Today is my 71st birthday, where have the years gone; with me in the picture taken a couple of months ago is Laurie George with whom I worked at Hinds.
The 31st chapter of Proverbs describing a virtuous woman lists a number of talents and traits of women we have all known. Many of the contributions of Altha Camille Jeffreys Tackett to family and friends parallel verses in Proverbs 31, as in “she maketh fine linen . . .” and “strength and honour are her clothing,” “she openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness, and “she looketh well to the to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.”
And her children do indeed “arise up, and call her blessed.” Among the talents she so willingly shared were her gifts of sewing, gardening, and cooking. She was one of those gifted persons who could look at a drawing and make a pattern to sew a dress or gown. She could take a neglected plant into her garden and bring it back to life. Her basic recipes as well as her more exotic ones such as gazpacho enhanced with neatly chopped vegetables and croutons were family delights. She could draw and she could make a house look more like a home with her artistic talent. Her sewing included treasured tooth fairy pillows for many young friends complete with the special tooth fairy poem in the little pockets.
The third child of Mary Jane Dupree and Benjamin Franklin Jeffreys, she heartily focused on her family, devoting herself to her daughters and their families, with a love that has always extended to her sisters and brothers and her nieces and nephews. A sickly childhood made it necessary for her father to home-school her after tonsillitis and a tonsillectomy left her weak and recovering for a long period of time. Family love and nursing finally brought her back to health and allowed her to enjoy relatively good health for years. The influence of her father and his teaching of writing and reading no doubt influenced her in her love for words and her hobby of working crossword puzzles. She chuckled about ‘Papa Jeff’s’ dismay over her lack of aptitude for learning the multiplication tables and studying arithmetic.
Her love for children was shown in her work with five-year-olds in Sunday School at Calvary Baptist Church, as well as nursery work. She worshiped at South Green Baptist Church, and later also found joy in her church home when she joined St. Luke United Methodist Church.
Her ‘outside’ work included years at Reeds and then at South Central Bell where she retired in 1988. She and her family survived the Tupelo tornado of 1936, and she saw her husband, brother and brothers-in-law off to World War II.
She cherishes memories of her parents and her sisters, Velma, Alma and Ann. and her brothers, Bennie Addison (Donk) and J. C. (Billy).
Family members who delighted in and will always cherish her personality and life are her daughters Carole Kelly and her husband George, and Margaret Pickard; her grandson Marshall Jenkins; granddaughter Cameron Kelly Chennault and her husband Tim; her great-granddaughter Carly Grace Chennault; her niece Laney Sims and her husband Tip and their daughter Paula; brother and sister-in-law Huey and Linda Jeffreys; and sister-in-law Betty Jeffreys.
“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.” Proverbs 31:30 Surely Altha favored this verse, but there was nothing wrong with her asking for her lipstick even when being treated in the emergency room. She confessed with a chuckle that her longevity might be attributed to the fact that she felt her kids don’t have sense enough to handle things without her. . .
Plantersville's own Steve Holland had the honor of being roasted last Saturday night in Jackson for a charity event.
Karen Balint sent this a week or so ago while I was in Tupelo.
Carole's mom and my sweet mother-in-law, Altha Tackett, died Thursday, February 24 at Darlington Oaks in Verona; services were Sunday at two at Holland Funeral Home.
Carole's mother, Altha Tackett, has been in the North Miss. Medical Center for a little over a week. 
Carole met a couple of Tupelo High School classmates for lunch yesterday. From left: Joe Savage, Carole and John Satterwhite. Joe and Carole graduated in 1960 and John in 1961; I think I'm correct that John's father managed the Woolworth's in Tupelo.
This picture was taken at the party held this weekend to celebrate Carole's mother, Altha Tackett, birthday; she turned 96 on Monday.
Carly experienced her first White Christmas even if not exactly dressed for it; George experienced his first as well.
Students in grades 5-8 from Plantersville and Verona attend the school located and sharing some of the same building where I attended from 1946 - 1956.
In the midst of all the Christmas celebrations, we celebrate Carly's birthday, December 10. The picture shows Carly and some of her guests at the theater before going to see Tangled. There were about seventeen present.
Carly's school presented a wonderful Christmas program. That's Carly in the pony tail in the center. I love small world stories. The young lady on Carly's left is Anna Claire, whose grandmother is from Senatobia where we once lived, and Anna Claire's Uncle Paul was one of the guest for Cam's fifth birthday party a few years ago. Anna Claire is in Carly's class.
I don't know about you, but it has been a hectic start to the Christmas season for us. Carly was in two Christmas parades.
I hope that all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow, and for those traveling, please be careful
My cousin, Ruby Morris Webb, died November 10. Ruby had lived for many years in Saltillo, but was born in Auburn and grew up in the same neighborhood as my mother where she and her sister and my mother were close friends. Years later my mother married their first cousin, my father. Ruby graduated from Plantersville High School in 1934.
Ruby’s father, James Hillard Morris, was the half brother of my grandmother, Sarchie Morris Kelly. My grandmother’s mother died a short time after my grandmother’s birth and my great-grandfather, George Morris, married Lou Blythe and moved his family from near Smithville in Monroe County to Richmond.
James Hillard died young leaving a wife and three children, Ruby, Dorothy who married Gordie Lee Ford, and Truman who also died young leaving a wife and two boys.
Carole and I would like to express sympathy to Dorothy and to the all of Ruby’s family.
My kid's neighbor, Valerie, always hosts a wonderful Halloween party, and the one Saturday night may have been her best yet. These aren't all the children present.
Since Halloween falls on Sunday, most cities are asking trick or treaters to be out tonight.
Carly's team, The Heat, played their final game yesterday afternoon.
The Mississippi State Fair closed yesterday in Jackson after a twelve day run with the best weather in years. Last year the fair was extended an extra day due to excessive fair. No rain this year leading to what may be a record crowd.
On this Labor Day weekend, there's a hint of fall in the air; school is in full swing, and Carly, as are student across the state, is busy with her homework.
Gloria Holland accepts a flag that flew over Task Force Knight Headquarters in Iraq from SFC Henry Harper."It's Monday evening, and we, along with so many, remain in mourning and in shock over the loss of Leigh Anne Ward. The service on Saturday was comforting, celebrating the precious life of Leigh Anne, who touched so many, many people of all ages. The eulogies by friends, the thoughts and prayers of the ministers, who were touched by her life, the music: it was a memorable, special service with hundreds and hundreds of people coming to remember and to try to find comfort in gathering together. Her parents, her family members, and all friends are being remembered and prayed for constantly. Special loving thoughts are coming from us because of George having been taught by Mr. and Mrs. Gooch, Bobbie's mother and father; Bobbie being our classmate; and Carly being one of Leigh Anne's students at MRA. . . "Remember and cherish . . . "
Carly and her friend, Peyton, on the left in the yellow shirt and black shorts, start school today. They met their teacher yesterday, then had lunch together.
Recently, Prudential 1st Real Estate offices moved to a new location near the mall at Barnes Crossing.
Hard to believe that school begins for Carly and most of her friends next week. It has been a busy end of summer vacation with Bible School last week to which Carly wore her fancy hat, and this weekend, Carly, her mother and two others went to Baton Rouge to the water and amusement park.
Jeffreys from Iowa, Virginia, Washington state, Alabama and Mississippi attended the reunion at Tombigbee State Park on Saturday, July 10.
Carole's family on her mother's side held a family reunion this past Saturday at Tombigbee State Park. Sharon Monts also married into this family.
Across the country, the fourth was celebrated with cookouts, watermelons and fireworks. 
Hope that everyone has a happy and safe 4th. Please be careful around those fireworks.
I borrowed this picture from Gloria's web site; the sign is new and I assume is located at the intersection of Plantersville/Verona Road and Highway 45. 
Charles Presson, who lives in Houston, Texas, graduated with Carole in 1960; however, he was unable to make the recent reunion. Charles stopped by for a visit with us this past weekend on his way to visit his brother in Meridian.
Those of you who knew Ray Monaghan, on the left, in school will notice that he has changed very little; don't know who that old man with him is.
Linda Stovall Booth on the left with Jean O'Callaghan and her husband.
Carole and I were in Tupelo this weekend for the class of 1960 reunion; in addition to Carole there are several members of this class from Plantersville or with Plantersville connections. Can you identify any of them from this picture? I'll list them in the next post.
Blake, Claire, Mikaela with Carolyn Griffin prepare for summer activities in Plantersville.
