Gracanne Elizabeth Trippe Nevins

A resident of Jackson, MS since 1967, Gracanne was born in Kansas City, MO June 18, 1929 to Blanche (Battershill) and Alvin Chamberlaine Trippe. She graduated Chevy Chase Junior College in Chevy Chase Maryland in 1948 and graduated from the University of Missouri in 1953 with majors in Spanish and music. She was a member of Tri-Delta Sorority and the Episcopal Canterbury Club. Gracanne began her career doing live TV commercials and was a TV show program host in the early years of television broadcasting in Columbia, MO.

Gracanne married Robert Benjamin Nevins in 1957 and together they had four children. Gracanne and Bob spent 6 years in Starkville, MS at Mississippi State University where she was involved in a variety of operatic and musical performances at MSU, including performing the lead role of Adele in a production of Die Fledermaus by the Mississippi State University Department of Music. After moving to Jackson in 1967, she completed Advanced Studies in Music and Music Theory from Millsaps College and taught music to scores of preschool and elementary children in the Jackson area for over 20 years. Gracanne was a member of the highly acclaimed Musica Sacra Singers, a choral group that specialized in 14th-16th century works. She was a member of St. James Episcopal Church choir and frequent lead soloist for many years. She was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Jackson Caledonian Society. She enjoyed travel, patronizing the arts, her supper club, playing bridge and spending time with her grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her brother, Kenneth Alvin Battershill Trippe. She is survived by her husband of 59 years and her children Robert (Sharon) Nevins of Raleigh, NC and their children Catherine, Bobby, Brian and Melanie; Grace (Charles) Krauss of Macon GA, and their daughters Carolyn and Emily; Christopher (Candace) Nevins of Houston TX and his children Alexander, Dalton, Trippe and Elizabeth; and Jennifer (Wayne) Henson of Pensacola, FL and their sons Benjamin and Daniel.

Funeral Services will be held Friday, February 24 2017 at 11:00 A.M at St. James Episcopal Church. Visitation will be held Thursday February 23 from 5:00-7:00 P.M. at St. James and from 10:00-11:00 A.M. immediately prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Special Music fund at St. James Episcopal Church, 3921 Oak Ridge Dr., Jackson, MS 39216 or to Millsaps College at www.millsaps.edu.