NATCHEZ
PUBLISHER
Stacy Graning
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Jan Griffey
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Stacy Graning
Jan Griffey
Ben Hillyer
Sabrina Robertson
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Justin Clarkston
Lisa Sanders
DeNora Stewart
CONTACT INFORMATION
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Natchez the Magazine is published six times a year by Natchez Newspapers Inc.
A one-year subscription to Natchez the Magazine is $18. Single copies are available at select locations throughout the Natchez area. www.natchezthemagazine.com
Copyright 2024 by Natchez Newspapers, Inc.
IIs it just me, or do we seem to in the midst of a reading renaissance?
From Goodreads to Book Tok, Oprah to Reese Witherspoon, Instagram to book clubs, it’s cool to be a reader once again.
And I’m here for it.
There’s nothing quite like getting lost in a good book, whether your preference leans toward thrillers or historical fiction to fantasy. You can find online communities to foster your love of reading, no matter how niche your interests may be. But there’s nothing quite as enjoyable as talking over your latest book with fellow readers – picking their brains for insights and commiserating over disappointing characters and plot twists.
That’s the theory behind the Natchez Book Club, founded by Michael Gray and several other serial readers here in Natchez. The club, which meets monthly at the Judge George W. Armstrong Library, is open to all readers and encourages readers to share insights on whatever they are reading at the time, whether a common read or a personal favorite.
I’m thrilled that Michael has agreed to share his insights in the “What to Read Next” column of Natchez Magazine. His first installment is in this edition, and I was proud to notice I’d already read several of his recommendations – and have two others on my ever-growing TBR list. I can’t wait to see what Michael and the group recommend in the upcoming year … and I’m looking forward to joining the club for the monthly book club meetings.
If books aren’t your thing, there’s plenty more to enjoy in this edition of Natchez Magazine. Jan Griffey delves into the story of a soldier with a Natchez connection who saved the life of a Chinese interpreter more than 50 years ago and the letter to the editor that connected the families of both men.
Sabrina Robertson shares the story of one woman’s battle with breast cancer and the charity she founded that continues to help other women who face the same challenges.
For design aficionados, we have a lovely story about the renovation of historic Christ Church in Church Hill, spearheaded by Tate Taylor and John Norris, and a sneak peek at Natchez Gallery Suites, a stunning collaboration that brings a touch of Havana and Miami to the history of Natchez.
Julianna Wallace Rabb, a lifestyle influencer, and John Grady Burns teamed up to bring rustic elegance to the tabletop, sharing more than a few tips to easy and impactful entertaining along the way.
Favorite soup recipes, lots of fall-themed goodies in our shopping pages and more await you inside.
So enjoy this edition of Natchez Magazine.
SOUP’S ON
As temperatures drop and pumpkins begin to dominate the landscape, soup weather returns to the Miss-Lou. Whether it’s a bowl of gumbo while watching the Saints play, a nourishing bowl of soup made from the squash and pumpkins so prevalent during the fall or an indulgent creamy potato soup variant, there’s so much to love about soup season. Here are some new options to add to your recipe box
STRACCIATELLA SOUP
By Dan Pelosi
INGREDIENTS
6 c. chicken or vegetable broth
3 large eggs
1/4 c. grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Crushed red pepper flakes
4 c. fresh spinach
DIRECTIONS
Add broth to a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a strong simmer.
While broth is coming to a boil, add eggs, parmesan, parsley, basil, and nutmeg to a small bowl. Whisk until completely combined.
Taste broth, and adjust the seasoning as desired with salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes.
While stock is at a strong simmer, slowly add the egg mixture, stirring the broth in a circular motion so that strands of eggs form. (Take your time with this, it’s worth it.)
Add the spinach, give it a quick stir, and let spinach wilt into the stock. Taste and adjust flavors once again.
Distribute the Stracciatella among bowls and top with Parmesan and black pepper.
By Dan Pelosi
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, smashed Chicken or vegetable broth, amount depends on how soupy you want your fagioli
Parmesan rinds and grated parmesan cheese
1 lb. ditalini
Fresh basil, chopped
Couple handfuls kale, chopped into ribbons
28-oz. can crushed, chopped, or pureed tomatoes
Small can tomato paste
2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
DIRECTIONS
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pot. Add 6 cloves of smashed garlic and sizzle on medium heat until browned. Add broth and parmesan rinds. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
Boil ditalini in a big pot of salty water until al dente.
Add can of tomatoes and tomato paste to broth and simmer. Drain ditalini, then add to sauce along with beans and kale. Add more broth if you desire a soupier Pasta Fagioli. Simmer until kale is wilted and beans are heated through. Stir in basil and grated parmesan.
Serve with a more grated parmesan.
You can use homemade brothy beans here if you desire!
Both the beans and the broth add a lovely depth of flavor to this dish.
BLACK BEAN PUMPKIN SOUP
Adapted from Gourmet, November 1996 INGREDIENTS
Three 15 1/2 ounce cans black beans (about 4 1/2 cups), rinsed and drained
1 cup drained canned tomatoes, chopped
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup minced shallot
4 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
4 cups beef broth
a 16-ounce can pumpkin puree (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup dry Sherry
1/2 pound cooked ham, cut into 1/8-inch dice
3 to 4 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
Garnish: sour cream and coarsely chopped lightly toasted pumpkin seeds
DIRECTIONS
In a food processor coarsely puree beans and tomatoes. In a 6-quart heavy kettle cook
onion, shallot, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until onion is softened and beginning to brown. Stir in bean puree. Stir in broth, pumpkin, and Sherry until combined and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Just before serving, add ham and vinegar and simmer soup, stirring, until heated through. Season soup with salt and pepper. Serve soup garnished with sour cream and toasted pumpkin seeds.
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND FETA SOUP
Skinnytaste.com
INGREDIENTS
3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed (16 ounces total)
1 large sweet onion, cut into wedges
1 sprig fresh sage
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme, plus more leaves for garnish
Kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1 whole garlic head, cut in half lengthwise
1 6-ounce feta block, plus 1 more ounce for garnish
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cups vegetable broth, or chicken broth
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Combine butternut squash, onion, sage, rosemary and thyme in a large baking dish & toss with 2½ tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt & fresh cracked black pepper. Nestle each half of the garlic head into the vegetables, cut side down.
Create a hole in the center and place feta block, drizzle with remaining olive oil.
Roast until squash is tender and feta is caramelized, about 30-35 minutes.
Remove herbs and squeeze out roasted garlic. Transfer vegetables and cheese to the blender; add broth and blend until smooth. Warm on the stove when ready to serve. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with extra feta and fresh thyme leaves. Makes 7 cups. Alternatively, the blending can be done with an immersion blender directly in a pot on the stovetop– the soup won’t be as creamy, but will have the same great flavor.
Soup can/should be transferred to a pot to keep warm or reduce to a thicker consistency if desired.
A bit of calabrian chili paste or chili crisp makes for a delicious garnish.
PASTA E FAGIOLI
CREAMY WHITE CHICKEN CHILI CORN CHOWDER
Halfbakedharvest.com
INGREDIENTS
6 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups yellow corn kernels (from about 4 ears corn)
1 russet potato, peeled and cubed
1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or thighs
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
kosher salt and black pepper
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded if desired, and chopped
2 cups milk
4 ounces cream cheese, melted 3/4 cup salsa verde
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped avocado, cheddar, and yogurt, for serving
DIRECTIONS
In a large pot over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon and reserve for topping.
To the pot, add the onion, cook until fragrant, 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, paprika, chili powder, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook 5-10 minutes, until very fragrant. Add the corn, potato, and chicken,
then stir in the broth. Season with more salt and pepper. Partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
Pull the chicken out and shred using 2 forks.
Transfer 3/4 of the chowder to a blender and blend until mostly smooth. Return to the pot. Stir in the poblano, jalapeño, milk, cream cheese, salsa verde and cheddar. Cook 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. If needed, thin with additional milk.
Ladle the chili into bowls. Top, as desired, with bacon, yogurt, cheese, avocado, cilantro, and green onions. Eat and enjoy!
LUXURIOUS LOUNGING
This beautiful Mississippi made ottoman from Darby’s Furniture showcases the rich colors of Fall and will add drama to your décor year-round.
$2,811
Fall It’s
YAs the “ber” months arrive and the calendar tells us it’s Fall –even if the temperatures are still pushing 80 degrees. So let’s give our closets and our homes a Fall reset, so we can enjoy all the cozy colors of our favorite season.
PUMPKIN PILLOW
This painted pillow at One of A Kind is perfect for indoors or on a covered
One of a Kind, $36.
A PAINTED LOOK
This custom painted pumpkin was crafted by local artist Catherine Myers Oswalt. The Painted Petal, $26.
HEAD TO TOE
The perfect Fall out does exist. This quilted Rio Romper steals the show when paired with sleek boots and a stunning beaded tiger bag, for all those LSU fans out there.
Soiree. Romper, $348; Boots, $89; beaded purse with chain strap, $90.
HANG IT ON THE TREE
It’s never too early to think about the holidays, and Natchez artist Aimee Guido has created a limited number of Fall themed ornaments for 2024, from boots to blue trucks with pumpkins to a Chinoiserie pumpkin.
Truck ornament, $18; Pumpkin ornament (varying designs) $25; boot ornaments, $15 each.
More info at aimeeguido@gmail.com.
and fun for the Fall Moreton’s, $325.
whimsy
SETTING THE TABLE
Rustic Elegance
JTexture, natural elements and a hint of shine combine
ulianna Wallace Rabb admits she has been leaning into natural elements and textures recently.
From hosting a goingaway skeet shoot for her brother on the farm to adding to her collection of Spode Woodland dinnerware, she’s working to perfect the combination of masculine and feminine hunter and huntress.
Rabb, a social media influencer who highlights life in Natchez and the Miss-Lou, said making entertaining accessible –from easy-cleanup to designs that give big
impact with minimal effort – is important.
And when she partnered with designer John Grady Burns of Nest, the result is an elegantly rustic table filled with texture and appeal.
“We wanted to create something that would go from Fall into Thanksgiving,” said Burns, owner of Nest in Natchez.
“We used her wedding china and started pulling things together.”
A textured tonal tablecloth provides the base. “We picked a color theme and stuck with it,” Rabb said. “Even though
STORY BY STACY GRANING
PHOTOS BY BEN HILLYER
SETTING THE TABLE
once it was set up it looks so elegant and beautiful and high-end, it wasn’t complicated at all.”
The quail feather placemats from nest provide a dramatic backdrop to the classic Spode Woodland dinner plates. Simple white napkins are always appropriate, Burns said, adding the placement under the plates created a more casual arrangement for diners.
Tall brass candlesticks sourced from an estate sale provide height. “And we a paired them with the Chinese lanterns for a bit of drama,” Burns said.
The centerpiece – a explosion of dried oak leaf hydrangeas – is a perfect example of the designer’s trick. “If you pull together one type of flowers en masse, it’s an easy informal arrangement that is still striking” Burns said. “It creates an emotion, a feel when you enter the room.”
A bit of gold spray paint repurposed the wire basket that holds the centerpiece and complements the gold-edged stemware and metal of the candlesticks and lanterns.
“That’s what I love about John Grady,” Rabb said. “Whether I order an arrangement from him or go to one of his
classes, he’s always pulling in natural elements and things from the garden to decorate.”
Green goblets play off the background of the dinnerplates and repeat the natural theme. “And the thing I love about Spode Woodland is that it’s classic and timeless and every single piece can go in the dishwasher,” Rabb said with a laugh. “It looks so beautiful, and when it’s over you don’t have to handwash anything.”
John Grady Burns is owner and designer at Nest. Julianna Wallace Rabb can be found at www.makelifejuicyy.com.
What to read next?
From new twists on familiar tales to epic novels spanning generations, the Natchez Book Club members share some of their favorite recent reads.
JAMES
By Percival Everett
When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father, recently returned to town. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and too-often-unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond.
GO TO HELL OLE
MISS
By Jeff Barry
Big John, a former POW in WWII, thinks women are smarter than men.
The three
women in his life agree, especially when he brags about knowing more Shakespeare than anyone else in Hope Springs, Mississippi. Big John is overly proud of the only seven words of Shakespeare that he knows: The prince of darkness is a gentleman. When Big John and his wife learn their beloved daughter has been beaten to the point of death by the man Big John pressured her to marry, he needs only three of these words: prince, darkness, and gentleman.
THE COVENANT OF WATER
By Abraham Verghese.
Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is set in Kerala, on India’s Malabar Coast, and follows three generations of a family that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning—and in Kerala, water is everywhere. At the turn of the century, a twelve-year-old girl from Kerala’s Christian community, grieving the death of her father, is sent by boat to her wedding, where she will meet her forty-year-old husband for the first time. From this unforgettable new beginning, the young girl—and future matriarch, Big Ammachi—will witness unthinkable changes over the span of her extraordinary life, full of joy and triumph as well as hardship and loss, her faith and love the only constants
THE GUNCLE
By Steven Rowley.
Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is honestly a bit out of his league.
So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick’s brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of “Guncle Rules” ready to go, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled career, and a lifestyle not-sosuited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Quickly realizing that parenting—even if temporary—isn’t solved with treats and jokes, Patrick’s eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you’re unfailingly human
TRUST
By Hernan Diaz
Even through the roar and effervescence of the 1920s, everyone in New York has heard of Benjamin and Helen Rask. He is a legendary Wall Street tycoon;
she is the daughter of eccentric aristocrats. Together, they have risen to the very top of a world of seemingly boundless wealth—all as a decade of excess and speculation draws to an end. But at what cost have they acquired their immense fortune? This is the mystery at the center of Bonds, a successful 1937 novel that all of New York seems to have read. Yet there are other versions of this tale of privilege and deceit.
A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW
By Amor Towles
In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, and is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors.
HOME AND GARDEN
FOR THE KIDS
Victorian home gets fully decorated for Halloween
STORY AND PHOTOS BY SABRINA ROBERTSON
Though all of Eric West and Charlotte Brent’s children and grandchildren have grown, they still find it thrilling to entertain Natchez community youngsters with a house decorated from shingle to fencepost for Halloween.
Their part-time home at 401 N. Commerce St. is a lovely Victorian-era house built in 1897. But during the fall, the exterior takes on a haunting appearance.
The couple bought the house in 2019, but both grew up in Natchez. Brent said she graduated from Natchez High School and West said he attended Cathedral.
The house had belonged to the Netterville family since
the 1950s. Brent said they were able to store a lot of their decorations in Virginia Netterville’s old office where she kept her supplies for her jewelry store.
“It’s funny; this was the last house that I wanted to look at,” Brent said. “I thought I didn’t want a Victorian house because the rooms are typically smaller and there are a lot of them. But when we walked in the woodwork in this place was just incredible. ... The house has its own personality.”
While the neighborhood has few trick-or-treaters, the couple invites any neighborhood children to walk through their yard and get a closer look at their
Halloween displays.
“My mother and sister are florists and that’s where I get all this wanting to decorate from,” Brent said.
Much of the yard décor is animated and comes to life whenever anyone gets close.
A scary red-eyed wolf bares its teeth and growls while its master, who doesn’t have any skin, stands at least 12 feet tall holding him on a leash.
A ghoulish eight-foot-tall boogeyman turns back and forth guarding the front porch, his eyes glowing while an eerie voice calls out, “There is no escape.”
“The collection started with the
Boogeyman and people loved him so much we said we’ve got to do something else.”
They then added the dog and the skeleton.
West’s favorite decoration, he said, is a small ghost hanging at the corner of the yard just above the iron fence. It turns with the breeze, giving it a lifelike — or afterlife-like — appearance.
“It follows you,” he said of anyone who walks by the ghost, especially at night.
The entire yard ensemble took several weekends, around five days total, to assemble with just West and Brent doing
all of the decorating.
“When is just us it takes a while, but less time when we have some help,” West said.
“He is my biggest help,” Brent said of West.
West said the most difficult of the decorations to put up is the graveyard at the side of the house, because there are so many parts to it. Skeletal hands appear to be clawing their way out of the ground.
The arrangement of skeletons has Brent’s personal touch to amuse some spectators.
Next to those skeletons, their nonburied brothers have a friendly game of
ring toss while their diva sister wearing a crown and a string of beads around her neck sits in “time out,” West said.
That was the impression that the skeletal woman gave their neighbor’s toddler granddaughter.
“She isn’t scared of anything,” Brent said. When she saw the skeleton sitting in her chair while two others play ring toss, the girl insisted that she had been bad and
was in “time out.”
“She loves Halloween, and I told Sissy (my neighbor) to bring her through here and let her touch this stuff. It’s amazing how many people come through here and stop and I just tell them to bring their children and grandchildren and let them look at it,” Brent said. “We didn’t do all of this work for nothing. We want people to look at it.”
The house gets equally decorated for Christmas, with human-sized nutcrackers guarding the front door.
“We basically do Halloween and Christmas, our two big event things,” Brent said. “I’ll probably be adding more to our Christmas decorations this year. It’s a fun thing for the kids. It’s for people to stop and say ‘oh my.’ To me, life is about the kids — making them smile.”
TEA AND GLOVES
Ivery’s cancer battle serves as inspiration for foundation
Under each flamboyant hat owned by Joyce Washington Ivery is a woman whose story has inspired others with similar challenges over the last 30 years.
Ivery said she has “always loved hats” and collected them for as long as she can remember.
“I’ve never counted them,” she said. “I have all colors and sometimes two or three of the same color but in a different style.”
Ivery’s collection started over from scratch after Aug. 29, 2005, when Hurricane Katrina destroyed her home and her life in New Orleans.
It was after her move to Natchez that Washington started the annual Hats and Gloves With Tea on the Mississippi event, which is a fundraiser for her now 30-year-old 501(c)3 foundation called the Edna B. and Joyce Fay
STORY BY SABRINA ROBERTSON
PHOTOS BY BEN HILLYER
Washington Breast Cancer Foundation.
It was named for both Ivery and her late mother Edna B. Washington.
“My mother was not a breast cancer survivor but was so supportive of me through the time I went through it,” Ivery said.
The organization offers support group services and financially supports underserved and underinsured populations who can’t afford annual mammograms, sonograms or treatment.
The tea’s first year had been celebrated in Ivery’s backyard 14 years ago, she said.
“I had a Christmas tea in New Orleans we called the Yuletide Tea and used those funds to support women who were unable to buy a prosthesis,” Ivery said. “The vision was to help underserved women in the New Orleans community ... We wanted to continue the mission in Natchez.”
Ivery had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 1989.
“I remember it so very well,” she said. “When you get a call, you know what the call is about. If it’s a good scan normally you’d get something in the mail saying everything is all right. When the doctor calls you it’s not good. I was in the very beginning stage and he said something looks suspicious and that it might be cancer.”
Ivery said she had a followup exam and told the doctor that she couldn’t recline in the exam chair.
“I had to sit up. Reclined I felt helpless and I didn’t want to feel helpless,” she said. Her first lump was benign, but her doctor wanted it removed. She remembered thinking that with any other
outcome, she would “just die” rather than undergo treatment, not knowing years later that she would have a reoccurrence and that it wouldn’t be benign.
She had a choice between a lumpectomy, chemo and radiation therapy or a mastectomy and she opted for the latter.
With that, she continued to take a daily medication for seven years.
Her insurance would not cover any reconstructive surgery.
“I would wait and check and find out what resources are available,” she said. “Later I got a call and the nurse said (the doctor) would do it for me without charge. I can’t express how grateful I was.”
Ivery wanted others to experience the same level of gratitude she felt knowing that her procedure was covered when she started the foundation in New Orleans. There, she also began a network of women in a support group. It was much later that she had a complication and had to have her saline implant removed from her chest.
Ivery was in the hospital when the hurricane came; two drainage tubes were attached to her.
She felt weak from just having surgery.
She wound up spending one night in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center when the City of New Orleans went underwater.
“I could not believe the number of people there. There were people everywhere,” Ivery said. Though she stands at just over five feet tall, Ivery somehow managed to spot her cousin from Natchez out of thousands of people in the crowd. She moved with him to
ABOVE: Vounzell Murphy was voted as a favorite during the hat parade of the Hats and Tea On The Mississippi fundraiser at the Natchez Grand Hotel Sunday.
Natchez on Sept. 1, 2005.
“I know that that was God. It’s very clear to me that that was God because there were just so many people going up and down the area, calling out the names of family members, trying to find people. I sat there and I thought about how blessed that was, that God put him in my path, so I will always remember that and be grateful,” she said.
Ivery said it was never her intent to stay in Natchez indefinitely after the hurricane, but the “little country town” in Mississippi turned out to be a huge blessing to her. She fell in love with its people and began hosting her support groups both in Natchez and in New Orleans each year. During the COVID-19 pandemic, those who couldn’t travel to connect to support group meetings were able to do so virtually
and that has continued to be the case.
“It was by divine order that I remained here,” she said. “Staying here was not my plan. My plan was that I would have my house repaired and that I would move back to New Orleans.
I kept having experiences visiting churches and pastors talking about the Prophet Elijah. He had to run from his hometown and God said to him that he
RIGHT: Bessie Bradley relishes the angelic sounds of the harp during the Hats and Tea On The Mississippi fundraiser at the Natchez Grand Hotel Sunday.
would provide shelter and food.”
With her house destroyed, Ivery had nothing to take with her.
Two of her college roommates from Athens, Texas, threw her a shower to replace her belongings.
“I had absolutely nothing after Katrina,” Ivery said. “I never say ‘I don’t have anything to wear’ anymore because now I know what it’s like not to have anything to wear. Instead, I say ‘What do I feel like wearing?’”
In March 2021, Ivery published her experiences through that challenging period of her life and her poetry in a book titled “The Pretty Pink Ribbon: A Breast Cancer Survivor’s Hurricane Katrina Story.”
“It was an experience, but there are many stories much worse than mine,” she said.
The foundation survived the hurricane and continues to support people in Natchez, who receive funds through a collaboration with Merit Health Natchez.
“In June we officially acknowledged 30 years of service and I’m proud and grateful for that,” she said. “You don’t hear of any
support groups lasting that long. We started with five charter members and we have two now. The other three have transitioned. In each of those cases, the cancer metastasized to other parts of their body.”
While the Hats and Gloves With Tea program has survived, Ivery said she cannot say that it is thriving.
“The last few years our attendance has been inconsistent but the women who come thoroughly enjoy it. If we had the same people there last year with the people we had this year it would’ve been standing room only.”
Ivery said the funds that pay for mammograms at Merit Health, after the fall fundraiser, typically “dry up around May and might go into June.”
“We don’t raise enough,” she said. “I look forward to the day that we get sponsorships along the way so that the funds will last the calendar year. Our goal is prevention. We want to serve women before they get to the point of having breast surgery. The mainstream cancer foundations don’t do that. Our mom-and-
pop organization does.”
It is not a requirement to wear a hat to attend the tea, which is typically held on the third weekend of September. Ivery said the tea this year included a “parade of hats.”
“Ladies who wore a hat were given a number and they didn’t know what it was for,” she said. “We asked all the ladies to come to the front and everyone received a small card to vote for the prettiest hat.”
Ivery said she continues to impress upon women the importance of taking care of their bodies and receiving an annual exam, particularly Black women who traditionally have only discovered cancer when it has become advanced to the third or fourth stage.
“I’d say it is 50-50 Black women and white women who receive the money,” she said. “We’re the best-kept secret in Natchez. The more we can get the word out about it, the more people we can help.”
To learn more about the Edna B. and Joyce Fay Washington Breast Cancer Foundation, or to contribute, visit www. washingtonbreastcancerfoundation.com.
Vidalia alderwoman Valencia Hall, right, reads a proclamation from the city celebrating the accomplishments of the The Edna B. and Joyce Fay Washington Breast Cancer Foundation and its founder Joyce Washington-Ivery.
Love at first sight
Tate Taylor falls for Christ Episcopal Church
When filmmaker Tate Taylor rounded a bend on Mississippi Highway 553 in Jefferson County a decade ago, the sight of Christ
Episcopal Church struck him emotionally.
“A spiritual awakening washed over me,” he said.
“The most beautiful Gothic Revival church was on top of
STORY BY CAROLYN VANCE SMITH
PHOTOS BY BEN HILLYER, TATE TAYLOR AND SUBMITTED
FEATURE that little hill.
“The church was quietly commanding the community. I had to stop the car and get out to look at it. I loved it.”
Since he was a child, Taylor has been fascinated by history and historic preservation, he said. “When I was 11 years old, I begged to visit Colonial Williamsburg, Va. That was a great trip for me.”
Following the success of their films “The Help” in 2011 and “Get on Up” in 2014, Taylor and his partner, John Norris, bought their dream home, the historic mansion Wyolah, a short distance from Christ Church.
The meticulous restoration of Wyolah and its outbuildings is a testament to Taylor’s passion for historical accuracy.
Like Taylor, Norris has a deep affinity for Christ Church. “The church is beautiful,” he said. “And the community is wonderful.”
The two are active church members and, since 2019, co-chairmen of the church’s restoration fund.
“Tate was a building contractor before he began a career as a filmmaker,” Norris said. “He has devoted many, many months to leading the Christ Church restoration project.”
Christ Church, which dates to 1820, is considered the “cradle” of the Episcopal
BELOW: Pews were relocated for repairs while the church’s floor, walls, and ceiling were restored to their original state in 1858.
Diocese of Mississippi because the congregation was the first to be formed.
The current Christ Church building dates to 1857-1858. It replaced two earlier structures including, first, a log cabin a mile away and, second, an 1828 building on the present site.
The unincorporated community long ago took its name, Church Hill, from the imposing site of the church.
Though minor repairs were made to the church through the years, the last major work was done in 1941. The church was deteriorating in many areas.
Today’s brick building had originally been stuccoed and scored to resemble stone masonry. That treatment on the interior had worn away
ABOVE: The walls, painted and scored to resemble masonry blocks; the pews, returned to their mahogany hue; and the floor, with its heart pine beauty again revealed captivated church-goers at the first service after restoration on Sept. 22, 2024.
FEATURE through the years to be almost indiscernible, Norris said. “It has been beautifully restored,” he said.
Other work includes the restoration of the church floor, interior walls, ceiling and all 54 pews and the repair of damaged stainedglass windows, entrance ways, altar furniture and prayer kneelers.
“Only the most talented craftsmen were chosen,” Norris said. “They have taken great pride in their work. They are honored to be involved.”
The church also has a new roof and, for the first time, central air and heat.
Research for the work has come from church records and books, photographs, oral histories, the National Register of Historic Places, Carter Burns and Mimi Miller of Historic Natchez Foundation and from on-site investigations.
Major funding has come from Christ Church members and friends of the church. “There is still a lot to be done,” Taylor said. “The historic cemetery near the church is begging for attention.”
Two ongoing fundraisers include the Pew Fund and the sale of artistic renderings of the church.
A tax-deductible $500 donation to restore a pew can honor someone living or deceased. Donations may be sent by check made out to
Christ Church’s red door symbolizes the blood of Christ, refuge both spiritual and physical, and hospitality.
Christ Church Pew Fund and mailed to Christ Church, 57 Church Hill Road, Natchez, MS 39120. The honoree’s name should be on the check’s memo line. The art, called “Four Seasons of Christ Church,” features a four-piece watercolor/pen-and-ink set by Will Smith, Jr., of Natchez and New Orleans. Sets cost $100 each and are for sale at Church Hill Variety, a store across from the church. All proceeds benefit the church.
Recently, a second service was added so that worship at Christ Church is at 2 p.m. on second and fourth Sundays of each month. The Rev. Sam Godfrey of Vicksburg conducts the services.
“All are welcomed and invited to worship at Christ Church,” Norris said.
FROM HAVANA TO MIAMI TO HISTORIC NATCHEZ
Styles come together for relaxed, upscale experience at Natchez Gallery Suites
STORY BY JAN GRIFFEY
PHOTOS BY CHRISTIAN GRANGER
NATCHEZ — Natchez is home to many shortterm rentals and bed and breakfasts, all beautifully appointed and some steeped in the city’s history.
The newly available Natchez Gallery Suites, above Conde Contemporary on Main Street in the historic former Bank of
Mississippi Building, circa 1893, are an extension of the art gallery below and certainly an extension of the artful personalities of owners Stacy and Andres Conde.
For the couple — she originally from Miami and he from Havana —the suites reflect the art they see and enjoy in life itself. Furnishings and design of the
suites were carefully curated to be elegant yet comfortable, rustic but high-end.
“We want people to be able to come and feel good. We want them to have an upscale, elegant experience, but one that encourages them to relax. They are in no way stuffy. Relaxed elegance is the goal,” Stacy Conde
LEFT: Many of the pieces of art and furnishings are available for purchase through consignment.
ABOVE: The Gallery Suites offer an eclectic mix of contemporary and antique fixtures, furnishings and art.
said.
The Condes moved their gallery from Coral Gables to Natchez in 2020 during the pandemic.
“We found each other in the most Gen X of ways, at Lollapalooza in 1994. It was art that brought us together and art that continues to be the common theme in our lives,” Stacy Conde said.
The couple opened their first gallery, Goodman-Conde Gallery in Miami’s Design District in 1998, then Conde Contemporary in 2013.
“The gallery originally specialized exclusively in contemporary Cuban art, and has since expanded to include an international group of artists with a focus on conceptual art, realism and surrealism,” she said.
While Stacy Conde is from Miami, she said her roots are firmly planted in Mississippi and Natchez.
“We were looking for a place closer to family and bought a house in Natchez in 2018.”
The couple sheltered in place in Natchez
during the pandemic, and later couldn’t imagine leaving.
They bought the former Bank of Mississippi Building and moved the gallery to Natchez.
“At that time, our total focus was on the first floor and getting the gallery done,” she said.
Andres used the front half of the second floor as his studio. “The light was remarkable there.”
Until recently, the second floor was empty and in need of renovation.
“There was nothing up there other than stacks of powdered concrete that had turned into actual concrete. That was fun,” she said.
“It was always our intention of turning the second floor into guest apartments for visiting artists or clients. We do have clients who come here and stay with us in Natchez. And we will rent them out when they are not occupied.”
The design of the apartments is like much of the Condes’ life: A team effort.
“I did the design work,” she said. “I say
that, I did the design work, but everything I do, I do with Andres Conde. He’s the peanut butter to my jelly. Literally not a thing I do that I don’t consult with him on or get his feedback on. He executes a lot of what I am thinking about.”
Some of the walls in the apartments are a perfect example of that teamwork.
“Everyone told me I had to cover those wood boards and put up drywall. I said no. I love the old, exposed wood. It’s funky and cool and shows you how this building was built. Andres was with me on that.
“I told him I wanted them to look like distressed copper. Aged copper. Old, wet copper. That’s the bonus of being married to a brilliant painter. He can absolutely conceptualize what I’m talking about and has the technical skills to execute it.”
The large, elegant yet eclectic bathrooms in the two suites are prime examples of the feel the Condes seek for their guests.
Marble subway tiles provide an elegant design that is incredibly comfortable.
“Everybody loves a bathroom. I love a bathroom. I wanted to do the marble
subway tile to go eight feet up the walls in the shower, then around that, we put a marble chair railing,” she said.
All of the fixtures in the suites are brass.
“I was very particular about using actual brass on all the fixtures, down to the switch plates. When it’s brass and you touch it and it feels good, it puts you in a better state of mind. It feels more elegant. It’s just a game changer.”
The Condes scoured the south seeking furniture and finishes for the apartments.
One of the stunning bedroom chandeliers is a French Empire Montgolfier beaded chandelier from the 1920s, which the Condes found from The Bank in New Orleans.
“They started making those around the same time when hot air balloons became a thing,” she said.
Also from The Bank is a set of double doors that are a statement piece in the apartments.
“We needed a door or something to fill the space between two rooms in the back apartment. At The Bank in New Orleans, these nine-feet-tall, crazy green doors caught my eye,” she said. “The owner told me they came out of the house of an American doctor who was living in the Middle East. They are from the 1860s. The doctor brought them from his home in the
Middle East back with him to his house in New Orleans,” Conde said. “They do have such a Middle Eastern vibe to them. When I saw them, I knew they needed brasscolored snake door handles. Those doors are a work of art.”
The Condes were pleasantly surprised by the number of pieces they found available in Vicksburg.
“The way we did these apartments, it’s not like we could go to a showroom and pick it all out. We went all over the South in general. Andres drove to Alabama to pick us some things and we went to Texas to pick up a chifferobe. We spent a lot of time in Vicksburg. We got some amazing things there.”
She mentioned how pleased she was with her finds from The Open Market and Katzenmeyer’s in Vicksburg.
“We got some amazing things from The Open Market. We found a valet with a brass bowl on top to hold cufflinks and wallets and it has beautiful wood and brass for feet at the bottom to put shoes on,” Conde said. They also bought a marble console table there.
At Katzenmeyer’s, they bought the chandelier that hangs in one of the bathrooms in the apartment as well as several chairs and a marble top table.
“Both of these places gave us really great
prices,” she said. “We tried to do this on a budget so we looked for good deals. We wanted to make it really beautiful, but we had to be careful.”
The Condes purchased a number of pieces for the apartment from local antique dealers, of course.
“We bought a spectacular chandelier for the hallway and a marble top table from Ole Man River Antiques in Natchez,” Conde said. “We combined antiques with contemporary pieces for a comfortable and relaxed yet vintage feel.”
Conde noted Dop Antiques in New Orleans provided some furnishing in the apartment, which are available for purchase.
“That store is wonderful. They get containers of antiques from France and you can poke around in them.
“These suites are filled with original artwork of the artists we represent in the gallery. When you stay there, you are living with fine art. It creates an ambiance. You can admire it and try to understand how it is made. You are living with art in a relaxed and comfortable and contemporary way. And all of it is for sale.”
Guests of the Natchez Gallery Suites also have access to concierge services. Wine, an in-room massage in the suite’s enormous bathrooms, charcuterie, seasonal cupcakes and other baked goods, crudite
This spacious and luxurious bathroom is highlighted by marble subway tiles that stretch 8 feet high up the shower wall.
for two, flowers — it can all be ordered right on the Natchez Gallery Suites website when you book your stay at thegallerysuites.com.
The suites are joined by a common hallway.
“Two couples or friends who are traveling together can rent the entire floor because they open up to a private hall. Just open the doors and you have all this space between the two apartments.”
“We have wonderful collectors all over the world and I have been fortunate enough to travel to see them and have stayed in some really lovely hotels and airbnbs and I have tried to incorporate some of those wonderful, thoughtful details into these suites,” Conde said. “We want people to be able to come, feel good, relax and have an excellent experience in Natchez.”
ABOVE: Stacy and Andres Conde take a selfie while in Los Angeles overlooking the Topanga Canyon. BELOW: Andres Conde transformed the foundational wood plank walls into a beautiful copper color that fit seamlessly into the space.
Zhu Shousong when he was an interpreter and a member of the Chinese military during The Resistance.
MIDDLE LEFT: Zhu Shousong, 50 years after Stubbs saved his life, recalls the event for a Chinese newspaper reporter. Middle and left photos: Documents relating to the Order of the Cloud and Banner, presented to Stubbs by the Chinese government.
LEFT: Zhu Shousong watches a recording of the Zoom call in which his son meets Keene Kelley, the grandson of Frank Stubbs Jr., who Shousong says saved his life.
ABOVE: Keene Kelley, Frank Stubbs Jr.’s grandson, meets Zhu Wei, the youngest son of Zhu
his
while
TOP:
Shousong, who credits Stubbs with saving
life
serving in the China-Burma-India Theater in China.
A Natchez
Chinese soldier who nearly died 80 years ago searches for Natchez man who saved his life
STORY BY JAN GRIFFEY
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
NATCHEZ — In 2013, New Orleans attorney Keene Kelley responded to a letter to the editor placed in The Natchez Democrat seeking contact with relatives of the late Francis Palmer “Frank” Stubbs Jr. Doing so revealed the fascinating history and heroics of Kelley’s late maternal grandfather, Stubbs, and opened up an endearing connection with the family of a Chinese man, now 103, who credits Stubbs with saving his life during World War II and has spent 80 years seeking to know more about the Natchez soldier.
THE RESISTANCE
“My grandfather was a colonel in the military and in the second World War was in Burma during the big conflict between the Chinese and the Japanese known as The Resistance,” said Kelley, who grew up in Natchez.
Famed Major General Claire Lee Chennault of the U.S. Army Air Corps, after retiring from the Army in 1937, went to China during the Second
Sino-Japanese War to join a small group of American civilians who were training Chinese pilots. Chennault and his force would later become known as the Fighting Tigers.
Chennault, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, was among those who helped persuade President Franklin Rossevelt to send American aircraft and pilots to China to assist its fight against Japan.
In the fall of 1944, Col. Stubbs was in the China-Burma-India Theater as the chief liaison officer between the Americans and the Chinese military. He and the Chinese military were working to protect and keep open the Burma Road, which was the primary route to get supplies to Allied Forces fighting Japan.
“While in Burma, my grandfather was going through the jungle with the Chinese troops and one of the Chinese interpreters got a very bad case of scrub typhus,” Kelley said. Stubbs was working with the Chinese 50th Division.
The interpreter’s condition was
deteriorating and Col. Stubbs did not think the man would survive unless he quickly received medical attention.
“The Irrawaddy River was very low and my grandfather called in an airplane and it landed on the river bed and picked the interpreter up and got him out of the jungle,” Kelley said. “Ever since, the man has credited my grandfather with saving his life.”
In 1945, Stubbs was awarded the highest military honor, the Order of the Cloud and Banner.
Kelley displays a number of Stubbs’ military mementos at his home.
MAKING A CONNECTION
The interpreter, Zhu Shousong, a member of the Chinese Expeditionary Forces, remarkably is still living, but is hospitalized and in poor health. According to a story published in a Chinese newspaper on Aug. 30, Shousong has had a lifelong desire to thank the family of the man who saved his life and learn about Stubbs’ life after the war.
Shousong’s son, Zhu Wei, with the help of the Chinese organization, “The Special Fund for Taking Care of WWII Veterans,” worked to track down Stubbs’ family.
“What happened was the Chinese general who worked closely with my grandfather, Gen. Pan Yu-Kun, moved to Hong Kong. His grandson, Yan-Haun, an architect and history buff, was friends with the grandson of Gen. Joseph Stilwell, John Easterbrook, who lives in California. The grandson of the Chinese general told Easterbrook that Shousong would really like to find Frank Stubbs’ family,” Kelley said.
Easterbrook wrote a letter to The Natchez Democrat in 2013 seeking Stubbs’ family members. One of Kelley’s Natchez friends told him about the letter, and Kelley responded.
“It all happened in one day,” Kelley said. “I got in touch with the guy and we exchanged emails. But we didn’t communicate for about six years, maybe longer, and I got a phone call from him. He told me there is a veteran from the war who claims your grandfather saved his life. He said they wanted to have a Zoom call so he could thank me personally,” Kelley said. However, Shousong became ill and was hospitalized before that call could take place. He remains gravely ill and in a
Chinese hospital.
In August, Kelley received a phone call from Yan Huan, the Chinese general’s grandson, who told him he would be in the U.S. in Oklahoma City and would like to meet him.
Kelley and his wife, Christel, traveled to Oklahoma City and went to dinner with Huan and his son.
“He asked if we would like to do a quick phone call with Shousong’s son, and of course, we did. He set up his computer and we did a Zoom call with Shousong’s youngest son and the head of the nonprofit who was working with them to make the connection.
“I didn’t realize they were in the hospital room with Shousong. I wasn’t prepared. I told his youngest son we have warm appreciation and respect for them,” Kelley said. “His son was excited. Shousong could not speak, but we could tell he understood what we were saying. We are now in contact directly and have exchanged photographs. This story received lots of coverage in China.”
THE STUBBS FAMILY AND NATCHEZ
Francis Palmer “Frank” Stubbs Jr., born in Monroe, Louisiana, is the descendant of two military heroes in their own right.
His father, Francis Palmer Stubbs Sr., was also a Colonel in the Army and served in the Spanish American War and World War I. He was born in Monroe in 1872 and graduated from LSU in 1891 and Tulane Law School in 1894. He practiced law in Monroe until his death at age 60 in 1933.
Stubbs’ grandfather, Francis Peter Stubbs Sr., was born in 1830 in Georgia and moved to Monroe with his family at a young age. He commanded the Pelican Grays in the Confederate Army as a first lieutenant shortly after Louisiana seceded from the Union in 1861.
Francis Peter Stubbs Sr., too, was an attorney and practiced law in Monroe. He died at age 77 in 1908 in Monroe.
Stubbs Jr. graduated from Virginia Military Institute and Tulane’s law school in 1925. He was a trust attorney at a bank in New Orleans when he met Jane Cocram Wall at a party there.
The two married in 1927 in New Orleans.
Jane Wall was the daughter of William Winans Wall and Emma Augusta Hardy Wall of New Orleans. Shortly before Jane Wall’s marriage to Frank Stubbs in December 1927, the Walls purchased The Briars in August 1927 as a vacation home and began the first major renovation of the house.
Frank P. Stubbs Jr. during The Resistance. Stubbs worked as a liason between the U.S. and Chinese military leaders.
After her husband died unexpectedly of a heart attack at age 58 in 1930, Emma Wall spent most of her time in Natchez
Jane and Frank Stubbs Jr. traveled and lived in a number of places during their marriage, but settled in Natchez. They had two children, Emily Stubbs and Francis Palmer Stubbs III.
Stubbs III died at age 27 while in Munich, Germany.
Frank Stubbs Jr. died in Natchez in 1960 from leukemia. He is buried in the Natchez City Cemetery.
Emily Stubbs married Charles Kelley, the celebrated Natchez High School and LSU football player. After LSU, he transferred to the University of Tulsa and graduated with a geology degree. He and the late Paul Byrne operated Kelley and Byrne Oil in Natchez until Kelley’s death
Savings & service with a smile
Singleterry
in 1969. Emily Stubbs Kelley died in 1977.
The Kelleys had three children — Jane Kelley Stubbs of New York City, Keene Kelley of New Orleans and Palmer Kelley Ragsdale of Rockwall, Texas.
Keene Kelley and his siblings intend to continue the connection with Zhu Shousong’s family and continue to learn more about their grandfather and the part America played in The Resistance.
Denny
The Stubbs family of Natchez. Jane and Frank Stubbs Jr. with their children, Frank and Emily.
A collection of mementoes of his grandfather, including his Order of the Cloud and Banner citation, are displayed in Keene Kelley’s home.
SOUL FOOD FUSION FEST
1. James and Angela Clark
2. Dr. Sandra Barnes, Aquetta Butler, Doris Malone and Valeria Johnson
3. Debra Pirtle, Tina Marshall, Jessica McGee and Zariah Marshall
4. Diane Williams, Bobbye Lloyd, Linda Dotts and Helen Harris
5. Carolyn Anderson, Elnora Thornburg and Destiny Addae
6. Lillie Irving and Linda Hutchins
7. Shaq Evans, Chef Bebop and Darryl Hobson
8. Oliver and Lynette Stewart 9. Jonathan and Casey Weatherspoon 10. Enrie and Dequez Gray
PHOTOS BY Sabrina Robertson
BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS
NATCHEZ — Pet parents brought their pets to St. Mary Family Life Center Sunday afternoon for the annual Blessing of the Animals.
Representatives of the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society and Hoofbeats and Pawprints Rescue provided information and had several animals available for adoption.
Della’s Lemonade Stand sold lemonade and baked goods and donated proceeds to animal rescue groups.
PHOTOS COURTESY Ginna Holyoak of Spay Neuter Natchez and Kathy Fitch of Hoofbeats and Pawprints Rescue
1. Volunteer Marie Gasquet.
2. John Holyoak and Phil. Phil is a rescue dog.
3. Jana Junkin drums up support for the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society.
4. From left, Honey and Aimee Guido, Suzanne and beagle Jo Guido, and Jennie and Jackie Guido.
5. The Geoghegan Family and Brees. Brees is a rescue dog.
6. Mary Flowers and Buddy, a rescue dog.
7. Miranda Graves and Reese. Reese is available for adoption at Hoofbeats and Pawprints Rescue.
9. Hoofbeats and Pawprints rescue dog, Camille, who gets around with the aid of a wheelchair, meets a puppy on the other side of the fence at the St. Mary Family Life Center courtyard during the Blessing of the Animals Sunday afternoon.
10. A pet parent awaits her turn Sunday to have her pets blessed at St. Mary Family Life Center Sunday afternoon.
8. Della Book, daughter of Megan Guido, sells glases of lemonade to raise money for to help animals in need.
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