Myrtle Lee Whitfield

Myrtle Lee Thorn Whitfield, longtime billing clerk for the Clarion Ledger - Jackson Daily News, passed away April 2, 2013 at Beacham Memorial Hospital in Magnolia. She was a resident of Courtyard Rehab and Healthcare of McComb. Visitation will be at Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home in Pearl 5 to 7:00pm Thursday, April 4 and a graveside service will be held at D’Lo Cemetery at 2:00pm Friday.

Myrtle Lee Thorn was born on October 14, 1925 in Leota, MS of Washington County, to Georgia Hannah Evers Thorn and Oscar Nicholson Thorn. She was a surviving twin of a sister also named Myrtle. At birth she was so small she fit in the palm of her mother's hand and was fed from an eye dropper. She grew up near Terry, graduated from Terry High school and attended Hinds Jr College. She married her beloved schoolmate Robin Collidge Whitfield on August 31, 1968 at Briar Hill Baptist Church near Florence. They resided in Mobile, AL; and Houston, TX where she worked in the business office of St. Luke's Hospital before returning to Florence, MS where they operated a Family Florist before retiring to Mendenhall. She was a member of Mendenhall Baptist Church and enjoyed traveling with the senior group. She also attended the Wednesday breakfast study at D'Lo Baptist Church.

Myrtle was a loving friend of many. She worked on family genealogy and loved her family. Myrtle was close to her coworkers at the Clarion Ledger. She served as secretary for The Old-Timers Club while they were able to hold annual reunions. She was referred to as Grandma and MawMaw by her friends and caregivers at Courtyard where she called home.

Myrtle was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and brothers, John Cogburn Thorn, Vincent David Thorn, Tillfred Thorn, and Percy Calhoun Thorn; sisters, Eleanor Georgia McCoy, Erin Evers Thorn, Sarrah Thorn, Cornelia Harriett Thorn, Mary Thorn, Lucille Thorn and her twin. She was also preceded in death by nieces, Margaret Bailey, Margaret McCoy, Bernice McCoy and nephews, Curtis Thorn, Percy Thorn Jr. and infant, Harry McCoy.

She is survived by her beloved Big Boy Kenny (cat), nieces, Pauline Alford (Earl) of McComb, Louise Gray (Marion) of Edgemont, SD, Lennie Raley of Epps, LA and nephews, Sidney Thorn (Betty) of Florence and George McCoy {Gabrielle) of Hazlehurst, a dear cousin, Peggy Reedy of Raymond and a sweet friend, Karen Woods of Houston, TX.

Pallbearers will be great-nephews, Dr. Mac Alford, Ruben McCoy, George McCoy, Earl Alford, and George Moorhead.