Honoring and Remembering Leigh Anne Ward

   A moving ceremony on Sunday, May 12, marked the very special occasion announcing the Leigh Anne Ward Teachers Memorial at Madison-Ridgeland Academy.  The ceremony included the installation of the Inaugural Class of the Hall of Fame Inductees, with the tribute to Leigh Anne especially meaningful for so many, particularly anyone with a Plantersville Connection. Leigh Anne’s parents are Bobbie and Dr. Frazier Ward of Jackson.  Bobbie is remembered as Bobbie Gooch, daughter of Mrs. Wallace Gooch and the late Mr. Gooch, both of whom are remembered as the best of educators in Plantersville. A musical tribute was made by the MRA elementary and middle school singers, and a fourth grader, Carly Chennault, who may be described as a ‘granddaughter of Plantersville,’ participated in the musical tribute.  I know her grandfather George Morris Kelly was pleased to hear her singing for Leigh Anne.  Caroline Strawbridge, MRA first grade teacher, presented “A Remembrance of a Friend,” with poignant memories about Leigh Anne's personality and contributions to family, friends, students, the school, her church. . . 

    Bobbie was presented a white rose by Connie Vance, Elementary School principal, who inducted Leigh Anne into the memorial Hall of Fame named for her.  Teachers Frances Braswell, Minnie Lou Holland and Myra Smith were present for their installation into the Hall of Fame. 

The tribute included the welcome by Roxanne Case, MRA board president, and the invocation by Dr. Jim Futral, executive director-treasurer of the MS Baptist Convention Board.  Tommy Thompson, headmaster, performed the ribbon cutting, dedication and unveiling of the impressive statue crafted by Carrie Reeves, assistance professor in the Mississippi College Art Department.

            Our Kelly-Chennault families were touched to be present for the special time, remembering the love George always had for the Gooch family and also having the memory of Leigh Anne’s marvelous contributions as a teacher and a very outstanding young woman.  She will always be remembered and missed in this world.

            The Hall of Fame Memorial will serve to keep her memory alive.

Special Recital in Clinton: Plantersville Connections

  An afternoon of superb music by Vicki Helms Carter, pianist supreme, captivated an audience at First Baptist Church in Clinton April 18. The Plantersville connections, enhanced with Tupelo connections for good measure, included:  seated from left, Frances Helms, Vicki Carter, Ida Lambert; standing, Sherrilyn Helms Brown, Bunny (Bo, Earnest) Bowen, Vicki Lambert Mixon, Ron Carter, and Rosemary Aultman, back row.  Rosemary, Clinton's mayor, formerly of Tupelo, organized the special event for Clinton, as Vicki and Ron, now residents of East Orange, NJ, tour the state with other stops including Tupelo, Brookhaven, and Rosedale.  Sherrilyn Brown, now of Ridgeland, and Vicki Carter are first cousins.  Vicki's program included works of Johannes Brahms, Frederic Chopin, Franz Liszt, Scott Joplin, William Balcom, and Eubie Black, closing with a sacred music threesome.  After the program, a reception allowed time for visiting and talking with Vicki about her musical career.  This was also the fun time of renewing the Plantersville-Tupelo-Clinton-Ridgeland, etc., connections.  A memorable afternoon for sure. . .

First Baptist April 7, 2013, Flowers to Remember George

Today was special at First Baptist Church, Clinton, with an impressive sanctuary arrangement of flowers in memory of George from Cam, Tim, Carly and me.  Dr. Bill Hardin was his usually impressive, winning preacher-self in both services held in the new sanctuary in the a.m. service and in the old sanctuary (some do say 'chapel') for the evening service.  The old sanctuary was where services for George were held July 7, 2011, before the final service at Plantersville Cemetery.  I can write the words, but I still find them difficult to process. . .

April 2, 1966: George and Carole Married in Plantersville

A date we always celebrated and rejoiced over . . .Married at Mama Kelly's with family and friends, Doris graciously in charge.  Fittingly enough, yesterday or last night was FiTs meeting night when a group of widows gather to support each other in their losses whether it was immediate, last year, two years ago.  .  . FiTs is 'First Tuesday' since we try a little to avoid the description of 'widow,' but it is what it is.  We laugh, listen, have a devotional and motivational thought or two, and just generally try to 'be there' for each other.  April 2 will always be special to me.  Faye Estes kept the circuit clerk's office open for us as we dashed in from Memphis the evening before to get a license to be wed.  Ah, Plantersville Connections . . .

Happy Note: A 50th Celebration

It was my honor to receive a lovely announcement about the Saturday, January 19, celebration honoring James and Ruth Kelly's 50th Wedding Anniversary.  The announcement came from Michelle and Kelly Mauldin and noted that those wanting to remember the occasion with gifts should instead direct the thought to Helping Hands Helping Homeless, Inc.  Donations can be sent to CREATE, Inc., for the benefit of Helping Hands Helping Homeless, Inc., P. O. Box 1053, Tupelo, MS 38802.  I could not make the trip but I shall certainly honor the special years with a remembrance to this worthwhile effort.  How wonderful for Ruth and Sonny. . . 50 years, wow, double wow.

Aaron Helms: One of the Greatest. . .

The sad news reached us Saturday about the loss to this world of Aaron Helms, one of the finest men ever, one of the most special 'Plantersville Connections.'  George absolutely loved Aaron and Frances, as do I.  They along with Sherrilyn were so kind to us when we lost George.  Cousins Cam and Sherrilyn live fairly close in Ridgeland, one of those small world stories.  Aaron was such a helpful friend, always there to help Aunt Grace and Aunt Johnnie, both of whom loved him very much.  The write-up about him, which I first heard from my sister Margaret who called and read it to me Saturday, was wonderful.  Most particularly, I found the mention of Aaron and Frances' 66th anniversary celebrated in November very touching.  Sixty-six wonderful years.  Also special was Aaron's service as a member of the Greatest Generation.  Not to be forgotten . . .ever.  

'Small World' Again

My resolution of having at least one “Plantersville Connection” (PC) paragraph each month fell by the wayside during past days of 2012, but the connection to Plantersville is alive and well, I am happy to  report.  Getting acquainted with a new friend at work, Candice Batson, I learned that she was quite familiar with Plantersville, having served as a musician at a friend’s wedding at Plantersville United Methodist Church.  Candice played the flute at the wedding of Ashley Temple Wilemon to Matthew Young Tipton on June 7, 2008.  Candice is from Jackson and met Ashley when they were in graduate school together at the University of Memphis.  

Doing a little bit of research, namely hitting the ‘Google’ key, I was directed to  “The Plantersville Connection” where this invitation had been posted by George Morris in May 2008:  

Representative and Mrs. Steve Holland and
Mr. and Mrs. G. L. Wilemon, Jr.
along with
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Tipton
Request the honour of your presence at the wedding of their children
Ashley Temple Wilemon
and
Matthew Young Tipton
Saturday, June 7th at 4:00 p.m.
Plantersville United Methodist Church
Reception Immediately following in the church fellowship hall 

Memories:  I remember attending Barbara Jo Rogers’ wedding at Plantersville First Baptist Church in 1964, I think in June.  Almost two years later in April 1966, George and I were married in the home of his grandmother in Plantersville.  Prior to meeting (then marrying) George, I was pretty much a stranger to the town of Plantersville.  Pity.  If I had met him earlier in Plantersville or Tupelo, maybe we wouldn’t have had to meet courtesy of Continental Trailways. . .  I also recall that when George and I were first dating, he would not tell me his middle name.  When I called his house one day and asked Miss Vera if I could speak to her son, she was agreeable and called, “George Morris, telephone . . .”  Aha.  No one in Plantersville recognized the name of ‘George Kelly.’  But saying only ‘George Morris’ results in instant recognition.  Lovely memories.