Erma Jean Bell
Funeral services for Mrs. Erma Jean Bell were conducted at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 2, 2017 from the Ott & Lee Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Don Cook officiating. Interment followed in the Old White Plains Cemetery under the direction of Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Forest.
Visitation was from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at the funeral home and on Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. prior to the funeral service.
Erma Jean Bell was born in Neshoba County on April 22, 1934 to her parents: Ulvetus and Linnie Shaw Comans and passed away at the Baptist Medical Center - Leake in Carthage on July 31, 2017 at the age of 83.
Taking care of her family was top priority, as she was a simple and selfless woman with a strong faith in God. She was a homemaker and a member of the Cross Roads Church of God at Sebastopol.
She is preceded in death by her husband: Joe Raymond Bell; one son: Junior Bell; her parents: Ulvetus and Linne Shaw Comans; and one sister: Pauline Comans.
Survivors include six children: Joe (Dianne) Bell of Conehatta; Jacqueline Maxey of Conehatta; Jerrelene (Martann) Foy of Philadelphia; Jerry (Christina) Bell of Walnut Grove; Jess (Barbara) Bell of Union; and Judy (Mike) Springer of Conehatta; and a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Serving as pallbearers were Wayne Griffin, Derick Wilcher, Richie Williams, Robbie James, James Shelley, Curt Maxey, Bryant Maxey, and Joe Foy.
Mary Ruby Molpus
Mary Ruby Molpus, age 90, a resident of Forest, died Friday July 28, 2017 at Lackey Memorial Hospital in Forest following an extended illness.
Funeral services were conducted at 11 a.m. Monday July 31, 2017 from the Forest Baptist Church. Visitation was held from 10 a.m. til the service time in the parlor at Forest Baptist Church. Graveside services were conducted at 3 p.m. at Good Hope Baptist Church Cemetery near Louisville, MS. Rev. Joe Pate officiated.
Mrs. Molpus was born in Winston County to her parents James Morgan Kemp and Ella Virginia Hill Kemp on Monday September 20, 1926. She had lived in the Forest area for 57 years. She was a member of Forest Baptist Church. She taught school in the Forest Municipal Schools until her retirement in 1981.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, James Lamar Kemp; and her husband, Charles Molpus.
She is survived by her daughter Margaret Molpus of Forest. Other survivors include a brother-in-law, Bill Molpus and his wife Carolyn of Philadelphia, and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were provided by Ott & Lee Funeral Home of Forest.
Maybeth Mitchell Ormond
In loving memory of Maybeth Mitchell Ormond:
“Mudder” and “Bach”, the two names for which her grandchildren and great grandchildren referred to her, was called home to our Lord Jesus Christ August 4, 2017 in Hartford, Conn. She lived her life to the fullest and embodied the best of humankind with her generous spirit, curiosity, warmth, good humor and appreciation of a good story. Wherever Maybeth was, true to a line often used in the Society Column she wrote for nearly five decades the Scott County Times, “a good time was had by all.” She chronicled births, deaths, travels, lunches, school trips, college visits, weddings, showers and all the stuff that added magic to small town living. She always appreciated news and kept a notebook by her phone to jot down tidbits to share with her loyal readers. In short, Maybeth saw to it that people around her felt comfortable and did her best to share her love of life with each person she encountered.
Among her many accolades and achievements, she was the first drum major at Forest High School and the May Queen at Belhaven. She traveled the world and made friends wherever she went, including the time she lived in Venezuela. She had a wonderful sense of style and made a point of sharing beauty with those she encountered.
The daughter of the late Loren and Fannie Mitchell of Forest, Miss., Maybeth was born on March 29, 1919, in Athens, Georgia. She was a longtime resident of Forest, Maybeth lived a rewarding and joyous life filled with love from all who surrounded her. Her family had lived in Forest since the time of the Civil War. Her father served in World War I. She was predeceased by her husband, Oliver Ormond, as well as her daughter, Beth Ormond.
She is survived by two devoted daughters: Loren, and her husband, Ben McKibbens, of Point Clear, Alabama, and Jan and her husband, Larry Sherman, of Amston, Conn.; six loving grandchildren, Mitchell McKibbens Roper, and her late husband, Dr. John Roper, Merridy McKibbens Sims and her husband, Terry, Woods McKibbens and his wife, Virginia, Benjamin McKibbens, Jr and his wife, Anna Laurie, Charlie Sherman, and Corinne Sherman Stewart and her husband, Jeffrey; six great-grandchildren, Steele, Spence, Trice, Tyke, Loren Jane and Anne Grace.
Maybeth, over the last decade, shared her life living in the homes of her two loving daughters. Her love and kindness seemed endless, and all who knew her were blessed. She loved her family and friends very much and especially would have wanted to let the citizens of Forest know how much they meant to her.
Visitation was at 9 a.m. on Monday, August 7th, at Forest United Methodist Church. There was an 11 a.m. church service at the church and burial followed at Eastern Cemetery. The family wishes to express their sincerest gratitude to everyone who has helped celebrate Maybeth’s life.
