Charles Winters

DREW - Charles "Chubby" Winters, age 54, of Drew, passed away on Wednesday February 09, 2011 at the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jackson. He was the pastor at Bethany Baptist in Merigold and the associate pastor at Calvary Chapel in Parchman.   Funeral Services will be held 11:00AM Saturday February 12, 2011 at Bethany Baptist Church in Merigold.  Visitation will be held from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Friday February 11, 2011 at the Cleveland Funeral Home in Cleveland and for one hour prior to service at the church.  Burial will be at the Drew Cemetery. The Rev. Joe Young, Rev. James McNally and Rev. Marvin Overstreet will officiate the services. Pastor Winters was born on May 12, 1956 to Ray and Margie Winters in Charleston, MS. He graduated from North Sunflower Academy and from the Mississippi Firefighter's Academy.   Pastor Winters was the former fire chief at the Mississippi Department of Corrections, from which he retired. He became a Christian after September 11, 2001.   In 2006 he sensed a divine call to the ministry and became a student assistant pastor at Bethany and Calvary Chapel churches, until his ordination on November 8, 2008. He studied in the Southern Baptist Seminary Extension Program. During his years as a Christian, Pastor Winters became involved in missions and made nine trips to Mexico, distributing Bibles, building churches, and conducting Vacation Bible Schools. After hurricane Katrina he made numerous trips to the Mississippi Gulf Coast doing disaster relief and assisting church and families. When he became pastor at Bethany, the church had been closed several years. He led the church to a comeback, and as the congregation grew all its facilities were renovated debt-free. One building is being made into a residence for visiting mission teams that come to Mississippi Delta to help other small churches make a comeback.   He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother Ronnie Winters.    He is survived by wife, of 19 years Becky Estes Winters of Drew, MS.  Daughter, Kelly Mullins of Clarksdale, MS.  Step-daughter, Jennifer Gandy of Southaven, MS.  Step-son, Patrick Weeks of Boyle, MS.  Brother, Terry Winters of Grenada, MS and 8 grandchildren.   Pall-Bearers are; Jim Harmon, Rick Milan, W T Smith, Robert Neal, Ray West, Perry Morgan, Earl Hodges and Rodney Moore.   The family request memorials may be made to Bethany Baptist Church 19 Bethany Church Rd. Merigold, Ms 38759, Calvary Chapel 36 Ward-Riddick Rd. Drew, MS 38737, Baptist Children Village P O Box 27 Clinton, MS 39060 or Hope House 2807 Chicot Street Pascagoula, MS 39581.     Cleveland Funeral Home is in Charge of Arrangements.