Leflore Illustrated Winter 2020

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Stevie Ray’s Que & Cuisine prepares every meal with love Acona Methodist Church is a historical treasure Kadren Cotton is an all-star little leaguer who enjoys math Parents attribute “power of prayer” in young daughter being cancer-free Sixteen-year-old history buff is a Napoleon aficionado The Fairs’ house feels like country in the city Children and pets can add cuteness to wedding party A well-planned proposal can be a day to remember

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Wedding write-ups and photos featuring Greenwood-area couples

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From the editor Calendar Food

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Prepared with love

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amily-run restaurants are a staple in small towns.

Yet it might be hard to find a family as close-knit and committed to serving good food as the Collins family at Stevie Ray’s Que & Cuisine.

The restaurant, which opened last summer, is in several ways an extension of the family ministry, Morning Glory Ministries Church of God in Christ.

“We wanted something unique,” said Steven Ray Collins of the restaurant.

Better known by his nickname Stevie, he’s the pastor at his family church and the cook for the family restaurant. Sunday ser-

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vice is held in a back room at the church’s 615 U.S. 82 building, a large metal structure.

Monday through Saturday, in the build-

ing’s front room is where the restaurant is.

“When you’re in ministry, it’s difficult to separate ministry and everything else you

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do,” said Steven. Running a restaurant at the same location as his church means he can minister to both the body and the soul.

There’s also a practicality to running a restaurant out of the family church, he noted. The church’s building provides a convenient location for the restaurant. In return, the restaurant allows the church to be open on a daily basis.

Steven, who said he began ministering at the age of 10, launched Morning Glory Ministries in 2015 as an outreach ministry.

He, along with his wife, Kawanis, reached out to people, often through social media, who weren’t members of a church.

The outreach ministry turned into a church in 2017. Since June 2018, the church has held worship services at its current location.

The restaurant is the transformation of the family’s former mobile unit restaurant and catering service, said Kawanis, who also works at the restaurant.

In 2016, the Collinses opened a mobile restaurant unit called Chomp ’N Chew, which served barbecue while stationed at various parking lots around town.

Eventually Chomp ’N Chew was moved to a storefront, and the name of the restaurant was changed to Stevie Ray’s to make it more personalized, Steven said.

Stevie Ray’s serves traditional barbecue and Southern food, such as pulled pork sandwiches, fried catfish, ribs and sausage.

The most popular dish by far, Steven said, is the Big Mess — a concoction of pulled pork or chicken, baked beans, coleslaw and Stevie Ray’s barbecue sauce, all piled onto a slice of Texas toast.

All the side dishes, such as the pasta salad or baked beans, as well as the barbecue sauce, are made from scratch, Steven said.

If the food is what draws the customers in, then it’s the Collins family love that helps keep the restaurant running.

The Collinses’ four children — Myracle, the eldest and the only daughter, fol-

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lowed by sons Isaias, Isaac and Marlon — all pitch in to work.

Myracle, a freshman at Delta State University who lives on campus during the school week, comes back to Greenwood early each Friday morning to assist with the restaurant through Saturday by running the cash register and serving food.

The sons, who all attend school at Amanda Elzy High,

help prepare, cook and serve the food.

During the weekdays, when the kids are at school, Kawanis and her husband run the restaurant.

Steven’s mother, Blanchie Bamon, and Kawanis’ mother, Thelma McGee, also help out at the restaurant.

For the Collinses, living and working together is no issue.

“Even though it’s work, we

still have family time,” Myracle said. “The fact that you’re still with family, that’s what makes it enjoyable.”

Isaac said, “We’re a very close-knit family. Working together is easy when you have good parents as leadership.”

“We have a nice atmosphere.

It’s a place where people can come and laugh with their families,” said Marlon.

“It’s a great experience besides being in the same house with everybody,” Isaias said, joking, “even though you all get on my nerves.”

Kawanis said her children have had a close bond since they were young — “that’s just the way I raised them.”

The youngest of four siblings, Steven was raised solely by his mother after his father passed away when Steven was 9.

Still, before his death, the father taught Steven and his siblings how to be close, a lesson that their mother fostered and nurtured, Steven said.

“I’m very family-oriented,” he said, adding that running the restaurant allows him and his family to remain close.

He paid homage to his mother, saying she was an influential role model while he was growing up.

Bamon is proud of what her son has accomplished. She said her vision of her son opening a restaurant “came to pass.”

“I feel wonderful,” she said.

Ever the proud parent, Bamon sat next to her son, beaming at him, while he explained the origins of the restaurant during a weekday visit to Stevie Ray’s in December.

On occasion during Steven’s interview, Bamon would happily interject to compliment her son.

“He’s the best griller,” Bamon said, for example.

The love within the family transfers to the food served at Stevie Ray’s, Kawanis said.

“Everything we prepare, we prepare with love,” she said. “If your heart is not in what you do, it will show.”

For the Collinses, they offer their hearts for each other, their ministry and the restaurant. LI Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated / T

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History hangs on

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liff Booth says that if the walls of Acona United Methodist Church could talk, they would have plenty of stories to tell.

The church, located on Mississippi 17 about 12 miles north of Lexington and built in the 1870s, has many reminders of the old days, including wavy glass in some window panes, a kneeling rail, tributes to World War I veterans, and flags bought with money from a bake sale.

The church does have heating units for the winter, but during the Delta summers, it gets by with a ceiling fan rather than air conditioning — and its members are fine with that.

“It gets hot maybe three or four Sundays in the summer, but the fan keeps you cool enough,” Booth said.

The number of worshippers is typically in the single digits, but

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they like to keep things simple, he said.

Even as the congregation has dwindled, Booth and others want to

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make sure its history is known.

The church, its cemetery and the former site of The Acona School nearby are on the National Register of Historic Places, and a historic marker was added last year to educate curious passersby about their significance.

A statement submitted to include the sites on the National Register summed it up this way: “The Acona Church, Cemetery, and School are significant manmade buildings and sites which have survived to demonstrate the will of small, rural communities to overcome the economic hardships of the Civil War and create new civic and social forms that would bind the community together and make it viable.”

v v v The name “Acona” comes from the Native Americans’ word for “Whoa,” which they heard stagecoach drivers shout to their horses as they came to a stop there.

The church building was constructed on 3 acres purchased from Mrs. A.T. Landfair for $25 in 1874, with John Hamilton overseeing the work. Another half acre was deeded later. The church was on the first floor, and the second floor was occupied by the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry (“the Grange”), a fraternal organization. The church drew members from the Sweetwater and Black Hawk churches, among others. By 1875, the Acona church had 86 members, and it and the Grange jointly owned the building. The cemetery was established in 1899, with plots selling for $7 apiece and proceeds going toward upkeep. In 1916, a house was purchased for $2,250 to serve as a parsonage.

In a 1960 history of the Acona community, Mrs. J.D. Williams wrote that the church was “the axis upon which the life of the community revolved” and “has been responsible for the high moral and spiritual tone for which the community is recognized.”

The church made a number of improvements over the years, including the rearrangement of

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the upstairs rooms to house classrooms and the addition of gas heat, electric lights, cabinets to store books and records, and upgrades to the parsonage.

The first school in Acona was in a log building and then was replaced in 1870 by another structure, named Woodlawn School and located about 2 miles south of Acona.

Woodlawn closed when the Acona School was built in 1903 next to the church. In 1910, the Downer and Cedar Gleen schools merged with the Acona School, creating the first consolidated school in the nation. In 1928, high school students from Acona began attending school in Lexington, and the elementary school students continued to attend Acona until it closed in 1944.

In the registration materials for the National Register, it was noted that historic schoolhouses had become rare and that the combination of a school, a postwar church and a cemetery also was rare.

v v v Booth, 71, has a long family history in Acona. For 25 years, he has lived in a home built in the late 19th century that once was the residence of his greatgrandfather, John Clifton Booth.

Cliff Booth lived in Tchula through first grade, and then his family moved to Newton. He remembers returning to Acona periodically as a boy to enjoy fishing and to spend time with his great-aunt, Quida Booth Downer, who taught at the school there and became a housewife after it closed. Her

husband, Leland, worked in farming and had a country store with his brother. “They never left this hill,” he said. “Just loved Acona.”

Those trips also included worshipping at the Acona church.

After graduating from the University of Mississippi, Booth worked for an office supply company and later for Alcoa, traveling in six states as a district sales manager. He moved to Acona from Collierville, Tennessee, 25 years ago because the company allowed him to work out of his home.

After all, he said, “There’s been a Booth in that house for 100 years. ... I figured if I didn’t move back and keep the run going of years with a family member being in there, they might come back and haunt me.”

When he attended services at Acona United Methodist as a child, there would be 30 to 40 people there. When he returned, about 20 people came.

Now, he said, “we’re down to six.”

He remembers when the church celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1974: “They had 600 people here. They had so many people, they had seating and tents and loudspeakers out there.”

The annual homecoming in April does still typically draw about 100 people from miles around. There’s a potluck meal, and they have had good speakers including Paul Ott, dêÉÉå ^ÅêÉë actor Tom Lester and Miss Mississippi. Booth remembers Lester telling the younger people in his audience how lucky

they were to be at a type of gathering that doesn’t happen much anymore.

Homecoming also is an essential fundraiser; they pass around a special plate to collect donations for the church, cemetery and schoolhouse building as they share memories.

“We still have younger people coming to homecoming, which is a good sign,” Booth said. “The older ones are dying off, but we still have younger ones come.”

He said the church also hosts one wedding a year, on average.

v v v The building that once served as the church parsonage was sold years ago, and the parsonage now is in Black Hawk.

The pastor of Acona United Methodist also serves as pastor of Methodist churches in Enon and Black Hawk. The current pastor, Tommy Stephenson, lives in Charleston, so the parsonage building is used for other purposes, including Bible study.

Stephenson started work June 30. He is officially retired from ministry but didn’t want to quit altogether, so he made himself available for any opening within reasonable driving distance of his home. The district superintendent chose him to lead Acona United Methodist.

Stephenson, 69, said he knew nothing about Acona before he was appointed, but he grew up in Alabama and has plenty of experience with small-town churches.

“I feel right at home out in the country with these folks,” Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated / NN

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he said.

He said he’s still learning people’s names at the various churches and has learned some of the history of the Acona church.

He also is looking forward to homecoming, having been told that it attracts an overflow crowd to a church without air conditioning.

“The people have been so good to us, and we’ve just grown to love all of them,” he said.

v v v Booth, who retired from Alcoa in 2009, has used his sales skills to convince people to give to his church over the years. He also has pitched in to keep the place up, including cutting the grass every week. But he knows it will be expensive if someone has to be paid to maintain the property when he is no longer able.

“You wonder who’s going to take care of all this when we’re gone,” he said. “It drives me crazy.”

He has worked to bring more attention to the Acona buildings’ history. Soon after he returned to the area, he suggested trying to have them placed on the National Register of Historic Places, which was accomplished with the aid of former state Rep. Mary Ann Stevens and others.

He also brought up the idea of having a historical marker placed there. “I said, ‘We need to get a sign before we’re gone. ... People stop here all the time and just look at this church and everything, and they have no idea that’s the oldest consolidated schoolhouse.’”

Different people contributed the money needed, and the marker was added during homecoming last April.

Booth said he’s thankful that Acona United Methodist has endured all this time and continues to brighten the area.

“You’re just riding out here seeing nothing, and you come on this beautiful church,” he said. LI

NO / Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated

LI

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Home-run hitter

evenyear-old Kadren Cotton says he’s hit so many home runs, he’s lost count.

When ask how many, Kadren replied, “A lot.”

“He’s very good at baseball,” his mother, Katrina Cotton, said.

Last spring, Kadren was a member of a Greenwood Exchange Club all-star baseball team, the Bandits.

The son of Lionel and Katrina Cotton of Greenwood, Kadren said he can play any baseball position, but he’s best as a first baseman.

The second grader at Davis Elementary School said he’s looking forward to playing the sport again this spring. aáÇ=óçì=Éåàçó=óçìê=ÄêÉ~â Ñêçã=ëÅÜççä=çîÉê=íÜÉ=ÜçäáJ Ç~óë\=“Yes, I had fun opening presents and playing my game, which is an Xbox.” aç=óçì=Ü~îÉ=~=Ñ~îçêáíÉ uÄçñ=Ö~ãÉ\=“Yes, Fortnite.

It’s a fun game. I’m good at it a little bit; I just first started playing it.” tÜ~í=~êÉ=ëçãÉ=çÑ=óçìê Ñ~îçêáíÉ=ëéçêíë\ “Baseball, football and soccer.” aç=óçì=éä~ó=ëéçêíë\=“Yes, I play all three of them. On my football team, I play for the Raiders, and my baseball team, I play for the Greenwood Exchange Club baseball team.”

Kourtland Cotton, and my other brother is 11 years, and his name is Kaleb Cotton.” vçì=êÉÅÉåíäó=ÄÉÅ~ãÉ=~=ÄáÖ ÄêçíÜÉêK=aç=óçì=Éåàçó=ÄÉáåÖ ~=ÄáÖ=ÄêçíÜÉê\=“Yes. I like taking care of my baby brother, and I just have fun when I talk to him. Sometimes I hold him, but he slides everywhere.” aç=óçì=ÖÉí=~äçåÖ=ïáíÜ óçìê=ÄáÖ=ÄêçíÜÉê\ “Sometimes we get mad at each other, and we fight. But we love each other.” tÜ~í=Çç=óçì=ï~åí=íç=ÄÉ ïÜÉå=óçì=Öêçï=ìé\ “A pilot.

So everybody can come on my plane.” aç=óçì=äáâÉ=~áêéä~åÉë\ “Yes. One time I went on a helicopter. That was fun, and it was scary. I thought I was going to fall.” tÜ~í=~êÉ=ëçãÉ=ãçêÉ=çÑ óçìê=Ñ~îçêáíÉ=ÜçÄÄáÉë\=“I like to go to Urban Air in Southaven. It’s a fun place.

You do lots of things like play dodge ball, jump around and do flips, video games and climbing games.” fÑ=óçì=ÅçìäÇ=áåîÉåí=~åóJ íÜáåÖI=ïÜ~í=ïçìäÇ=áí=ÄÉ\ “Flying cars, like a Lamborghini.” aç=óçì=äáâÉ=Å~êë\=“Yes. I have two favorites — a McLaren and a Lamborghini.

A McLaren is faster than a Lamborghini.” eçï=Ñ~ëí=Å~å=áí=Öç\ “I don’t know, probably like 1,000 miles per hour, but on the race track it goes super fast.” fÑ=óçì=ÅçìäÇ=ÅÜ~åÖÉ=~åóJ íÜáåÖ=~Äçìí=dêÉÉåïççÇI ïÜ~í=ïçìäÇ=áí=ÄÉ\ “I want an Urban Air in Greenwood. I would go a lot. I don’t care about going home; I’m going to Urban Air.” LI

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tÜ~í=áë=óçìê=Ñ~îçêáíÉ=ëìÄJ àÉÅí=~í=ëÅÜççä\=“Math. ... I like just doing work at school.

It’s fun. I like math and reading, but I don’t know about science.” aç=óçì=Ü~îÉ=~=Ñ~îçêáíÉ ÑççÇ\ “Spaghetti. I just love what it tastes like, and growing up, I just liked it so much.”

aç=óçì=Ü~îÉ=~=Ñ~îçêáíÉ Å~åÇó\=“Gummy bears. I beg for them every day. aç=óçì=Ü~îÉ=~=Ñ~îçêáíÉ ãçîáÉ\ “e~êêó=mçííÉêK=I love that movie. ... I like scary movies and funny movies.” aç=óçì=Ü~îÉ=~åó=ÄêçíÜÉêë çê=ëáëíÉêë\=“I have two brothers. One is 9 months old,

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Help and Hope

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At Heart of Hospice our mission is to serve all hospice eligible patients the way they desire to be served.

Proudly serving Mississippi NORTHWEST

We work with each patient to develop a plan of care that is unique to their specific situation. Physical therapy, IV therapies, radiation and other comforting treatments approved by the physician may be included in the patient’s plan of care.

Our Heart of Hospice team works 24/7 to help eligible patients and families who need our care.

For more information please call 1.844.464.0411

THE DELTA

YAZOO CITY JACKSON

SOUTHERN

Areas in teal represent our service region

Transforming end-of-life care in the communities we serve 1 . 8 4 4 . 4 6 4 .0 41 1 | H E A R TO F H O S P I C E . N E T

The power of prayer

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rave. Tough.

Resilient.

Special.

Beautiful. These are a few words that describe Iva Elizabeth Lindsey.

Iva Beth, as she’s called by her friends and family, is the 5-year-old daughter of Lake and Nicole Lindsey of Greenwood and

twice a survivor of stage 4 germ cell cancer.

What started out as a slight concern for a knot on her lower back turned into a parent’s worst nightmare.

Iva Beth began her journey fighting cancer at just 2 years old after visiting the Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital emergency room in Jackson two days after Christmas in 2016.

After an ultrasound and MRI, it was discovered that Iva Beth had a large mass in her abdomen.

“I remember sitting in the waiting room of the MRI, and that St. Jude commercial kept playing,” said Nicole.

The commercial said: “No one wants to hear the words their child has cancer.”

“I remember thinking that would be

awful. I never thought that’s what it was,” said Nicole. “I knew something was wrong, but I didn’t think it was that.”

Within days of their initial trip to Batson, Lake and Nicole were given the news their little girl had stage 4 germ cell cancer.

Nicole said germ cell cancer is generally rare, but it can be common in 2-year-olds, which was the age Iva Beth was when she was diagnosed. She said it’s because a tumor is present at birth but goes undetected.

Without indicating its presence in the body, it grows and becomes more and more dangerous as it develops into cancerous cells.

Iva Beth’s journey began with a benign, or non-cancerous, teratoma — a tumor made up of different tissues — from birth that had grown off her tail bone. By the time her

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Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated / NR

tumor had become cancerous, she had developed a large mass in her abdomen, another tumor on one of her adrenal glands and spots in her lungs, as well.

Iva Beth’s father, Lake, described her tumor as “bigger than a grapefruit.”

“Inside of a 2-year-old, that is huge,” he said.

Iva Beth’s treatment plan was to start chemotherapy immediately because the tumor was too large to remove.

For the next three months, she received three rounds of intense chemo to shrink the tumor. Iva Beth, along with her parents, would spend a week at a time in the hospital receiving her treatment, come home for two weeks, and then begin the process all over again.

Iva Beth’s doctors rescanned her after three rounds of chemo and discovered the tumor in her abdomen had shrunk to half its original size, and the spots in her lungs had melted away. They were now able to go in and remove the mass and the adrenal gland that contained the other tumor.

The nine-hour surgery to remove the tumors left Iva Beth with incisions down the front and back of her body.

After weeks in the hospital and several surgeries later, the family began to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Once Iva Beth’s wounds had healed, she began her last three rounds of intense chemotherapy.

Three months later, in June 2017, Iva Beth’s new scans revealed she was cancer-free.

The family rejoiced with Iva Beth for her victory throughout that summer.

Come October, however, they were hit with a curve ball.

“The good thing about Iva Beth’s cancer is that you can follow it very closely,” Nicole said.

“There is a protein in the blood called AFP that will get very high. When her counts get out of range is when we should worry.”

During a routine doctor’s visit in October 2017, Lake and Nicole had reason to become worried. Iva Beth’s AFP had risen out of the normal range.

“We knew it was a relapse,” Nicole said.

NS / Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated

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After more scans, with none providing the answer to why Iva Beth’s AFP count had risen, her doctors decided to get a scan of her brain.

“Sure enough, that’s where it was,” Lake said.

“It was a tumor the size of a quarter but completely round, right on top of her head,” said Nicole. “It was our absolute worst fear.”

Iva Beth’s doctors said that her cancer returning in her brain when it had not originated there had never been seen before in patients with germ cell cancer. “(The cancer) coming back in the brain when it had not initially begun there, they had never heard of that,” said Nicole.

“They could not find one case.”

Because Iva Beth’s case was unique, Lake and Nicole visited several children’s hospitals to find the best treatment plan for her. They ended up at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, where they received consults on Iva Beth’s case. The plan for treatment became high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue.

To Lake and Nicole, MD Anderson was a provision from God. “It all lined up like it was supposed to,” said Nicole. “The

doctor who created the trial (of treatment that Iva Beth followed) works at MD Anderson and actually sat in on the board that reviewed her case. He looked at her case himself. It was such a God thing.”

Since Iva Beth would be receiving radiation to her brain at such a young age, there were many concerns for her future.

MD Anderson became another answered prayer for the Lindseys in this area, too.

“They have a new type of radiation at MD Anderson. It is the most precise in the country.

When doing radiation on a young brain, you want the most defined radiation you can find, and they have it,” Nicole said.

At age 3, Iva Beth underwent three days of this extreme radiation to shrink the tumor in her brain. After being at MD Anderson for the entire month of December 2017, Iva Beth and her family came home to Mississippi to continue her treatments at Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital.

After she finished her chemo, Iva Beth underwent a procedure at Blair E. Batson to harvest her stem cells for transplant. She soon began high-dose chemo with stem cell rescue.

“This was by far the hardest

thing she endured,” said Nicole.

“Stem cell transplant is very hard on your body, especially for little ones.”

Iva Beth completed her treatments in April 2018 and was soon declared cancer-free for the second time in her 4 years of life.

A week after her stem cell transplant, Iva Beth had her blood levels checked. To her doctor’s and family’s dismay, Iva Beth’s AFP had risen above normal range again.

“We thought the transplant had failed. We thought it was over,” said her mother.

Nicole said she did not know what else to do besides ask her family, friends and community to pray for Iva Beth.

“I made a Facebook post about the news, and it had over 14,000 comments where people had said they were praying,” Nicole said.

Two days later, Iva Beth’s AFP levels had significantly decreased.

“It had gone down to normal, and it has not moved since.” said Nicole.

She said she knew there was no explanation for Iva Beth’s miracle other than the power of the prayers from those lifting Iva Beth up to the Lord.

“No one on this earth will ever be able to convince me there isn’t power in prayer,” she said. “He heard our prayers, and God healed my baby. There was no medical explanation for the miracle that happened to Iva. Out of nowhere, her AFP went down and stabilized.

Since then, she has had a stable AFP and clear scans, gained all her weight back and is living a beautifully normal life. We are so thankful for God’s blessings,” Nicole wrote on Iva Beth’s Facebook page, Prayers for Iva Beth.

This April will mark two years of being cancer-free for Iva Beth. While she continues to adjust to side effects from her previous treatments and goes for checkups at Blair E. Batson every four months, Iva Beth is living life as a normal kid.

“She loves gymnastics, dance, going to church and cheering at school during football season,” Nicole said.

Lake added that his daughter really enjoys school, although the socializing is her favorite part of being there.

To Lake, Nicole and Iva Beth, the love and support shown to them by Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital in Jackson, their family, friends and the entire community of Greenwood have made all the difference throughout Iva Beth’s battle with cancer.

“We have been very blessed,” said Nicole, with tears in her eyes and her voice shaking.

“We have wonderful friends and family that really stepped up. They went above and beyond anything we needed.”

“A small community is a big thing.” i~âÉ=iáåÇëÉó

Lake and Nicole have several examples of how their friends and the community of Greenwood rallied around them while the couple stood by their daughter’s side.

“When Iva Beth was initially diagnosed, we were remodeling our house,” said Nicole.

“We literally had everything out of our house.

I was so worried. Our friends got together, and

they moved our entire house back in. They did all of that for us so we could come home to a put-together house. They would have done anything for us.”

Lake said the family had a lot of support.

“A small community is a big thing,” he said. “Everyone comes together. I farm, and I couldn’t always be there. We’d come home from treatments, and neighboring friends helped on the farm at times I couldn’t be there. They made it a lot easier to focus on what we needed to.”

Nicole said they met a lot of families at Batson that didn’t have that same kind of support.

“Greenwood is a wonderful place,” she said. “We can’t ask for a better community.” LI

Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated / NT

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lmost three years ago, Christopher Winter’s interest in a long-dead European leader was piqued during a road trip the Greenwood teenager took to Kansas to go turkey hunting with his father.

The two of them listened to most of a podcast about Napoleon Bonaparte, the famed French military commander and later emperor. The podcast featured a conversation between two Napoleon enthusiasts, Cameron Reilly and J. David Markham.

Markham, a dual American-Canadian citizen now living in Toronto, is a leading scholar in the field of Napoleonic studies. He’s written numerous books and articles about Napoleon and has as appeared on several television shows to discuss him.

Knighted by the French government for his contributions to that nation’s culture and education, Markham is the past president of the Napoleonic Historical Society (NHS) and current president of the International Napoleonic Society (INS).

From the podcast, as well as books he later read, Christopher, already a history buff, got hooked on Napoleon.

“He had this certain quality about him. I can’t describe it. It just made people want to follow him,” the 16-year-old Pillow Academy sophomore said. “That’s the best way I can describe it.”

v v v Born Aug. 15, 1769, on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica, Napoleon rose through the military ranks and, in the throes of the French Revolution, eventually

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became that nation’s emperor.

He conquered neighboring European territories, such as the German states, and he crushed the Holy Roman Empire.

In a series of conflicts known as the Napoleonic Wars, Napoleon’s empire was repeatedly challenged by a coalition of European powers, led and financed by the British.

Napoleon was defeated by the coalition at

the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. He was exiled to St. Helena, a remote island in the South Atlantic, where he died six years later at the age of 51.

Napoleon’s legacy includes establishing the Napoleonic Code, which standardized France’s laws across the country, and instituting a series of liberal reforms to end serfdom in the areas he conquered.

“If you read about him, read about the

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way he interacted with other people, some of his dialogue with people, you just get a sense of his character, and it’s a character of just unmistakable authority and leadership,” Christopher said of Napoleon.

“He spread the ideals of the Enlightenment all across Europe to the territories he conquered.

He granted numerous civil rights to Jews during this time period when anti-Semitism was fairly prevalent.”

v v v With Christopher’s interest in Napoleon already sparked, his father, Chris Winter Sr., noticed one night during a dinner that a fellow attorney, Jack Smith of Tupelo, was wearing a Napoleonic lapel pin.

Winter asked Smith about the pin, and the two soon got to chatting about Napoleon. Smith mentioned he knew Markham, the Napoleonic scholar, and said he could help get Christopher and Markham connected.

The student and the scholar soon got in touch, corresponding initially via email before chatting over the phone in November 2018.

“We talked on FaceTime for about an hour and a half, two hours,” Christopher said.

“I was very familiar with his work. I was very happy I got to talk with him,” Christopher said.

The two are now on a firstname basis.

“He’s a really nice fellow,” Markham said of Christopher.

“He’s very personable. He’s very bright, and I’m guessing he gets mostly As in school.”

Markham encouraged Christopher to continue his budding interest in Napoleon by not only attending the NHS’ annual conference held in Montreal this past September but to also present a paper about Napoleon. In addition, Markham invited Christopher and his parents to visit him and his wife, Edna, at their high-rise apartment in Toronto. Markham dubs his 33rd-floor apartment “my empire palace in the sky,” due to the numerous Napoleonic memorabilia and furniture adorning the residence.

Christopher and his parents

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spent a week in Canada, and Markham’s apartment was one of their stops. Every space in the apartment, Christopher said, “was covered with a print or a painting, and all of his furniture are original pieces from either the first French Empire, which was from 1804 to 1815, and then he does have a couple from the second (French) Empire, which was 1850s and 60s,” Christopher said.

His favorite item of Markham’s antique collection was a functioning clock from the first French Empire that depicted a seated Napoleon with his feet propped up on the globe.

“That was really neat,” Christopher said.

Among the attendees at the NHS conference were some who wore historically accurate military uniforms of the time of Napoleon, Christopher said.

“These guys have recreations of the actual uniforms, the Imperial Guard uniforms with the massive bearskin shakos,” the tall cylindrical military caps.

Christopher himself wore a suit while presenting his talk concerning America’s relations with Napoleonic France.

His father said it was an accomplishment for his son, at such a young age, to have an intellectual conversation with other peers concerning the French Empire.

NHS has 250 members, com-

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prising primarily Americans and Canadians. Its current president is Markham’s wife. The group has a much larger following online, with 2,700 members for its Facebook group.

“You get two kinds of people in the NHS,” David Markham said.

“You get some scholars who are or have been professors of usually French history or Napoleonic history. People like me, who have written books and so on. And you also get people who just have an interest in Napoleon. They’re not scholars, they don’t have degrees in this stuff, and they’re not writing books.”

Some of the members involved in NHS participate in battle re-enactments and may even research the life of an individual Napoleonic soldier, down to the finest details.

Christopher recalled, for example, meeting a German-born Canadian man at the conference who unearthed information about a soldier serving under Napoleon by visiting the soldier’s grave in France and checking out his records.

Still a few years from college, Christopher said he’s unsure about a major.

“I’ve been considering business, maybe, at Notre Dame,” he said. That’s where one of his grandfathers, the late Phil Carnaggio, studied. Christopher is also considering the Naval

Academy.

Whatever his major, he said he would like to study French in college, given that Spanish is the only foreign language offered at Pillow.

Christopher is one of the youngest members of NHS, and Markham said he is hopeful that the teen will continue his studies of Napoleon.

“My biggest fear with Chris is sort of a humorous aside,” said Markham, basing it on his own personal experience of having taught high school. “I worry that he’ll discover girls and driving and his interests will change,” Markham said with a laugh. “I’m hoping he’ll plow through all of that and maintain his interest in Napoleonic history, as well.”

Markham said that there have been young members involved with NHS in the past, only for them to leave as their interests change.

Markham, who became intrigued at the age of 10 by Napoleon, said “my interest waned and went up and down. I discovered girls and driving, too, after all, and so on. But the thing stuck with me.”

Of Christopher, Markham said, “I think he has the potential, and he’s very young in his life, obviously, but he has the potential to be a star in the field or at the very least make a significant contribution.” LI Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated / NV

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The view from River Road Extended shows the original 1947 structure with the left “wing” and the columned center porch, along with the complementary addition on the right that includes a laundry room, a half-bath, the master suite and a hallway.

hen Sloane Fair was growing up, her father made his living by farming, and Sloane knew many of the folks whose acreage he managed.

She had visited several of their homes and gone to school with their children. But she hadn’t given any serious thought to living in any of their houses. That changed after she was married with children of her own and feeling the need for more space.

Sloane, a physical therapist at Advanced Rehab, and her husband, Josh, a division vice president with First South Farm

The Fair family members spend a lot of their downtime in the den, where the fireplace takes the chill off and the large-screen TV invites them to gather. The painting above the fireplace is a work by Shawn Hodges.

Credit, heard about a property that was available on River Road Extended in Greenwood, following the death of the owner.

“The house was built in 1947 by Walter Walt,” said Sloane, “and he was the only owner.” His daughters, Betsy Walt and Katherine Gice, were about to put the

STORY BY JO ALICE DARDEN n PHOTOS BY JOHNNY JENNINGS

Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated / ON

house on the market in 2013 when Sloane’s dad, John Doty Porter, who managed Walt’s farm, mentioned the opportunity to his daughter and son-inlaw.

The young couple looked at the place and fell in love with the whole property. It’s the last house on the road — so far — before the road turns to gravel, so it feels like country in the city, Sloane explained, and it’s very quiet.

Under a canopy of ancient hardwood trees, you can look across the road and see the Yazoo River either meandering or coursing by, depending on the latest rainfall amounts. Or sit on the patio and see acres and acres of farmland that Sloane’s dad still manages. And sunsets over the fields can take your breath away.

Regardless of pink and purple skies, neither Josh, 39, nor Sloane, 35, was wearing rosecolored glasses when they bought the house. There would be more room to stretch out, and both of their children — daughter Ryals, 8, and a third-grader at Pillow Academy, and son Jack Porter, 7, in the second grade there — would each have a large bedroom and an en suite bath. It wouldn’t be too many years before those details would gain importance in their young lives.

So while they recognized the “good bones” of the structure, the couple knew they’d need to make some changes to accommodate their family and lifestyle. They began sharing their ideas and visions with their contractors, Bill Thornburg and Heath Hodges.

The highest-impact change was to build an addition on the west side of the house. Based on their space needs, they decided to add a laundry room, a half-bath, a new master suite and a hallway that would connect those rooms and connect the addition seamlessly to the rest of the house. Sloane said the existing footprint had a “wing” with a longer structure perpendicular to it, and the new addition on the other end gives the house a balanced, symmetrical shape.

OO / Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated

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In the process, the kitchen would get a complete renovation — a major undertaking.

“We gutted the kitchen literally from the ceiling to the dirt,” Sloane said.

Demolition at the top revealed an auspicious surprise: a vaulted ceiling.

“Oooh, can we leave it like

that?” Sloane asked Hodges.

Done! That feature was worth keeping; it adds an impression of airy expanse, especially welcome when the Fairs entertain.

All the drawers and cabinetry in the kitchen are custom-designed by Paul Wilbourn of Grenada. Sloane’s

mother, Gale, said, “(Wilbourn) has a tiny factory on his property, and his home is like a sample box.” She explained he has many different styles, brands and colors of cabinetry in his home so his customers can form an accurate vision of how their selections will work in reality.

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The kitchen opens into the dining room, centered with a sturdy oak pedestal table and plush chairs that add deep comfort to dinner conversations. On each end of one wall is a built-in corner china cabinet, a charming feature found in many homes built in the 1940s in the area.

In the dining room on the wall opposite the kitchen is a painting by local artist Shawn Hodges depicting the Episcopal Church of the Nativity in downtown Greenwood, a Christmas gift from Gale to Sloane, special because that’s where their families worship.

A highlight of the interior spaces throughout the house is Sloane’s growing collection of original art by local and Mississippi artists. She selects paintings, mainly, or prints that are meaningful to her or her family and displays them to their best advantage. One of her lifetime favorite artists is the late Walter Anderson, who lived in Ocean Springs, where the Walter Anderson Museum of Art is now located. Sloane has made sure he is well represented on her walls.

As in many Southern homes, the living room at the Fairs’ house is used a little less OQ / Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated

than most of the other rooms; its formality is generally more suited to parties. The Fairs’ living room is nevertheless spacious and comfortable, with overstuffed seating, a soft oriental rug and several family pieces.

“The marble surrounding the fireplace is original to the house,” Sloane said, “and it’s an actual working fireplace.” The eyecatching painting over the mantel is by Amanda K. Michael of Tupelo, and a pair of watercolors by Wyatt Waters of Clinton hang over the buffet, which was passed down from Sloane’s paternal grandmother.

At the other end of the same wall is a china cabinet from her maternal grandmother.

The kitchen and the den are the spaces where the Fair family do most of their living. The fireplace in the den gets heavy use during the winter, and the family can pile up together on the sofas to watch TV or read.

Above the den’s fireplace, whose mantel is a rough-hewn wood beam found in New Orleans, is another Shawn Hodges painting, a large one of some pretty contentedlooking cows. Over the sofa opposite the

fireplace are two Walter Anderson prints.

Gale gave Sloane one of the prints as a Christmas gift. “She also gave me some money, but she told me I had to use it to buy the matching print,” Sloane said, laughing.

With its four quiet, comfortable bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths, as well as the new addition and the kitchen renovation, the immediate space needs for the Fairs have been met, and all the necessary infrastructure updating has been done. But as every homeowner knows, no house is ever finished, and Josh and Sloane have some plans they’ll complete when they can. Ryals’ bedroom and bath, for example, were freshly painted before the family moved into their new house, but Sloane said they’ll need updating soon. They also want to cover the patio and the carport, and they plan to put new shutters on the windows.

And ultimately, they will have new neighbors. Sloane said they’re looking forward to having her parents, Gale and John Doty, build their new house just across the road from them, backed right up to the river. LI

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Too-cute wedding party

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xpressions of love — which is what weddings should be all about — sometimes are enhanced when children and pets, usually dogs, are included.

Greenwood photographer Caroline Stuckey loves them both, so she’s happy when she gets the chance to photograph kids and animals along with the rest of the wedding party.

In association with weddings, she’s taken photos of dogs, large and small, and once of a cat, although it wasn’t part of the ceremony.

With children, she said, “I just try to relate to them as kids. I try to make it fun for them.” And she carries treats to help young flower girls and ring bearers relax, smile and stand at least for a little while in position with all of those dressed-up adults.

“I almost always have candy in my bag: Skittles, little individual packs. You never know when someone is going to need a little extra motivation.”

Children need plenty of it when they are being asked to walk down an aisle with music playing and crowds of grownups looking at them. Sometimes they get to ride instead.

“I have had them when they can’t even

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walk yet,” said Pryor Hackleman of Greenwood, a wedding coordinator. She remembered how a baby girl, about 15 months old, was propped inside a wagon for her passage down the aisle. “We had an older cousin pull the wagon.”

She advises having an adult, a friend or perhaps even a grandmother standing by to help children along, and when they get to the front of the church, sweep them beside her onto a pew. Or out of the sanctuary and into a Sunday school room.

“They walk down the aisle and straight out the side doors,” Hackleman said. With a smile in her voice, she recollected that flower girls will “instead of throwing out petals, do like one at a time.”

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Others get scared. Once, when a ceremony featured “multiple flower girls, one of them had a panic attack and wouldn’t go down the aisle.”

That’s when it is time to back off, Hackleman said.

She also said children need to be old enough for their role.

“You are not going to ruin a bride’s big day by sending a screaming 2-year-old down the aisle,” she explained.

It’s important for brides to make sure that children in the wedding feel connected. She said she always tells the brides to make sure they have a gift for the flower girls “and to find a cute way to ask them to be flower girls.”

One of her suggestions is to offer a personalized book. It would ask, for example, “Jane, will you be my flower girl?”

Hackleman said. “It’s something to make them feel included.” This applies to ring bearers, too, who want to know that their role is important.

After the recent wedding of Kathleen Gallagher and Cage Charlet in Greenwood, Hackleman and others had to laugh when the flower girl and ring bearer fell asleep on the floor during the reception at the Greenwood Country Club while a band was playing and people were dancing only feet away.

Hackleman, like Stuckey, thinks pets can add to the event, even if they are not present. “I got married in June and had custom fans made with my dog’s face on them,” she said.

For a recent Greenwood reception, the image of the bride’s dog was featured, although the pup did not attend.

“Her dog was such a big part of her wedding. We made a custom sketch of her dog’s face.”

This was used on napkins and coffee cups, among other items.

There was a wedding in Oxford that Hackleman coordinated. It was set up inside a tent. “They had their dog go down the aisle,” Hackleman said. The bride’s “mom was at one end of the tent,” she said.

“I went around the back and took the dog out.”

Stuckey said she has wonderful memories of two wed-

Elizabeth Joiner Walker, being given in marriage by her father, Tim Joiner, is seen with her husband, Derek Walker, and their dog, Delta. Delta is wearing a bandana that says “I Do To.”

dings that included Great Danes. One was in Georgia, and she wasn’t an official photographer but had her camera with her. She still has a photo from it of big Gemma and the groom. “It’s just so sweet because she is standing there with daddy.”

The Great Dane in the other wedding was light fawn, about the color of ecru, and, of course, huge. Stuckey described him as “very sweet, though, just a big

baby. When he got down the aisle, he kind of laid on the bottom of the bride’s dress.”

Once at a reception, she photographed a Greenwood bride and groom with their “little dog named June, sweet June. ... She had a little collar with flowers on it.”

At the wedding of another Greenwood couple, the bride and groom wanted to include her cat among the photos. “I think it is really sweet she want-

Above: Gemma, a Great Dane, shows effection to her owner, Keith Davis, on his wedding day.

Left: Flower girl Lucy Lindsey and ring bearer Michael Patrick, both of St. Francisville, Louisiana, rest beside the dance floor at the Greenwood Country Club during the reception following the wedding of Kathleen Gallagher and Cage Charlet.

ed pictures with her cat that she had for 17 years,” Stuckey said.

She didn’t mind complying with their wishes. “No. 1, because I like animals. No. 2, because I would do the same.”

At the Georgia wedding with the Great Dane, there was another photo op. “The bride’s dad was holding her niece, who was wearing these pink shoes — hot pink shoes. I just happened to get a picture of him kissing her head.” LI

Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated / OT

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Planning for a day to remember

ow a man proposes can say a lot about his character.

Hidden photographers, walkways lined with flowers lit by candlelight, and engagement rings, oh my!

It is not uncommon for young girls to dream about their wedding day long before they ever meet “Mr. Right.”

The flowers, the cake, the color scheme, the dress. With wedding magazines and Pinterest boards, many young women have the entire day planned. At the heart of all of this planning, there’s one idea in mind — a celebration of true love that looks like a real-life scene straight from a Walt Disney fairy tale.

Although brides often receive most of the praise when it comes to wedding planning, there is another member of the wedding party who needs to be recognized — the groom.

Grooms are often forgotten about when it comes to planning and preparing. But it’s the groom, after all, who gets the entire wedding planning process going with a question of “Will you marry me?” while down on one knee.

Is the groom a planner? If so, he has probably been planning this day for months in advance with that beautiful French-set halo diamond ring in his safe at home.

Is he spontaneous? He probably picked up a gorgeous vintage ring a week ago and decided to pop the question whenever the timing was right — a walk in the park, a romantic dinner or a night in on the sofa.

Is he from the Delta? If so, his family, her family and all of their friends are in on the secret, and the soon-to-be bride-elect’s mother and future mother-in-law have planned a surprise get-together, where everyone is waiting after he pops the question.

Matthew Teel of Jackson, Tennessee, said he began planning his big day of asking Madison Quinn of Greenwood to marry him three months in advance.

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When Teel popped the question, he created a picturesque outdoor scene, which included a photographer hidden behind a bush.

A white quilt covered the ground and

was surrounded by overgrown grass and pine trees, and the setting was overlooking a river. Beside the quilt were a bouquet of flowers, candles and pictures of the couple.

The photographer was able to capture

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Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated / OV

the exact moments when Teel proposed and Quinn said, “Yes.” After the proposal, the couple headed to the Country Club of Jackson, where they were met by their parents, other family members and close friends for a time of fellowship and celebration.

The couple will exchange vows on May 30 in Greenwood.

Raines Cook of Greenwood had a few weekends picked out that he thought would be perfect to ask Maegan Fennell of Phillip for her hand in marriage, but it was an adventurous trek through his family’s

PM / Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated

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land at Valley Farms in Black Hawk that gave him his opportunity.

After talking with family members, Cook chose to ask Fennell to marry him on a weekend when both of their families would be in town to celebrate with them afterward. Fennell had been told they were all going to celebrate her sister’s birthday, which gave Cook the perfect excuse for both to get dressed up.

Fennell got ready for the supposed birthday celebration and headed out with Cook to his family’s land to put out a few lastminute deer cameras before the sun went

down, or so she thought.

At the top of a hill with the sun slowly setting, the moment seemed too perfect to miss, said Cook. He got down on one knee and proposed.

Just moments after Cook proposed to Fennell, they traveled to the Viking Training Center in downtown Greenwood, where their families and friends waited to celebrate their engagement.

At the Training Center, pictures of the couple lined the walls while friends gathered around. The couple will exchange vows on Oct. 10. LI

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Aubrey Field Beckham William Morgan Gulledge III ^éêáä=SI=OMNV

Aubrey Field Beckham and William Morgan Gulledge III were united in marriage at 6:30 p.m. on April 6, 2019, at First Presbyterian Church in Greenwood. The double-ring ceremony was officiated by the Rev. Dr. Fred Craven “Rusty” Douglas Jr. Nuptial music was presented by the Rev. Doyne Ray Smithee.

Soloists were Shannon Brininger Melton and Paul Vance Brown.

Wedding directors were Jane Gerrard Crump and Katherine Cole.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Field Beckham of Greenwood. She is the granddaughter of Mrs. Oscar Elmer Slade Jr. of Meridian and the late Mr. Slade and the late Mr. and Mrs. Ray Field Beckham of Leland.

The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Morgan Gulledge Jr. of Greenwood. He is the grandson of Mrs. Grover Lee Kyle of Minter City and the late Mr. Kyle and the late Mr. and Mrs. William Morgan Gulledge of Leland.

Escorted by her father, the bride wore the ivory silk faille de soie gown “Alina” by Amsale. The strapless, slim fit-to-flare gown featured soutache embroidered lace appliques on the bodice and chapel train. Her custom cathedral veil was edged with French Alençon lace. She wore her maternal grandmother’s and maternal aunt’s pearl bracelets. Her cascading bouquet of white phalaenopsis orchids was wrapped in her paternal grandmother’s and maternal grandmother’s handkerchiefs.

Serving as matron of honor was her sister, Allison Beckham Swanson. Bridesmaids were Danielle Johns Bristol, Catherine Layne Crader, Lauren Adams Dale, Margaret Ross Long, Marlee West Miller, Ashley Gragson Myers, Mary-Crosby Roberts, Hannah McGavock Thach and Meghann Elise Gulledge Yee.

PO / Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated

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They wore individually chosen styles of long navy chiffon gowns and carried bouquets of white orchids. Lillian Taylor Thach was the flower girl.

William Morgan Gulledge Jr. served his son as best man.

Groomsmen were Ryan Timothy Burt, Joshua Gerrard Crump, Bryce Steven Daves, James Andrew Hull, Robert Allen McKnight, William Green Poindexter, Kyle McBride Thach, William Ross Weems and Andrew Sturdivant Wilbourn.

The bride’s proxy was Natalie Taylor Chase. Scripture readers were Haley Crosby Carpenter and Ann Clark Masterson. Program attendants were Anastasia Morgan Beckham and Sarah Emily Slade.

Pryor Lott Hackleman of A Pryor Engagement was the wedding coordinator.

Following the ceremony, the bride’s parents hosted a reception on Front and Main streets overlooking the Yazoo River in downtown Greenwood. Fresh Cut Catering and Floral catered and designed the street party venue incorporating lavish arrangements of cherry blossoms, orchids and airy branches within contemporary structural grids towering above the food and beverage vignettes.

Guests were entertained by Rhythm Nation of Atlanta, Georgia.

Becky Thompson of CAKE in West Monroe, Louisiana, made the six-tier multi-flavor wedding cake.

The couple was honored by their parents’ friends with an engagement party at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Noel Barrett in February. On the eve of the wedding, the groom’s parents hosted a rehearsal dinner at The Historic Elks Building catered by Grapevine Cakes, Catering and Floral. Friends and family hosted a post-toast after-party, also at the Elks, following the rehearsal.

Following a honeymoon in Costa Rica, the bride and groom are at home in Memphis, Tennessee.

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Carolyn Cox Wellborn Joshua Boyd Fowler j~ó=NUI=OMNV

Carolyn Cox Wellborn and Joshua Boyd Fowler were united in marriage on May 18, 2019, at Audubon Park in New Orleans.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James. M. Wellborn Jr. of Greenwood. She is the granddaughter of Barbara Wellborn of Jackson and the late James. M. Wellborn Sr. and the late Mr. and Mrs. John S. Boyd.

The groom is the son of Debra Walters of Gulf Shores, Alabama, and he is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Walters, also of Gulf Shores.

The groom’s friend from college, Jalon Turner of Anniston, Alabama, officiated at the double-ring ceremony, which was held at sunset.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a Spell & the Gypsy Collective ivory cotton gauze floor-length gown. With an empire waistline, the dress featured cold-shoulder sleeves, and cotton lace-trimmed tiers of gauze fabric that flowed into a train. In her hair, she wore a crown composed of a variety of green and lavender succulents.

She carried a bouquet of colorful succulents and purple thistles constructed by the wedding director, Lindsay Maloan, who also created the bridal crown, the boutonnieres and the wrist corsages.

The bride’s “something old” was a gold diamond and pearl starburst pendant, which had been given to her great-great-grandmother, Alice, on her wedding day by her groom, Charles C. Cox. At the ceremony, the main, eye-catching focus was the Audubon Park’s massive live oak tree called “The Tree of Life,” which is more than 300 years old. The wedding was conducted on the east side of the tree with sunlight streaming through its branches. The guests sat in white chairs or gathered under the massive canopy of the tree.

Decorating the chairs were eucalyptus and thistles tied together with inch-wide satin ribbon streamers.

Attending the bride and groom were the bride’s nieces, Addyson Wellborn, 9, and Mabry Wellborn, 4, the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. James M. Wellborn III of Oxford; and nephew, Gallagher Shepherd, 6, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Brandon Tracey Shepherd of Gulf Shores.

Her nieces wore matching floral dresses, each featuring pink embroidered roses on a white chiffon overlay. They each wore a crown of eucalyptus, succulents and purple thistles. Her nephew wore a navy-and-white-patterned shirt with khaki slacks.

The Scripture reader was the bride’s sister, Allison Wellborn Shepherd of Gulf Shores. Wearing a navy floor-length sleeveless dress with a wrist corsage of succulents and purple thistles, she read 1 Corinthians 13.

Lee Yankee of Gulf Shores, a friend of the groom, played “The Sun Is Shining Down” by JJ Grey & Mofro on the acoustic guitar. His band also played at the reception, which was held at NOLA Brewery and Tap Room in New Orleans.

The venue was decorated with small tin buckets filled with succulents at each of the barrel tables. The decorations also served as party favors. Crawfish was served on a gingham-print tablecloth in a pirogue.

PQ / Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated

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Other favorites, such as jambalaya and red beans and rice among other popular Louisiana dishes, were served on gingham tablecloths in the NOLA Barrel Room, which featured colorful New Orleans artwork on the walls. The reception was catered by McClure’s Barbecue and featured a dessert bar with a variety of favorite cookies and sweet treats of the bride and groom, along with McClure’s bread pudding.

The ceremony and reception were captured by Noel Marcantel of Crescent Spirit Studios in New Orleans.

The couple departed the reception with sparklers. They continued to celebrate with guests and family at several of their favorite nightspots in New Orleans.

On the eve of the wedding, the mother of the groom entertained the bride and groom and their families at Superior Seafood and Oyster Bar on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans. The bride’s brother and sister and their families were in attendance, as well as the bride’s grandmother. The groom’s uncles and family from California were part of the celebration, as well as the groom’s brother and grandparents.

Afterward, the engaged couple met other out-of-town guests at the Barrel Room and Whiskey Bar on Magazine Street in New Orleans.

On the day of the wedding, the sister of the bride gave Carolyn a wedding gift of having her makeup and hair done by a friend of the bride. Other friends gathered at the same location to prepare for the wedding and enjoy refreshments.

The couple reside in Seattle, where Joshua is an environmental engineer for Romac Industries, headquartered in Bothell, Washington, and Carolyn is a physical therapist at IRG Physical Therapy in Marysville, Washington.

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Amanda Claire Sturniolo Brandon Allan Langford lÅíçÄÉê=RI=OMNV

Amanda Claire Sturniolo and Brandon Allan Langford were united in marriage at 6 p.m. on Oct. 5, 2019, at North Greenwood Baptist Church. The ceremony was officiated by the Rev. Ricky Wheat.

The bride is the daughter of Sandra Sturniolo of Greenwood and Richard Sturniolo of Brownsburg, Indiana. She is the granddaughter of Emily Appleton of Sardis and the late Judge James Appleton and the late Rosella Sturniolo and the late Frank Sturniolo.

The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Langford of Columbus.

He is the grandson of Ann Minor of Columbus and the late Alton Minor and the late Sam Langford and late Mamie Lou Langford.

Given in marriage by her mother and father, the bride wore the Alvina gown out of the Kitty Chen Couture collection. The sheath gown featured a sweetheart neckline, detailed beading, a chapellength elegant lace overlay and an off-the-shoulder beaded lace detail sleeve. Her cathedral-length veil, edged in beaded vintage lace, was also worn by her mother in 1980.

The bride carried a semi-flowing cascade of Vendella roses and Purple Haze miniature roses with silver dollar and seeded eucalypts as accents.

Attending the bride as matron of honor was Caroline Sanders Coupland. Bridesmaids were Stephanie Lee Baine, Haley Morgan Bertrand, Emily Winstead Barber, Christina Miniela Spann, Candace Miers Bowen, Rebecca Guion Burton and Brantley Elizabeth Walton.

Her attendants wore Victorian lilac formal-length chiffon gowns in varying styles by Bill Levkoff and carried bouquets filled with Vendella roses and accented with Italian ruscus, seeded eucalyptus and tree fern. Jessica Williams Pickens served as the bride’s proxy.

The groom’s father served as best man. Groomsmen included Brendan Michael Manders, Cory Daniel Hayes, Raymond Dillon Mims, Sidney Andrew Snapka, Joshua Hale Boyer, Edwin Robert Noland, Andrew Kenneth McDowell, Samuel Joseph Haase and Cameron Mitchell Echols. Zachary Andrew Boyer and Seth Alan

PS / Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated

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Wood served as ushers. The groom’s nephew Rhett Walker Hall served as ring bearer.

Nuptial music was provided by Ray Mattox, pianist, and Wally Kennedy of Jackson, organist. Scripture was read by Taylor Patten Stringer of McComb and the groom’s sister, Courtney Langford Hall of Columbus. Program attendants were Macey Alexis Mooneyham and Rachel Jane Naron, both of Greenwood. Floral designer was Chesley Brewer with Danny’s Floral Studio. Ceremony directors were Jeanie Hendricks and Rachel Mitchell. Hairstylists were Mauri Logan and Whitley Kelly of Mane Tamers. Meri Del Jones provided makeup for the bridal party.

Following the ceremony, the bride’s parents hosted a reception at the Greenwood Country Club. Al Paris and Peabody Rocket provided the entertainment and brought the house down with their covers of Motown classics and current hits.

Taylor Square Photography of Oxford captured the bride and groom’s special day.

The Sweetery of Cleveland treated the bride, groom and their guests to a red velvet bride’s cake, a Mississippi State-themed lemon groom’s cake and a “cake bar” of traditional wedding, strawberry, snickerdoodle and German chocolate cakes.

On the eve of the wedding, the groom’s parents honored the couple with a rehearsal dinner at Station 222, followed by an after-party with karaoke, appetizers and drinks for family and friends.

The couple are at home in Winona and will take a wedding trip in the summer of 2020.

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Marianna LaNelle Tollison Frank Howard Redd III lÅíçÄÉê=NOI=OMNV

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Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated / PV

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Kathleen Meeks Gallagher Matthew ‘Cage’ Charlet November 9, 2019

Kathleen Meeks Gallagher of Greenwood and Matthew “Cage” Charlet of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, were united in marriage at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 9, 2019, at North Greenwood Baptist Church.

The bride is the daughter of Jim and Cissye Gallagher of Greenwood. She is the granddaughter of Edwin Keasler Meeks and Mr. and Mrs. James Thomas Gallagher.

The groom is the son of Don and Susan Charlet of Zachary, Louisiana. He is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Donald James Charlet, Dolores Bennett Charlet, Mr. and Mrs. James Christopher Sonnier and Mr. and Mrs. Chester Potter Pettey.

The Rev. Dr. Jim Phillips officiated at the double-ring service.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore an Antonio Gual “The Ramsey” designer gown. The silk shantung taffeta A-line dress featured a plunging-V neckline and an open deep-V back. The back of the skirt also featured fabric-covered buttons from the waist to the hem.

Added at the waist of the gown was a belt featuring pearl and white sequin beaded flowers. The bride’s “something borrowed” was her chapel-length ivory lace veil.

She carried a bouquet of white roses, brunia berries, silver dollar eucalyptus, white snap dragons, spray roses and orchid pieces.

Serving as maid of honor was the bride’s youngest sister, Elizabeth Ruth Gallagher, and her oldest sister, Mary Langdon Gallagher Hardman, served as matron of honor.

Decorating the church’s altar was the bride’s father’s first PGA Tour trophy, a silver punch bowl, which was filled with flowers. Candles decorated a table below the flower arrangement.

Bridesmaids were Mallory Anne Charlet, the groom’s sister; McKinley Ranager Gallagher, the bride’s sister-in-law; Mary Key Britt; Mary Dudley Pillow; Mimi Abbott Sheppard; Lana Michelle Hodge; Kelly Ann McDuff; Bobbi Amar; Murphy Michelle Conlin; Marguerite Dolores Poche; Hannah Gabrielle Bourque and Alison Elizabeth Dazzio.

The bride’s attendants wore gowns that featured a romantic crisscross seamed satin twill bodice with trumpet skirts featuring an open slit on the side.

They carried smaller versions of the bride’s bouquet, featuring silver dollar eucalyptus, snap dragons, white and cream roses, orchid pieces, brunia berries and blue thistle greenery.

The groom’s father, Donald James Charlet Jr., and younger brother, John Luke Charlet, both served as best men.

Groomsmen were Davis Nelson Pourciau; Noah Christopher Pourciau; James Thomas Gallagher III, the bride’s brother; John Graydon Lewis; Benjamin Fox Carlson; Luke Mills Wojohn; Michael Roland Zoghbi; Anthony Michael Vicellio; Nathan Troy Joseph Lowery; Max Chayban Zoghbi; Stanley Ryan Viner and Peyton Taylor Hendrix.

Flower girls were Anne Tatum Evans of Greenwood and Lucy QM / Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew “Cage” Charlet

Caroline Lindsey of St. Francisville, Louisiana.

The ring bearers were Tommy Hardman of Galveston, Texas, the bride’s nephew, and Michael Patrick Quinn Lindsey of St. Francisville.

Scripture readers were Carlye Galloway and Caroline Cobb, the bride’s cousin.

Music was provided by the bride’s cousin Nicholas Cobb, vocalist, Emma Mae Pourciau, vocalist, Ray Mattox, pianist, and Patricia Ethridge, organist.

The wedding was directed by Meredith Coleman.

A reception followed at the Greenwood Country Club.

Pryor Hackleman served as the reception coordinator, and catering the event was Anthony Wade.

Masa Kathryn Photography captured the memories of the evening.

Kim Kellum of Grapevine Cakes, Catering and Floral provided the flower arrangements.

Karyn Burrus of Grapevine Cakes, Catering and Floral created the bride’s six-tier traditional buttercream confection, which featured a silver satin ribbon lining the bottom of each layer. Candles surrounded the cake, which was emphasized by pin lighting.

The groom had a three-tiered traditional King Cake featuring flavors of cinnamon, blueberry, cream cheese and raspberry. Rather than a baby figurine, small bride and groom figurines were hidden inside the King Cake. The groom’s cake table included Mardi Gras beads and decorations.

A rehearsal dinner was hosted by the groom’s family at the Historic Elks Building in downtown Greenwood. The beautiful night was catered by Grapevine Cakes, Catering and Floral and attended by many family members and friends After a trip to the Grenadines, the couple are at home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated / QN

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Andie Noland O’Bryant Daniel Jeremy Longnecker lÅíçÄÉê=NVI=OMNV

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QO / Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated

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When you are facing a dirty job on a cold day, the Key insulated twill coverall has you covered. The twill outer shell has a water- and stain-resistant finish to prevent the dirt and grime from setting in and added durability with reinforced pockets, double knee with cleanout and heavy-duty zippers.

Key has made convenience a top priority with the locker loop and various pockets, including utility pockets on each leg. Find it at Kornfeld’s Department Store. 318 East Johnson St., Greenwood. 453-1352.

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LaNelle B Designs handmade cameo bracelets by LaNelle B Tollison. Exclusively at Lynbar Jewelers. 307 Howard St. in Historic Downtown Greenwood.

453-2741.

jáëëáëëáééá=pí~íÉ= ~åÇ= läÉ=jáëë qìãÄäÉêë Make every day refreshing with the 24 oz. Tumbler, aka the coolest cup ever.

Crafted from stainless steel with proprietary triple insulation, it keeps contents cold and refreshing for nine-plus hours and hot for three. Stays cold even longer with drinks containing ice. Plus, it comes with a sliding, shatterproof, see-through lid. A perfect gift for your favorite Rebel or Bulldog. At Clevenger Jewelry & Gifts. 504 West Park Ave., Greenwood. 453-0710

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On Cloud’s maximum-cushioned running shoe is designed for minimalists and active lifestyles. Easy on and off for casual wear and training use. Zero-Gravity foam provides cush, reduced weight and flexibility. The CloudTec sole grips and responds to your precise gait. Available at Conerly’s Shoes & Clothing. 408 West Park Ave. (next to Market Place), Greenwood. 455-2243.

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Snore no more with Silent Night Snore Guard. Make the resolution for better beauty sleep. Make an appointment today at Stuckey Family Dentistry. 912 Medallion Drive, Greenwood. 453-5143.

iáÖÜí=ré=vçìê=pãáäÉ GLO Science Professional Teeth Whitening gets you your whitest, brightest smile in under an hour, with no pain! It combines the power of GLO warming heat and light with professional strength whitening gel applied by our dental professionals.

Ask about our take-home kits, too.

Family Dental Associates, PLLC. 702 Hwy. 82 West, Suite A, Greenwood. 453-5536.

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The Museum of the Mississippi Delta has the largest selection of cotton vehicle tags in the Delta. Choose from over 20 different colors and varieties. $20.

Available at the Museum of the Mississippi Delta. 1608 Hwy. 82 West, Greenwood. 453-0925.

Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated / 4P

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Spencer’s impact was deeply felt

S

omeone on the radio the other day was saying she wants her son to read the Harry Potter books before watching the series in film because that way the child would form his own particular image of Harry separate from that in the movies.

Fiction, when deeply enjoyed, demands engagement, a partnership of the imagination between the writer and the reader.

Years ago, when I was teaching GED classes to grown men and women, one student took a story about growing up on a farm home to read and was astonished to find that as she read, images from the written page began to appear like a movie playing inside her head.

She had become a participant.

Could this type of experience account for how stricken some of us felt when we learned that Carrollton native Elizabeth Spencer, one of Mississippi’s great fiction writers, had died Dec. 22 at her home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina? She was 98, so how do we explain the unexpected grief?

Maybe a tiny bit of ourselves was boxed into that ever-expanding compartment filled with people and things that used to be?

Certainly, there’s the perpetual admiration for Spencer’s elegant prose, compelling characters and acute perceptions of what lies at the heart of how we interact with one another. But these unchangeable truths remain in the here and now, available in libraries and from booksellers. Among these are two or three volumes I particularly prefer. One is i~åÇëÅ~éÉë=çÑ=íÜÉ=eÉ~êí, a memoir with stories about her family and its place at Teoc, among other locations.

Another is qÜÉ=iáÖÜí=áå=íÜÉ=má~òò~, published in 1960 after she lived in Italy on a Guggenheim fellowship. The novella tells the story of an American woman and her developmentally delayed daughter who are visiting Italy when a young Italian man and her daughter fall in love. The story was adapted into a Tony Award-winning musical, or opera. When it opened on Broadway in 2005, Spencer attended with her cousins from Schlater, the late Aven and May Whittington.

And there is g~Åâ=çÑ=aá~ãçåÇë, a collection of short stories my grandmother gave me when it was published in 1988. Or did I buy it myself? My grandmother and mother had introduced me to Spencer’s work long before.

Among my treasures is a 1964 copy of qÜÉ aÉäí~=oÉîáÉï=with an article by Spencer QU / Winter 2020 ibcilob Illustrated

about Carrollton, the Delta and Lizzie George Henderson’s electric car. The magazine, published out of Greenville, had articles and ads reflecting the interests of a relatively affluent, artsy and perhaps intellectual set. It appealed to subscribers not only in the Delta, but also in Memphis, where I grew up. Members of my family subscribed, and my grandmother saved a good many copies. These eventually came to me.

The article’s a fairly long read by today’s standards, and within it is the tale of how “Miss Lizzie George Henderson,” a bona fide grand dame, tried to drive her fancy electric car up Valley Hill, and the car stalled. It just couldn’t make the climb.

Spencer wrote, “... I remember, not because I saw it, but because I was told about it ... .”

We all inherit other people’s stories and memories, which gives us a continuing understanding of the people from the generation right before ours and those that came before.

Over the years, people from Greenwood and Carrollton talked to me about the Elizabeth Spencer they knew. Remarks from the late Louise Marshall still elicit a smile. Marshall once said she and her sister and brother-in-law, the late Ethel and Lawrence Bibus, had a party for Spencer in their home in Carrollton. Beforehand, they asked Spencer what she would like to drink.

Scotch was the answer. They had bourbon but not scotch, so someone drove “all

the way to Greenwood” to buy scotch for the honoree. A bar was set up in the kitchen. After everyone left, there sat the bottle of scotch, unopened. Marshall was indignant.

Another time, she ran into Spencer and Eudora Welty at lunch at Primo’s restaurant in Jackson. Marshall approached their table, fluttering and saying, “Oh! I am so glad the two of you know each other!” She said Spencer replied, “Please, Louise! This is a BUSINESS meeting.”

Marshall’s anecdotes remain as vivid as that copy of qÜÉ=aÉäí~=oÉîáÉï, and I have imagined the kitchen with the bar as light blue with formica counters edged with metal. At Primo’s, the sun was shining, and Welty and Spencer were eating chef salads.

Some memories are my own. Long ago, the late Mary Jayne Whittington invited me to her house to interview Spencer. We were sitting on a sofa in the living room. Although Spencer was kind and generous, I was nervous, so I edged off the sofa and onto the carpet, and asked questions from there.

Since then, I have sometimes conducted difficult interviews from a seat on the floor.

Recently, the novelist Jamie Kornegay of Grenada and I recollected Spencer’s book signing and reading at Turnrow Book Co. in 2014, when he was running the store. He remembered the day was snowy. He said he was pleased when Spencer remarked, “Independent bookstores are the last hope for literature.”It made him, his wife, Kelly, and the staff of the store feel validated.

Jamie and I both remembered that she wore something bright red and plaid. A long scarf, I think.

At the event, I listened, but mainly I looked. Spencer was 92 and had just published pí~êíáåÖ=lîÉê, a collection of new stories. She was full of grit and passion. No wonder my grandmother was a fan. She was also a long-lived, determined woman.

Many years ago, after Sunday services at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity, I came home and telephoned my grandmother, who by then was elderly. “Nannaw,” I said. “Guess who was across the aisle at church today?”

“Who?” she asked, and I reported, “Elizabeth Spencer!”

And my grandmother said, “Oh!!! I wish exciting things like that happened to me.” n pìë~å=jçåíÖçãÉêó=áë=~=êÉÖìä~ê=ÅçåíêáÄìíçê íç=Leflore IllustratedK LI