Lois Jobe Bethay, 97, formerly of Booneville, died Monday, June 28, 2010 at Northwest Regional Medical Center in Clarksdale. She was born September 30, 1912 in Clifton, Tennessee to the late Charles Edgar Jobe, Sr. and Mattie Ethel Warren Jobe. She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Booneville. She was known as “Mawmaw” to her family, and was a loving grandmother to her extended family, the Roy Brown family, the Morris Favi family, the Joe Davis family, and the Jerry Hudson family. She was a wonderful cook and friend to many.
Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Friday, July 2, 2010 at the McMillan Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in the Lee Memorial Park in Verona.
She is survived by two daughters, Brenda Martin and her husband Larry of Havana, Florida, and Frankie Davis of Clarksdale; two grandsons, Joseph Davis and his wife Laura, and Brent Davis, all of Memphis; two great-grandsons, Thomas and Graham Davis; her sister-in-law, Mae Jobe of Tupelo; several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Bethay; her parents; her brother, Edgar Jobe; her son-in-law, Thomas Davis.
Visitation will begin Friday at noon and continue until service time at the funeral home.
In Loving Memory of Lois Bethay, September 30, 1912 - June 28, 2010
Services for:
Lois Jobe Bethay
2:00 p.m. Friday
July 2, 2010
McMillan Funeral Home Chapel
Opening Remarks....Rev. David Lowery
"How Great Thou Art"
Eulogy.........Joseph Davis, grandson
"He Hideth My Soul"
Message......Rev. Bobby Hankins
"Precious Memories"
Songs performed by Jill Watson Williams accompanied by Doug Holland
Pallbearers: Joseph Davis, Brent Davis, Duaine Brown, Larry Martin, Benjamin Martin, and Larry Bethay.
Honorary pallbearers: Great Grandsons; Thomas Davis and Graham Davis
Eulogy
by Joseph Davis, Grandson
My grandmother, Lois Jobe Bethay, more commonly know as Mawmaw to those of us later in her life, spent her early childhood around Clifton, TN. and she loved to tell stories from that time.
One was of her Dad surprising her with a pony one Christmas and how she would anxiously hurry to saddle her pony and ride it several miles to school every day. Another was when she was 8 years old, back in 1920. Apparently her Dad and Uncle George put her and her mother on a mail boat traveling the Tennessee River at Clifton, TN. They spent all day traveling by river and got off at Pittsburg Landing near Shiloh Battlefield. Once there, a man with a wagon met and took them to a boarding house in Corinth for the night. The next day they caught a train to Tupelo. There, they met back up with her Dad and Uncle, who had traveled with 2 wagon loads of household items. They settled on a farm outside of Tupelo and this was the beginning of her life in MS. She has told us that during her high school years, she loved playing basketball where she played center for the team. It was during this time she met Frank Bethay (Pawpaw) and they married in 1930. After a few years on the farm they moved to Tupelo to work in the garment industry. In 1950 they moved to Booneville with daughters Brenda and my mom, Frankie to be a part of the Prentiss Mfg. Co. family. This move also included becoming active members of the First United Methodist Church.
Mawmaw was 65 when I was born. Thinking back, it really just dawned on me that my early memories of her began in .her 70's and obviously led into her upper 90's. However as a kid, I never thought of her as being that old. She was so sharp and active in her age. I can remember her literally being on all four's and riding me on her back throughout the house, playing ball outside, and chasing my brother and me around. I remember her love for cooking. She loved to cook! Making everything from scratch and never using recipes. She made the best homemade rolls and all I had to do was place a phone call and she would have them in the mail to me in days labeled, "Mawmaw's good ole hot rolls".
Mawmaw enjoyed the simple things in life. Always happy. I never remember seeing her mad, hearing her complain, or asking for anything. She was content with her life and found the greatest joy in spending time with family and friends. From time to time, she and Pawpaw would come to visit us in Clarksdale, and I would sneak into the car and plead for my parent's to let me go back to Booneville with them. You can't do this today, but at 5 and 6 years of age, I would sit on the middle console in the front seat of their car, between Mawmaw and Pawpaw, as we made the 3 hour drive back to Booneville.
She always wanted to stay busy and do things to lend a helping hand. As she aged and her sight and hearing got worse, I remember coming home to my mom's house one day, and Mawmaw showed me how she had taken out a paint can and touched up all around the house. She was excited that you could not see any of the scratches and scuff marks anymore. She had no idea that she had used the wrong paint can and it was a different color and 5 shades off of the original wall color.
I enjoyed seeing her spend time with my kids and be a great grandmother. Even at 97, up to 3 months ago, Thomas and Graham would hop on her walker and she could still push them up and down the halls where she lived. I would notice her growing tired, but she would never shop pushing them until I eventually made the kids stop. She never wanted to disappoint them, or anyone for that matter.
So Mawmaw, it is only with selfishness that we are sad today, because we will miss you. But what a life! 97 healthy years. You almost outlived everyone you knew. And when it was your time to move on, you were able to go peacefully.
We love you and will always remember the times we had together.
Thank you for visiting our memorial site, we invite you to share your thoughts and memories with our family through the Guest Book
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.9.5