Iris "Cookie" Plunkett

Born on February 17, 1945, in Pascagoula, Mississippi, to Lamar and Ruth Jennings, Cookie graduated from Central High School in Jackson, MS in 1963. Shortly thereafter, she married Iverson Garland Richmond, and together they had four beautiful children. In 1973, she married Connely Plunkett and became a caring stepmother to his five children. They later welcomed a daughter of their own, creating a blended family of ten—five boys and five girls.

Though Cookie attended Millsaps College off and on while raising her children, she never completed a degree. Being a wife and mother was her full-time calling, and she fully embraced the joys and challenges of raising a large family.

After Connely’s passing in 2004, Cookie found love and companionship again with her partner of over 20 years, Will Hornsby. The two shared a deep bond and cared for one another profoundly until the end of her life.

Cookie never met a stranger. If you were lucky enough to cross paths with her, you likely experienced her warm spirit and infectious personality. She had a gift for starting conversations with anyone and loved to share lightheartedly embellished stories that left people laughing and uplifted. Quirky, goofy, beautiful, and endlessly kind, she was a one-of-a-kind woman—complex, spirited, and, as one relative put it, “a unique and amazing human being.”

She was a proud member of Pinelake Church in Flowood, Mississippi, where she found joy in worship, often volunteering as a greeter. Her faith was a cornerstone of her life, and she found great comfort and strength in scripture and in her pastor’s messages, which she frequently shared in conversation.

Cookie was deeply loved and will be missed beyond measure. She is survived by her devoted partner Will Hornsby; her children, Bo Richmond, Dana Richmond Ward (Brad), Chad Richmond (Lauren), Jason Richmond, and Elizabeth Harwood (Pete); and all of her cherished grandchildren.

A celebration of her life will be held at Pinelake Church in Flowood, Mississippi, in the coming weeks. Service details will be shared as soon as they are available.