“People die suddenly all the time, so it could happen to us at any moment. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow has not yet come; we must live each day as if it were our last, so that when God calls us, we are ready to go home to God with a clean heart.” Saint Teresa of Calcutta
A beautiful Memorial and Celebration of the Life and Legacy of Coach, Educator, and former Election Commissioner Roy Pinkston was held on Saturday, April 11th, at the Forest Elementary School Auditorium. Pastor Perry and Lady Monya Fletcher were the Master and Mistress of Ceremony, and they shared their love and respect for Coach Pinkston. Elder Cedric Grizzell and Elder J. J. Thompson provided prayer and Scripture. Sister Brittany Parrott and Lady Monya Fletcher provided musical tributes, and Words of Comfort were shared by Pastor Sheldon Thomas, who reminisced and closed with the “starting lineup.”
His grandchildren, Samone and Tremarius Pinkston, read and sang tributes. His 1967 classmates, Alderwoman Cynthia Slaughter Melton and Eddie James Rigsby, shared beautiful memories, as did Deacon Noble Hughes. Several former students, including Bobby Thigpen and Latosha Warnsley Clark, paid special tributes to their Coach. Constance Slaughter-Harvey shared memories and read the Legacy Resolution of Respect in Loving Memory of Legacy Investor Roy Pinkston. Remarks and expressions were shared by other former students, friends, and relatives. Elder Jimmy Griffin delivered Deacon Pinkston’s eulogy and praised his life. The men of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity honored Brother Roy with his induction into the Omega Chapter, and the ceremony, which included his Brother Robert Kincaid and others, was quite touching and moving.
Please continue to remember his family in your prayers, including his wife Joann, children Lawanda, Antarral “Todd” (Tamara), Arnedral, Joey (Chalondra), Josh, and Jalisa, his brother Albert (Shirley) Pinkston, and other family members. Holifield Funeral Home was entrusted with Coach Pinkston’s final arrangements.
A beautiful and special Celebration of the Life of Ms. Annie Bell Currie, Scott County Hall of Fame 2016 Inductee, was held Thursday, April 9th at Lynch Chapel United Methodist Church with Pastor Walter Roberts, Jr. officiating and delivering her eulogy. Mrs. Minnie Hudson was the Mistress of Ceremony, and other program participants were Rev. Sheldon Thomas, Rev. Johnny Sims, Milinda Gray, Susie Jackson Boyd, Gail Johnson, Bill Lovett, Rosie Kersh, and Pastor Shirley Wilder.
Ms. Currie was remembered as a dedicated teacher who taught for thirty-five years. She graduated from Scott County Training School and Jackson State University and was a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority. This outstanding athlete was the captain of her high school and JSC basketball teams and was inducted into the 2005 Jackson State University Sports Hall of Fame. Please keep her family in your prayers. W. F. Mapp Funeral Home was entrusted with her final arrangements.
The Life of Mr. Earnest D. Gilbert was celebrated in Loving Memory on April 4th at the Harmony MB Church in Lena. Elder Vernada Pinkston officiated and delivered Mr. Gilbert’s eulogy. Mrs. Stacey Murray was the Mistress of the Ceremony, and other program participants were Deacons Roy Lee Murray and Billy Murray, and Ms. Tina McClendon and Robert Moore, who provided beautiful musical tributes.
Our prayers are with his family especially his daughters Kristy (Shun) and Jennifer, and sons Danyell (April) and Joey (Natalie), and siblings Louis Vernice, Jr., Billy Ray (Shirley), Jimmy Lee, Willie (Helen), and sisters Shirley (Albert) Pinkston, Willie Pearl, Spama Reed, Annette (Lynn), and Eddie Mae Chapman. Holifield Funeral Home was entrusted with his final arrangements.
We continue to remember our readers who are facing health challenges, namely, Lucille Patrick, Ronnie Willliams, Amos Holifield, Dr. Clarice Slaughter Bell, Ester Perry, Jo Taylor, Vernal Williams Breashears, Joe Tucker, Dr. Sheldon Graves, Kathy Hollingsworth, Gwendolyn Harvey Kelley, Dorothy Pinkston, R.C. Williams, Howard Burkes, Robert Jennings, Connie Sorey, LaToya, Que, and LaTasha McClendon, Bobby Carter, Linnie K. Lofton, Ruby Warnsley, Iris O’Neal Warnsley, Shelley Joseph, Vera Patrick, C. J. Polk, McArthur Robinson, Irene Lyles, Eleanor Longmire, Cathia Coleman, Connie Parker, Jordan Crump, Mary Bobbitt, Rev. Floyd McConnell, Thomas Anderson, Cliff Qualls, Jr., Virginia Hannah, Lavell Stewart, Ledora Benton, Rev. Henry Patrick, Lucy V. Moore, Sidney Ellis, Anderson “Yellow” Stingley, Dorothy Mae Patrick Tigar, London Thompson, Melba Dixon, Mitch Nichols, Lucille Flex, Laura Jackson, Roseann Lynn, Eunice Slaughter, Viola Morgan, Lillian Gray, Jean Bates, Tomi Reed Smith, Tommy Rankin, John Norman, Juanita Jones, Vernette Owens, Diane Williams, Dashell Earnest, Sherry Holmes, Will Hughes, Billy Jack Evans, Wells Gray, Otha Herrington, Robert Loper, Ken Ormond, Eileen, Annie, Elijah, and Symone Ickom, Charity Robinson, Linda Martin Solomon, Ruthie Lay, Clark Jackson, George Tucker, Thorton Gray, Bobby Hodges, Wayne Lindsey, Patsy Bradford, Marie Graham, Rita Wash, Willie Wash, Margaret Bates, Lillie Mae Rodriguez Stewart, Cordell Hughes, Clyde Curry, Bobby Joe Spivey, Al and Lesa Bergin, and Rita Moody.
We enjoyed spending quality time with our friend Mrs. Reena Evers Everett, the daughter of the late Medgar Evers, who was one of the panelists at the special showing of “Everlasting – Life and Legacy of Medgar Evers” at East Central Community College’s Huff Auditorium on April 7th. Constance Slaughter-Harvey and James “Tre” Burwell were among those in attendance. Mrs. Evers Everett thanked Judge Slaughter-Harvey for her role in adding to her father’s legacy.
Special thanks to Mrs. Kathy Sanders for her work in making this occasion possible and to Dr. Lucretia Williams for her assistance in publicizing the event. The Legacy Foundation My Space/My Story program advisory board (Walter Gardner, Billy McCune, Mrs. Lloyce Collier, Constance Olivia Burwell, and the late Shonnette Kelley) partnered in 2018 with the MS Department of Archives and History to study the life of Medgar Evers and to coordinate with East Central CC to share his story. Copies of this Study are available at the Legacy/Slaughter Library.
The Scott County JSU Alumni Association met on April 9th with plans to prepare for the JSU Annual Spring Banquet to be held on Saturday, May 16th at 6:00 p.m. This year’s theme is “Spotlight on Scott County.” Members who attended were Albert Gray, Rose Anderson, Janet Williams, Bonnie Stowers, Martha and Robert Kincaid, and Cynthia Slaughter Melton.
Special thanks to Apex’s Katie Phillips and Laicon Partain, who shared tips on the “Art of Balancing Life – Part 1” with Health is Wealth attendees at the Legacy/Slaughter Library on April 9th. The presentation was interesting, informative, and enjoyable. Ladies in attendance and enjoying the presentation were Bobbie Ringo, Susie J. Boyd, Constance Slaughter-Harvey, Charlean Youngblood, Dorothy Strong, Bonnie Stowers, Patty Odom, Bennie C. Johnson, Linday White, Eloise Reed, Joyce Graham, Martha Kincaid, Melissa Barney, Shyria Bobbitt, Cynthia Melton, and Cindy Williams. We’re excited to hear and experience Part 2 of the “Art of Balancing Life.”
The Naomi Dean Williams RN Memorial, honoring and remembering February and March Babies at Lackey Convalescent Home, was held on March 30th. Those remembered were George Asbury Kelley, and those honored were Attorney Teselyn Melton Funches, Rita McCain, staffers Faye Anderson and Andrea Harrison, Makenzie Harrison, Ossie Mae Brownless, and Frank B. Melton; March babies honored were Sidney Ellis, Phylis Campbell, and staffers Cynthia Brown and Sandra Martin
Congratulations to Mr. Welton and Mrs. Xavierana Weathersby, who were honored on April 11th at the Community Center with a Baby Shower for Theo James Weathersby, who is expected to arrive in June. It was a special event enjoyed by parents, grandparents, siblings, and other family members. Grandparents of Theo, Mrs. Rhonda Weathersby and Mrs. Latoya Austin sponsored and coordinated the special event.
SCTS/ETHHS Reunion Planning Committee will meet on April 20th at 4:00 p.m. at the Marshal Longmire Gym on the Hawkins Middle School campus. Members are invited to attend to plan this summer’s reunion.
Happy Birthday to babies born during the fourth week in April, namely Tenisha Murrell and Devon Trest (19), Lurrie Harrison (20), Billi Reed and Pastor Sheldon Thomas (21), Shilina Pinkston, Rachel Triplett and Dorothy Hollis (22), and Antarral (Todd) Pinkston, Arnedral Pinkston, Jane Morgan, Ruthie Couch, and Goline Reed (23).
Answer to Quiz Teaser # 879: The Elmer and Beatrice Pinkston family has produced more basketball, track, and football players than any other family in Forest. This includes Albert, Roy, Troy, and other brothers and sisters and their offsprings including Coaches Todd, and Todrick. The female Pinkstons also have an affinity for the ball and track fields.
Quiz Teaser # 880: Who were the first African American male and female judges in Mississippi, and what, if any, were their connections to Scott County? Who was the first African American legislator to serve in the Mississippi legislature, and what, if any, was his connection to Scott County?
