Emilie Flower Thost

Emilie Flower Thost, 81, passed away Thursday, September 5, 2019 at The Arbor Nursing Home in Ridgeland, Mississippi. She was a long-time resident of the Jackson-Ridgeland, Mississippi area. Emilie was born and reared in Lexington, Mississippi. After graduation from Lexington High School, she attended Holmes Junior College in Goodman, Mississippi and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi. She worked for a few years in the clinical laboratory of the University Medical Center in Jackson after graduating from State. She was a retired microbiologist with the Mississippi State Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Jackson. Emilie was preceded in death by her beloved husband Fred O. Thost, who grew up in Tallulah, Louisiana and was a long-time resident of Jackson, Mississippi. She was also preceded in death by her father Julius Nathan Flower, a native of Lexington and a resident of Houston, Texas, and her step-mother Lilly Flower also of Houston; by her mother Ruth Boyd Flower, a native and resident of Lexington; by her paternal grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Flower of Lexington; and by her maternal grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Tom W. Boyd of Lexington. She is survived by cousins and friends. Emilie had a zest for life and varied interests. Pursuing her love of acting from a young age, she appeared in various plays throughout her school years. She was a member of Alpha Psi Omega, national dramatic fraternity, at Mississippi State University. During retirement, she appeared as an extra in movies that were filmed in the Jackson area in the 1990s and 2000s. A supporter of the Arts and Humanities, she attended live theater performances, concerts, the International Ballet Competition, museums, and art exhibits; she supported the Public Broadcasting System. She volunteered as a docent when Jackson hosted international fine arts exhibitions in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She volunteered to be a “pretend patient” in a University Medical Center program set up to help students working toward a medical degree practice their skills. She was an avid LSU football fan and a member of the Jackson area LSU football alumni group. And, yes, she cheered on the Mississippi State Bulldogs, too. One year, her interest in politics took her on the campaign trail across Mississippi campaigning for a favorite candidate. She was a wonderful conversationalist and a great storyteller. Her stories, many based on personal experiences and perhaps dramatized a bit, were funny and a treat for the listener. Always adventurous, she loved to travel – a flight to Istanbul, Turkey where she boarded a cruise ship for a trip to Greece and back was a memorable trip. She was a member of St. Dominic Hospital’s New Directions group and thoroughly enjoyed friends and activities associated with the group. Emilie was a Christian, and she was also proud of her Jewish heritage. She attended both protestant and Jewish religious services. Emilie loved people, her family, and friends. She made friends easily, and many were long-time friends. She had a wonderful, at times offbeat, sense of humor. Many friends described her as “unique,” and she certainly was. She was thoughtful, caring, and generous. She was loved and will be greatly missed. Visitation was from 1:00 to 2:00 PM, followed by the funeral service at 2:00 PM on Sunday, September 8 at Lakewood Funeral Home in Jackson MS. Dr. Charles Scrivener officiated. Entombment was in the mausoleum in Lakewood Memorial Park in Jackson MS.