Carole and I were attending a convention at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi when we received a telephone call Saturday morning at four o'clock; mother died in her sleep. I appreciate all those who called, e-mailed or came by the funeral home. Mother had short term memory loss, but was never diagnosed with Alzheimers; Carole has served on the board of the Mississippi chapter of the Alzheimers Association for many years.
I don't usually post current obituaries because of concerns about copyrights; however, this one is not from the paper but one I wrote.
Vera Kingsley Kelly Stovall (92) died Saturday, May 32, 2008, at the Riverbirch ALH. She was born December 18, 1915, to James Fountain and Nancy Ollie Kingsley. Services will be held at 2 p.m. at Sunday, June 1, 2008, at the chapel at Holland-Harris Funeral Home in Tupelo. Visitation will be at 1 p.m. prior to services.
The Rev. Paul Sims and the Rev. Danny Balint will officiate.
She worked as a bookkeeper and office manager for Hardin’s Bakery, and after her retirement, served in the children’s department of Calvary Baptist Church.
A member of First Baptist Church, Plantersville, she was a former member of Calvary Baptist Church.
She was a former member of the Pilot Club.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Ezekiel Candler Kelly, who died in 1942, and her second husband, Raymon Stovall, who died in 1966, and by her brothers, Norman, Harrison, Willie Dock, and Durrell, and by her sisters, Ida Threldkeld and Evie McKinney.
She is survived by her son, George Morris Kelly, and his wife, Carole, of Clinton; a granddaughter, Cam Kelly Chennault and her husband, Tim, of Ridgeland and a great-granddaughter, Carly Grace Chennault of Ridgeland, a step-daughter, Ruth Dabbs of Tupelo, as well as a special friend, Sranda “Sissy” Batterton.
Pallbearers will be Tim Chennault, Marshall Jenkins, Carl Kingsley, Bob McKinney, Richard Duke and Jack Wuichet.
Honorary pallbearers are Aaron Helms, Cecil Duke, and Charles Kingsley.
My grandparents, John Green and Sarchie Kelly, in 1939, the year before I was born.
I hope all fathers had a wonderful day yesterday; this father and grandfather certainly did as I was well taken care of.
Another picture I recently found: A birthday party for Laney's mother, Aunt Alma, held at Captain D's in Tupelo.
From the left: Johnnie Harris, Lucille Montgomery, Moman Partlow and unknown.
In December of 1948 after being widowed for six years, my mother married Raymon Stovall. Raymon at that time was a farmer and drove a school bus; but the next year, Raymon took a job driving an oil truck for the Pure Oil Company, a job he held until he became ill around 1960. After a long battle with cancer, Raymon died on June 2, 1966, exactly two months after Carole and I married.
Her nieces and nephews called her Aunt Dick. The origin of that nickname is lost in my fading memory.
Aunt Grace, George and Vera in front of Aunt Grace's house. Despite the bright smile, these years were a struggle for the young widow. My father died three days past my second birthday.
My mother's junior class at Saltillo High School 1932-33; my mother grew up in the Auburn community, but some time ca. 1930, a canal was dug across my grandfather's farm and he bought another farm in Saltillo near Highway 45 and moved his family there. At some point, he bought a farm in Kirkville which he farmed until his death. My cousin, Terry Kingsley, still farms the land in Kirkville.
The baby is my mother; standing on her left is her sister, Ida; in the center is her brother, Willie Dock; and partly visible is her sister, Evie.
I also came across this clipping, which I wish I had found before Memorial Day, of Aaron and Marion Helms.
I plan to publish a tribute to my mother in pictures and while looking for pictures, I found this picture that I had forgot I had. That's Aunt Johnnie on her three wheeler and Cecil and part of yours truly. I think the picture was taken in front of Aunt Grace's house, but am open to corrections.
