DEMOPOLIS &8212; Sallie Wingfield-Essex, 84, of Demopolis, died April 30, 2008, at her residence. Funeral services were held at 1 p.m., Tuesday, May 6, 2008, at the Miller&8217;s Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church in Demopolis. The Rev. Kennith Jefferson officiated. Interment followed in the adjoining cemetery. Larkin&Scott Funeral Directors of Demopolis were in charge of the services.

Wingfield-Essex was a retired educator with Sumter and Marengo County Board of Education. She was a member of Murry Chapter #554 O.E.S. B.R. Jowers of the Golden Circle, Johnson Delight Court #66, Heroines of Jericho and Alumni of Alabama State University.

She attended Booker T. Washington High School in Montgomery and received her bachelor of science degree and master&8217;s degree in education from Alabama State University.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Sim Essex Jr., sons, Frederick Lee Essex and Sim Essex III and siblings.

Survivors included three daughters, Wanda Merriweather and husband, the Rev. Eleazar, of Brand Rapids, Mich., JoeAnn

Merriweather and husband, the Rev. Wheeler Jr., of Demopolis and Marsha Seaton of Montgomery; daughter-in-law, Pearlie Essex, of Demopolis; siblings, Mary R. Smith, of Demopolis; Alice Hickenbottom and husband, Leon, of Rosedale, N.Y., Lena Hamilton of New York, Ellie Wingfield of Los Angles, and Billy Wingfield of Demopolis; eight grandchildren and a host of great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and friends.