Happy Birthday:
March 11: Erwin Harris, Jr., Bob Tom Johnson, Joe Lee, James Hollingsworth, Dewey Harvey, Joe Waldrip, Glenn McCurdy, Donnie Harris, Karren Stubbs, Mervyn Slay, Weston Bridges, Brian Blackley.
March 12: Donna Wolverton, James Rogers, Robert Earl Hamm, Lynn Walsh Albriton, Marley Hanna, Josh Graham, Bill Freeman, Erin Blackley, Pete Bailey.
March 13: Christopher Lancaster, Dan Harrison, David Williams, Janelle Parks, Dale Sharp, Noble Anderson, Alan Tullos, Angie King.
March 14: John Tyree, Jr., Randy Woods, W. A. Pogue, Catherine Huckabey, Leiah Gilbert Bridges, Roger McDaniel, James Gibbs.
March 15: Sheila Rushing, John Allen Roby, Shawn Gunderson, Charles Rogellio, Jr., Jonathon Huff, Anna Gaddis.
March 16: Shannon Burns, Jimmy McGee, Judy Jones, Sue Tullos, Jan Weems Campbell, Denise Boutwell, Bill Haralson.
March 17: Helen B. Fortenberry, David Gaddis, Gale Graham, Kenneth Hamm, Rusty Charles Russell, Richard Wilkerson, Clayton Lott, Daniel Dilley, Roland Simmons, Alan Parkes, Jenna M. Murphy, Roger Decatur Tadlock.
Sixties Bearcats will be especially interested in hearing Jackie Johnson Upton’s recent family updates!! She gets my vote for most exciting news! Her daughter Erin’s son (Smith) reports his approaching May wedding in Atlanta!
Not to be outdone, son Mark Upton’s daughter and son in law, Laurel and George, of Birmingham, Alabama, announced to Jackie she will soon become a great grandmother of TWINS!! Lots of happy tears all around!
Mel Channell, Senior Vice President and Director of Corporate Security and Facilities at Trustmark National Bank, was the guest speaker at the Forest Rotary club last Wednesday. He spoke on online security in a world of artificial intelligence. Rotarain Reed Stevens, who is the nephew of Mel, was program chairman. It was a most interesting and informative presentation.
Congratulations to the proud Anderson family of Lake, Scott County’s new Miss Hospitality. Alee Kristen Anderson is a student at The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.
Named Little Miss Hospitality of Scott County, is Tyley Elizabeth Neal, daughter of Ty and Courtney Neal of Forest.
Mississippi’s 2026 Miss Hospitality Competition will be held in Hattiesburg in July.
Congratulations are also in order for the 2026 Scott County’s Distinguished Young Woman, Ali Wilbourne, daughter of Shane and Sarah Wilbourne. Ali is the granddaughter of Randy and Beth Eason and Kathy Wilbourne.
Gayla Steed of Olive Branch arrived in Forest on Tuesday for a visit in the home of her mother, Barbara Gatewood.
Forest High School Class of ‘63 lost a beloved member on February 27th. Kathyrn Wilkerson Stone died unexpectedly in Jackson. Kathy was a long-term, valued staff member of Lampton Oil Company, later Ergon. Her memorial service was held on March 1st at the Ergon executive offices in Flowood. Sincere sympathy to Kathy’s friends and family. Among those who attended the service was Robert Hays and Hugh Carr.
Raman and Jay Patel returned to Forest last Monday after spending the past 3 months on business and visiting friends and family in India. Know you enjoyed your trip, but it’s good to have you back home!!
Julie Lackey and Jenny Allen have recently returned from Shelbyville, Tennessee, where they visited their father, Jimmy Lackey. Glad to hear that he and Carol are doing well and that Jimmy continues to improve at home following several health challenges last year.
Forest Garden Club met February 17th at Forest Community Center. A delicious brunch was served by Hostesses Lynne Wood, Isabel Martinez, Julia Sorey, and Nancy Marchant. The Gardener’s Inspiration was given by Melissa Barney and the Gardeners Tip was given by Dianne McLaurin. Club members enjoyed creating and forming their own hand built pottery. Hillary Freeman, a talented Sculpture Artist, from McComb demonstrated several different ways to create the pottery. Club members chose which process to use. A wonderful time was had by all members.
Congratulations to Spence Sims, who was named Big South Conference Men’s Basketball Freshman Player of the Week for the sixth time this basketball season.
Two days later it was announced that Spence has been selected by the head coaches of the Big South Conference teams, “All Conference Player for 2025-26, and 2026 Men’s Basketball Player Freshman Player of the Year!” Spence is the son of Terry and Merridy McKibbens Sims of Fairhope, Alabama and the grandson of Terry Sims, Judy B. Sims and Loren O. McKibbens, and great grandson of the late Maybeth Ormond of Forest. Proud of you, Spence!!
Send your column news to us at lmckibbens@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!!
