Stella Calhoun Dockery

Long-time Jackson area resident Stella Calhoun Dockery died Thursday, March 18, 2010, at Hospice Ministries in Ridgeland. She was 91 years old. Mrs. Dockery was born in Carroll County, Mississippi on January 12, 1919. She was the daughter of E. L. Calhoun and Annie L. Calhoun.

Shortly after she was born, Mrs. Dockery moved to Jackson. She graduated from Central High School in 1936 and attended Belhaven College. She married Donald M. Dockery, III on September 8, 1940.

Her parents and her husband, who she loved dearly, predeceased Mrs. Dockery. During her lifetime, Mrs. Dockery was a member of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, Daniel Memorial Baptist Church, Central Presbyterian Church, and Griffith Memorial Baptist Church.

Mrs. Dockery is survived by her daughter and son-in law, Dona Dockery Grider and Robert C. Grider, III of Jackson; her daughter and son-in-law, Kay Dockery Long and C. D. Long, Jr. of Cleveland, and her son and daughter-in-law, Billy Calhoun Dockery and Barbara Goss Dockery of Madison. She is also survived by six grandchildren; Dendy Kay Magee of Jackson; Robert C. Grider, IV of New Orleans; Cristopher McKay Dockery of Madison; Anna Katherine Graham of Union City, Tennessee; Mary McKay Lasker of Cleveland; Clifford D. Long, III of Jackson; and nine great-grandchildren. She was a loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She leaves behind many dear friends, especially the staff and residents at The Orchard Retirement Community and Hospice Ministries, Inc. in Ridgeland, and her sitters, especially Cris and Dorothy.

Visitation will be from 3:00 to 4:00 pm Saturday and services will be Saturday at 4:00 pm at the Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home at 1611 Highland Colony Parkway in Ridgeland, Mississippi. A private graveside service will be held Monday at 2:00 pm at Lakewood Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P. O. Box 50, Memphis, TN 38101 or Hospice Ministries, Inc., 450 Town Center Boulevard, Ridgeland, MS 39157.