Class Notes – Spring 2026

1960s

Linda Jacks Finley, ’66, of Brandon, received the 2025 Chairman’s Award at the National Crime Stoppers conference.

1970s

Terri Gooch, ’77, of Columbus, was elected to Mississippi Tennis Hall of Fame.

Ann Wilson Holifield, ’79, of Ridgeland, is serving on the Methodist Rehabilitation Center Board.

1990s

Pam Wright, ’96, of Ethelsville, Alabama, has been promoted to chief financial officer at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle.

Kasey Keeton, ’97, of Montgomery, Alabama, recently served at the counsel table before the Supreme Court of the United States.

2000s

Dr. Jennifer B. McDuffie, ’04, of Broomfield, Colorado, was named the new chief of staff at The University of Northern Colorado (UNC).

Justin Sutton, ’08, of Ocean Springs, has been named the next superintendent of Ocean Springs School District, effective July 1.

2010s

Kristen Barnes, ’10, of Jackson, received the 50 Under Fifty award that recognizes individuals whose leadership and service are shaping communities across the state.

Mallory Elise Hardy, ’12, of Meridian, was recognized as one of the Meridian area’s outstanding citizens as members of the Class of 2025 Top 20 Under Forty.

Jarita Jamison, ’12, of Columbus, is a Special Education teacher at West Lowndes Elementary School and was awarded “Teacher of the Year” by the Lowndes County School District.

Lauren Franks, FNP-C, ’15, of Pontotoc, joined the North Mississippi Health Services care team at the Garfield Clinic.

Maddy Sielu, ’19, of Breckinridge, Colorado, was awarded the Colorado Municipal Clerk’s Association Clerk of the Year award.

2020s

Kamryn McIntosh, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, ’21, of Amory, has joined North Mississippi Health Services as a family nurse practitioner at Amory Surgery Clinic.

Deaths

1940s

Nancy Hamric McClure, ’47, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Oct. 19, 2025.

Jeanne Stephens Eubanks, ’48, of Canton, Jan. 2, 2026.

Rosamond Cummings Mullender, ’49, of Lakeway, Texas, Dec. 11, 2025.

Madge Freiler Noble, ’49, of Canton, Dec. 7, 2025.

Joyce Boyett Vanlandingham, ’49, of Richmond, Kentucky, Nov. 1, 2025.

1950s

Betty Hickman Burton, ’50, of Signal Mountain, Tennessee, Dec. 5, 2025.

Mary Ann Clay, ’50, of Little Rock, Arkansas, Feb. 9, 2026.

Betty Dance Coit, ’51, of Sugar Land, Texas, Dec. 17, 2025.

Hope Carter Ellis, ’51, of Kosciusko, Oct. 16, 2025.

Rachel Currie Martin, ’51, of Oxford, Oct. 4, 2025.

Betty Gilmore Lyon, ’53, of Richmond, Virginia, February, 2026.

Grace Herrington McMillin, ’53, of Madison, Nov. 15, 2025.

Patricia Dehmlow, ’54, of Knoxville, Tennessee, Feb. 7, 2026.

Mildred Anderson Heirtzler, ’54, of Ethel, Louisiana, Feb. 4, 2026.

Myra Bishop Rattan, ’54, of South Bend, Indiana, Nov. 12, 2025.

Sylvia Marsh Stevens, ’54, of Leavenworth, Kansas, July 17, 2025.

Nelda Mathews Sibley, ’55, of McComb, Oct. 19, 2025.

Jauniece Luther Floyd, ’56, of Booneville, Aug. 31, 2025.

LaDeane Robertson Moore, ’56, of Clinton, Sept. 13, 2025.

Leila Overby Davis, ’57, of Newport News, Virginia, Nov. 12, 2025.

Coy Smith Jefcoat, ’57, of Brentwood, Tennessee, Oct. 25, 2025.

Orlean “Dottee” Smith Owen, ’57, of Columbus, Oct. 10, 2025.

Mollie Jean Byrd Wells, ’58, of Montgomery, Alabama, Feb. 26, 2026.

1960s

Isabel Gray Mills, ’60, of Clinton, Oct. 23, 2025.

Betty LaJuan “Wannie” Morton Aust, ’61, of Boonville, Oct. 24, 2025.

Roselyn Glasgow Bryant, ’61, of Evans, Georgia, April 23, 2025.

Mary Underwood Green, ’61, of Corinth, Feb. 16, 2026.

Blanche Thompson Hardin, ’61, of Greenwood, Sept. 22, 2025.

Barbara Barry Rhodes, ’61, of Natchez, Dec. 15, 2025.

Sara Hughes Steiner, ’61, of Corinth, Sept. 10, 2025.

Gail Stratton Street, ’61, of Columbus, Dec. 12, 2024.

Phyllis Hodum Clemmons, ’62, ’76, of Columbus, Sept. 15, 2025.

Mary Nell Terrell Grayson, ’62, of Smyrna, Tennessee, Dec. 17, 2024.

Linda Pattrice Pennington Steen, ’62, of Aberdeen, February 19, 2026

Suzanne Morgan Stockfisch, ’62, of Maryville, Tennessee, Sept. 19, 2025.

Anne Crockett McWilliams, ’62, of Henrico, Virginia, Jan. 1, 2026.

Joan Burkhart Atkins, ’63, of Columbus, Nov. 19, 2025.

Sue Sullivan Twilley, ’63, of Urbandale, Iowa, Feb. 14, 2026.

Lynn Brown Wampler, ’63, of Starkville, Dec. 5, 2025.

Janet Pickett Couchman, ’64, and former employee, of Birmingham, Alabama, Nov. 28, 2025.

Margaret Kay Gartrell, ’64, of Haddon Township, New Jersey, May 31, 2025.

Kay Morrison Mathews, ’64, of Tupelo, Oct. 11, 2025.

Cascille Middleton Reiner, ’64, of Pensacola, Florida, Jan. 6, 2026.

Catherine “Cathie” Harriet Price, ’65, of Madison, Oct. 13, 2025.

Carolyn Dick Spiers, ’65, of Orange, Texas, Nov. 16, 2025.

Jane M. Oglesby, ’66, of Sulphur, Louisiana, Aug. 17, 2025.

Mary Ann Hennington Parman, ’66, of Brandon, Sept. 7, 2025.

Linda Farmer Piazza, ’66, of Clinton, Sept. 10, 2025.

Betty Sarita Henderson Self, ’66, of Starkville, Dec. 17, 2025.

Delilah McCorkle Williams, ’66, of Columbus, Oct. 19, 2025.

Sue Ellen Wright, ’66, of Jackson, Dec. 8, 2025.

Claudia Thomas Boyer, ’67, of Marietta, Georgia, Feb. 17, 2026.

Mary Elizabeth Kennamer, ’68, of Edgefield, South Carolina, Feb. 13, 2026.

Dr. Rita Lum, ’68, of Foley, Alabama, Sept. 22, 2025.

Mrs. Susan Kile McMillan, ’68, of Oxford, Jan. 5, 2026.

Rebecca Gibson Underwood, ’68, of Tuscumbia, Alabama, Dec. 21, 2025.

Brenda Noland McComb, ’69, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Dec. 19, 2025.

Rita Strait, ’69, of Jackson, Tennessee, Feb. 2, 2026.

1970s

Helen Bedford Anderton, ’70, of Daphne, Alabama, Oct. 18, 2025.

Beverly Grace Eidt, ’70, Norcross, Georgia, Feb. 12, 2026.

Sybil Moore Tolleson, ’71, of Rienzi, Oct. 13, 2025.

Martha Neal McQuinn, ’72, of Ridgeland, Oct. 22, 2025.

Carolyn Hurt Nichols, ’72, of Milton, Florida, Jan. 22, 2026.

Mary Ann Morton Harder, ’73, of Starkville, Oct. 14, 2025.

Jennifer “Jenny” Ladner, ’73, of Pass Christian, June 18, 2025.

Patrice Hamill Simon, ’73, of Jackson, July 2, 2025.

Ruth Ann Brent, ’74, of Greenville, Oct. 19, 2025.

Hermine Dinkins Walker, ’74, of Oxford, Feb. 7, 2026.

Ruth Berry, ’75, of Columbus, Feb. 10, 2026.

Mary Ann McCullen Foster, ’75, of Hoschton, Georgia, Dec. 22, 2025.

Martha Taylor McGahey, ’75, of Columbus, Oct. 30, 2025.

Margaret Thompson Hanratty, ’76, of Detroit, Alabama, Jan. 10, 2026.

Addie Jean Jenkins Colburn, ’77, of Tupelo, Jan. 21, 2026.

Carla Greby, ’77, of Kewanee, Illinois, May 22, 2025.

Brenda Hardaway Lathan, ’77, of Columbus, Dec. 12, 2025

Deborah Blaylock McMurrey, ’77, of Sulligent, Alabama, Nov. 24, 2025.

Elizabeth Anne Harthcock, ’78, of Maumelle, Arkansas, Dec. 31, 2025.

Melanie Sarris, ’78, of Kennesaw, Georgia, Feb. 24, 2025.

Sherry McDaniel Cusanelli, ’79, of Carrollton, Alabama, Sept. 26, 2025.

Mary Rodgers Faglie, ’79, of Columbus, Nov. 17, 2025.

1980s

Lisa Freeman Schutz, ’82, of Bulverde, Texas, Feb. 10, 2026.

Martha McElhenney, ’84, of Decatur, Jan. 16, 2026.

Esther L. Dunlap, ’87, of Tupelo, Sept. 6, 2025.

Edward Lafayette Pleasants, Jr., ’87, of Laurel, Maryland, Aug. 23, 2025.

Donna Rawson Huffmaster, ’89, of Meridian, March 27, 2025.

1990s

Barbara Randle Higgins, ’90, of Diamondhead, Dec. 3, 2025.

Frederick Keith Agnelly, ’91, of Luling, Louisiana, Nov. 5, 2025.

Judith “Judy” Haggard Bolin, ’93, of Columbus, Jan. 13, 2026.

Barbara Anne Drees, ’93, of Pensacola, Florida, Jan. 12, 2026.

Cynthia “Cindy” Garvin Patton, ’93, of Starkville, Sept. 18, 2025.

Brian Higgerson, ’95, of Wheaton, Illinois, Jan. 20, 2026.

2000s

Shameka White James, ’01, of Columbus, Oct. 1, 2025.

Dontez Tavarus Isaiah Forshee, ’06, of Aberdeen, Jan. 18, 2026.

Faculty & Staff

Dr. Carole Ann Stewart, professor emerita of health and kinesiology, July 28, 2025.

Dr. Ann McAllister Mitchell, former dean of students, Oct. 9, 2025