It has been a hectic two weeks, to say the least. One week in the hospital watching Mom suffer, followed by a major re-org board meeting in California with 120 of our leaders from all over the world, then Mom’s funeral and the settling of her estate with my siblings. Here is Mom’s obituary from the Jackson paper. I think one of my brothers wrote it while I was in California.
Elizabeth Louise “Betsy” Murrell, 77, of Jackson, died Thursday of heart failure at Hospice Ministries in Ridgeland, Mississippi. Visitation will be Saturday from 12 Noon until 2:00 PM at Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home in Ridgeland and again at 3:00 PM Saturday at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church with a 4:00 PM memorial service.
A native of Biloxi, Mississippi, Mrs. Murrell had lived most of her life in Jackson in the Heatherwood neighborhood. An airline stewardess before her marriage, she was named Miss Jackson in the 1940’s and Miss Aviation of New Orleans. She attended the University of Mississippi where she was a member of the Delta Delta Delta Sorority. She was also a member of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church and Colonial Country Club. After marriage she spent her life making a home for her husband and five children.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James Arthur Murrell, Jr., her parents, Paul and Thelma Tiblier and her brother, Jerry Tiblier.
Survivors include, her five children; James Arthur Murrell, III and his wife Tracy of Peachtree City, GA, Steve Murrell and his wife Deborah of Manila, Philippines, Liz Suell and her husband Frankie of Jackson, Lynn Wilkie and her husband Kevin of Arlington, TX and David Murrell and his wife Trish of Canton; her twelve grandchildren; James Arthur Murrell, IV, Samuel Murrell, Marguerite Murrell, William Murrell, James Murrell, Jonathan Murrell, Peyton Suell, Isabella Suell, Matt Wilkie, Grant Wilkie, Alex Murrell and Max Murrell. Also, all of her friends at Ridgeland Point and her special friend and companion, Robert Hodges of Canton.
In lieu of flowers the family would like memorials to be made to, Steve Murrell¹s Mission, c/o Victory World Missions, P.O. Box 620338, Atlanta, GA 30362-2338; Hospice Ministries, 450 Towne Center Blvd, Ridgeland, MS 39157; or the Alzheimer¹s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave, Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601-7633.