Sara Joyce Gholston

Sara Joyce Gholston, age 95, of Brandon, Mississippi, passed away on Monday, June 9, 2025. Sara lived a long and busy life. She was born in the country near New Albany, Mississippi, and attended Ingomar High School until the 10th grade, when her family moved to Ecru, Mississippi. She graduated from high school there in 1947. After graduation, she helped her father in his grocery store and worked part-time for a cotton buyer. She also joined the Eastern Star, where she became an officer. Later, enrolling in nursing school.

In the fall of 1948, she began working at Shand’s Hospital in New Albany. It was there she met her husband of 52 years, Herman “Sonny” Gholston, whom she married in 1951. They lived in Memphis, Tennessee, until 1962 before relocating to Jackson, Mississippi. While living in Memphis, their four children were born. Sara was a devoted stay-at-home mom, actively involved in her children’s school activities, including serving for several years as team mother for her son's' Little League baseball team.

As her children grew older, Sara returned to the workforce. She worked for Cal-Maine Food for several years and then at H.C. Bailey. She later joined Ingram Construction Company in Madison, Mississippi, where she worked until her retirement in 1989.

In the early 1990s, Sara decided to return to work and joined Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home on High Street, assisting with family services. In 1995, she moved with the funeral home to their new location in Ridgeland, where she remained until retiring in 2014. She loved helping guide families through such difficult times.

Each year on Memorial Day weekend, she volunteered with the veterans' organization Military Order of the World Wars (MOWW), helping honor the veterans buried in the cemetery that year and in years past. She considered it an honor to serve alongside so many respected retired military veterans and their families, and she cherished the time spent sharing memories with them.

Before moving to Brandon in 2015 to live with her daughter, Sara was an active member of Briarwood Baptist Church, where she served on several committees.

Sara was preceded in death by her husband, Herman “Sonny” Gholston, in 2003; her parents, Scott and Grace Cobb; son, Richard Gholston; her grandson, Seth Froom; and sisters, Rose Smith and Bobby Nicholas.

She is survived by her loving family: daughters, Pam White (Jayme) of Brandon, MS, and Stephanie Case (Jim) of Houston, TX; son, Tim Gholston of Opelika, AL; grandsons, Joel Dale of Cedar Rapids, IA, Forrest Gholston of Madison, MS, James Wallace (Courtney) of Mendenhall, MS, Tyler White (Anna) of Brandon, MS, and Patrick Gholston of Opelika, AL; great-grandchildren, Ethan Wallace (Madison) of Mendenhall, MS, Kylie Wallace of Mendenhall, MS, and Breckon Gholston of Madison, MS; and great-great-granddaughter, Layken Wallace of Mendenhall, MS.

The family would like to extend their gratitude to the entire staff of Chateau Pines in Brandon, MS, for the compassionate and loving care they provided to Sara. Their kindness and dedication did not go unnoticed and is deeply appreciated.

A visitation for Sara will be held on Friday, June 13, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM at Parkway Funeral Home, 1161 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, MS 39157, followed by a funeral service at 11:30 AM.