Funeral services were held Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021, at Pearl River Valley Baptist Church in Monticello,  for Mr. Edward Batiste Jr., 56, who died Friday, July 30, 2021, at Rush Foundation Hospital in Meridian. Elder Thad Easter officiated with interment following in Jacobs Family Cemetery in Expose. Johnson Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Edward Batiste Jr. was born to the late Edward Batiste Sr. and Mrs. Terrie Standfield.  He attended Monticello and Ferriday High School where he played football. He attended college and joined the U. S. Army. Mr. Batiste was a big LSU and New Orleans Saints fan. He was a member of Meridian High School Band Boosters. He worked as store manager for Save A Lot in Meridian.

Mr. Batiste is married to Temekia Murphy Batiste and to this union, three daughters were born.

He is survived by his wife, Temekia Batiste of Meridian; five daughters, Ashley (Shadrick) Hart of Poplarville, Lakitra (Larry) Davis of Asheboro, North Carolina, Teknetra Batiste, Jamira Batiste and Kierra Batiste all of Meridian; three sons, Edward Batiste III of Asheboro, North Carolina, Shanton Owens of Fort Drum, New York and Dontavious Murphy of Ft. Riley, Kansas; eight grandchildren; mother, Terrie (Charles) Standfield of Monticello; two brothers, A. R. Standfield of Honolulu, Hawaii and Charles Standfield Jr. of Monticello and two sisters, Hilda May of Hattiesburg  and Violet Standfield of Jacksonville, Florida.