentiss to care for her siblings after the passing of her mother. She attended and graduated from Prentiss Institute with a degree in Special Education. She worked at Universal Manufacturing and Sanderson Farms and later a dietician and sitter.

Mrs. Reese joined Mt. Carmel Baptist Church where she was head of the food ministry.

She was preceded in death by: husband, Charles Reese; step-father, Willie Bryant; brother, Leon, sisters, Arlene, Lydia and Irma and great-granddaughter, Demarianna.

She is survived by: one son, Jerry T. Harrien of Prentiss, MS; two daughters, Vanessa (Lazarus) Gholar of Hattiesburg, MS; and Kenna Harrien of Prentiss, MS; ten grandchildren; two brothers, Perry Bryant, Charles Bryant; four sisters, Annette (Willie) Harrien; Youlanda (Junior) Barnes, Rachel (Vester) Thompson and Rosa (Michael) Bridges; many other relatives and friends.