Laura Royal

Laura Royal

Belzoni

Laura "Babe" Schram Royal 87, widow of Asa Jerome Royal Jr. died Sunday October 21, in Belzoni, Ms. Mrs. Royal was born and raised in Clarksdale, the seventh of ten children born to Laura and Joseph w. Schram, and moved to Midnight in 1950 when she married. Her early years in Midnight were spent as a homemaker.. followed by many years of part-time work at the Midnight Post Office. She was a member of All Saints Catholic Church where she was active in the choir and annual holiday bazaar. One of her passions was staying connected with family, and this led to two ongoing projects . In the mid - 1970s, she started a family renuion traditon that is still going strong today. She spent hundreds of hours over the course of many years researching her family's ancestry, as well as her husband's.

Mrs. Royal was preceded in death by here husband, Asas J. Royal Jr., her parents Joseph W. and Laura Schram of Clarksdale, two brothers, Joe Schram of Washington and Leo Schram of Baton Rouge, and three sisters, Celia Pendergrass, Helen Wilson, and Partricia Duke all of Clarksdale. She is survived by five children, Laura Townsend of Belzoni, Mary Niolet of Pass Christian, Elaine Riffe of Lake Cormorant, Robert Royal of Midnight, and Caroline Royal-Evans of Memphis: two sistersFrances Langley of Clarksdale, and Carol Klisz of Richmond, Virginia: eight grandchildren Hue Townsend of Belzoni, Elizabeth Townsend of Colombus, Georgia, Joey Niolet of Pass Christian, Melissa Niolet Jones of Long Beach, Bill Riffe of Southaven, Elliot Royal of Midnight, Lauara Ellis Royal of Midnight: two great grandchildren, Braden Holly of Southaven, and Asa Jones of Long Beach: and a host of nieces and nephews.

Visitation is schelduled for 6 p.m. followed by a wake service at 7 p.m on Tuesday October 23, at Mortimer Funeral Home in Belzoni. Funeral Services will be held at All Saints Catholic church in Belzoni 11 a.m. on Wednesday, October 24. Burial in Belzoni Cemetery