Bessie Stewart Breeden

Bessie Lee Stewart Breeden, left this life on Saturday, January 30, 2016 surrounded by four generations of family who gathered to celebrate her 105th birthday. As her family sang “Amazing Grace” at her bedside, she left her family her and began to celebrate her continued life with generations of family and friends who had gone before her. Mrs. Breeden was born on January 31, 1911 in Jeff Davis County, Mississippi, daughter of the late, John Calhoun Stewart and Mary Victoria Ainsworth Stewart. Her early years were spent in the Brookhaven, Mississippi area. She later relocated with her daughter, Mary Ruth Avery, to the Winnsboro, Louisiana to join her family. She soon began a career of restaurant management until World War II when she trained to work in munitions factories as part of the war effort. After the close of these factories, she relocated to Natchez, Mississippi and was employed by the Armstrong Tire and Rubber plant for 18 years. She later trained to be a Licensed Practical Nurse and enjoyed being a private sitter until age 85 in the Natchez and Vidalia, Louisiana area. She was a lifelong member of the Apostolic Pentecostal Faith and longtime member of Faith Tabernacle Pentecostal church in Vidalia, Louisiana. Mrs. Breeden also enjoyed visiting the sick and those in nursing homes and enjoyed her monthly meetings with the Love Circle at Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Ridgecrest, Louisiana. Mrs. Breeden is preceded in death by her husband P.W. Avery and husband, Alton Breeden; parents, J.C. and Victoria Stewart; sisters, Armenthia Garner, and Lessie Wiggins; brother, Clement Stewart; and several nieces and nephews. Mrs. Breeden is survived by her daughter, Mary Ruth Avery Leggett, who was a tireless, loving caregiver for nine years. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Diane (Don) Varner, of Clinton, Mississippi, Arlene (Phil) Adelsheimer, of Marietta, Georgia, and Arthur (Cheryl) Leggett, of Thorsby, Alabama; eight great grandchildren, and seven great, great grandchildren. The family would like to thank Southern Care Hospice Services for the loving support given to our family and our Grandmother during her last few days with us. Visitation for Mrs. Breeden will be held on Wednesday, February 3, 2016 from 12-2pm at Lakewood Funeral Home in Jackson. Funeral services will follow at 2pm in the chapel at Lakewood Funeral Home with burial immediately following at Lakewood Memorial Park.