PROFILE 2023 - The Oxford Eagle

Greatness HAPPENS HERE

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As our staff sat in a meeting last October brainstorming the theme of this year’s Profile edition we came up with many ideas. Profile is our yearbook for the community, full of positive stories about people who live here. The theme serves as a launching point to tell those stories. We agreed that the theme that most represented this past year could be summed up “Greatness Happens Here”.

The euphoric moment last year when the Ole Miss men’s baseball team won the College World Series is unforgettable. The team and coach Bianca were celebrated on the national stage as champions. Thousands of locals made their way to Omaha to witness it live, and then thousands more celebrated with the team at a parade through the Square. Celebrating greatness is something we do well here.

The sign “LAFAYETTE COUNTYGreatness Happens Here” on west bound Hwy 6 leading into Lafayette County

grand entrance to the community. For anyone reading the sign it can be taken both as proclamation and prophetic statement. It is proud boast, but one that can be backed up by the achievements of people who call Lafayette County home.

We are excited to have many writers who help tell these Profile stories of greatness. This edition could have been three times as large with the number of story ideas and people who are great in our community. We had to narrow it down to a manageable number. We are excited to tell the stories of people from history, from the community, from businesses and from the University in these pages.

We appreciate our sponsors who belong in this yearlong publication and do great things serving this community. Thanks for your support. We hope you enjoy this edition of Profile as we celebrate “Greatness Happens Here”.

Rebecca Alexander

PUBLISHER

Rebecca Alexander

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Jeremy Weldon

EDITORIAL

Jake Davis

Kelby Zendejas

CONTRIBUTORS

Joey Brent

Bonnie Brown

Davis Coen

Jude Burke-Lewis

Julie Mabus

Mackenzie Malo

Bruce Newman

Mary Kelly Zelensky

Lacey Nelson

DESIGN

Allison Dale

MARKETING

Amelia Miller Ott

Clifton Clements Odom

Mike Haskins

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Photo by Bruce

CHAMPIONS

The Ole Miss Rebels win a national championship at last.

The Rebels’ baseball team defeated Oklahoma in back-to-back games in the College World Series final to clinch the first NCAA-recognized national championship in a major men’s sport in school history on June 26, 2022.

They went 10-1 in the NCAA tournament, outscoring opponents 82-25 over those 11 games as they caught fire at the perfect time.

It wasn’t always smooth sailing for head coach Mike Bianco and company however.

Ole Miss started the season as a consensus top-five team in the country, and worked their way up to the No. 1 spot in the polls after jumping out to a 13-1 start.

Then, everything fell apart.

The Rebels lost 18 out of 29 games from March 13 to May 1, including midweek losses to Southern Miss, Southeast Missouri and Southeastern Louisiana.

They saw their postseason hopes

By JAKE DAVIS | The Oxford Eagle Photos by BRUCE NEWMAN

That’s when Bianco brought in former Rebel and 2016 World Series champion Chris Coghlan to speak with the team.

Coghlan told the players to stick to the goals they set for themselves at the beginning of the season and not let any of the outside noise affect the way they view themselves, their teammates or their coaches.

“He challenged the guys,” Bianco said. “He said your job is to win a national championship. That was your goal a month ago. Why would you let somebody on the internet talk you out of your goals—somebody that you wouldn’t listen to for advice to hit or pitch… he said as long as you’re still playing and as long as there’s games and you can reach there I don’t know why you would want to.”

That midseason meeting seemed to energize the team as they won eight out of 10 games to close the regular season

derbilt in the opening round allowed other bubble teams to surge past them with résumé-boosting wins late in the season.

By the time ESPN’s Selection Show rolled around on Memorial Day, most major publications predicted the Rebels were on the outside looking in.

The selection committee shocked the college baseball world however, picking Ole Miss as the final team in the field of 64 and sending them to the Coral Gables (Florida) regional hosted by No. 6 Miami.

The Rebels took their chance and ran with it—sweeping their regional before securing their first two shutouts of the season in back-to-back wins over No. 11 Southern Miss in the Hattiesburg Super Regional to reach the College World Series for the first time since 2014.

They continued to dominate in Omaha as they knocked off SEC West rivals Auburn and Arkansas to start 2-0 in the

them on the brink of elimination for the first time in the postseason.

With their season on the line the Rebels turned to junior ace Dylan DeLucia, who responded with the best pitching performance in program history to send Ole Miss to their first-ever College World Series final.

The Northwest Florida State transfer tossed a complete game shutout against the Razorbacks—becoming the first Rebel to ever accomplish the feat in a postseason game.

He used a lethal two-seam fastball-slider combination to keep Arkansas’s hitters off-balance, allowing just four hits and zero walks while recording seven strikeouts.

The Rebels then dominated in the finals against Oklahoma, winning game one 10-3 before coming from behind in the late innings to knock off the Sooners with a 4-2 victory in game two that secured the first national championship in the 121-year history of Ole Miss Baseball.

“These guys worked really hard, and

NEILSON’S DEPARTMENT STORE Still Going Strong

By JULIE MABUS | The Oxford Eagle

Photos by BRUCE NEWMAN

AMANDA HYNEMAN

In today’s world of football games, spring formals, special lingerie, and hashtags, an essential question at Ole Miss is and always has been: “Where did you find that fabulous formal.” Hashtag: #GoToNeilson’sSweetieTheyHaveEverything.

I was at Ole Miss some fifty years ago, and we mainly wore bellbottoms, university sweatshirts, and Clarks Wallabees to class; but the answer to the all-important question was the same. While in those days, “#” meant pound or the number sign (what does hashtag even mean?)

Neilson’s was THE place to buy that important dress, find that perfect gift and discreetly pick through the padded bras and half-slips.

My mission today was to take a fresh look at this time-honored retail establishment. As I approached the store, the sun bounced off gilded letters on the royal blue marquee, “NEILSON’S 1839.”

Two beautiful, single-lit glass doors, substantially framed in mahogany, created the main entrance into the department store. Over the years, I’ve passed through those doors more times than I can count, but this was the first time I’ve stopped and studied them—a Greek key pattern is embedded in the doors’ mahogany panels. And two art deco sconces frame the massive doors, setting an elegant standard for the store’s entry.

While the department store is ever-evolving, memories of college days wash over me like gold fairy dust every time I enter. The feeling is exhilarating but always tinged with bittersweet reminders of days gone by.

The floor layout is much the same as it was when I was in school, but the displays are bubbling with current fashions for both young ingenues and their more worldly parents. The ample cosmetic counter sits front and center with a tempting selection of products. I so wanted to sit down for a makeover. That would have to wait.

To the right, among men’s classic suits, crisp dress shirts, and campus wear, I spotted a table of merino wool pullover sweaters and made a note to pick one up before I left the store.

A young woman greeted me, “Hi, I’m Amanda Lewis Hyneman.” She was wearing a wool pullover with a longsleeved white tee peeking through—my kind of gal.

I studied her sculpted cheekbones and bright green eyes as we walked back to the inter-sanctum of the store. Office ladies demurely spoke when we passed. The family’s patriarch, Mr.

William Lewis, Jr., co-owner of the store with his three children, sat behind his desk, anchoring the office with a sense of calm and wisdom. But I didn’t miss that twinkle in those wise eyes. Once Amanda led us to a private room, the history of the establishment started flowing.

The Neilson and Lewis families are the two pillars of the 184-year-old retailing institution. W. S. Neilson founded the company in 1839 as a dry goods store. The company stayed exclusively in the Neilson family until 1930, when Mr. William Lewis, Sr., a long-time employee, entered into a partnership with the Neilson family. Lewis, Sr.’s two children, Olivia Lewis Nabors and William Lewis, Jr., bought out the Neilson family in 1964.

Today, William, his devoted wife Patty, and his three children, Goodloe Lewis, Lydia Lewis Myers, and Amanda Lewis Hyneman, maintain total ownership. But throughout the family iterations, Amanda and her father now run the show.

“I love the retail business. I guess it’s in my blood.” Amanda has had two great mentors in learning her trade. “For as long as I can remember, Dad has run the business from behind the scenes. He holds the reins. And I studied my Aunt Olivia for over twenty years as she worked the floor and managed the Ladies’ department.”

After Amanda graduated from Ole Miss in 1994, she worked at Oak Hall, a premiere clothing store in Memphis, for several years. But Oxford was home, her Aunt Olivia was slowing down at the store, and the city was on fire with energy and unprecedented growth. Plus, her love and future husband, Brian Hyneman, had stayed in Oxford after he finished law school and was practicing at

a local firm.

In 1996, it was time for Amanda to come home. The couple married in 2003 and have two children, Henry, eighteen, and Howard, fourteen. Today, Brian continues to practice law and is the newest member of the Board of Aldermen for the city of Oxford.

Amanda has managed to raise two active boys, help her husband get elected to public office, and operate one of the oldest and most successful businesses in the South. Her energy seems boundless. As Amanda talked, her infectious spirit and wry wit filled the air.

“What’s your favorite part of the business?” I asked.

“I love connecting with our customers. It’s the best feeling when a customer is excited about a purchase. And I love reconnecting with people who return to Oxford for a football game or bring their kids to Ole Miss.”

Those sentiments resonated throughout our conversation. And it’s a common thread that has been an integral mission of the company throughout its history.

Amanda has the solid-gold gift of comfortably guiding her customers through the new inventory and the latest fashions. Plus, Ole Miss can be intimidating for a first-year student when school begins in the fall. “I love seeing all the new freshmen each fall and helping them navigate Oxford.”

“But I also love the buying,” she continued. You have to predict your customers’ fashion whims and then calculate the inventory needs.” To me, it sounds like rolling the dice, but she’s obviously very good at the tasks.

“Lane keeps me in line,” she added as she pointed to the general manager, Lane Wilson. Lane took the position in 2014, providing freedom for Amanda and her father to continue the store’s growth and prosperity.

Lane jumped into the conversation at that point. “A business either succeeds or fails with tight inventory control.” Amanda nodded her head in agreement. I left the store, but the front doors caught my eye again. Neilson’s familiar logo of the palm fronds is etched in the glass. I sent Amanda a text asking about the historical importance of the logo. Her dad, William, answered the question, “We found it on some old store stationery from the 1920s.” It is another beautiful reminder of the Lewis family’s preserving history while blazing a trail in this extraordinary city.

“

I love the retail business. I guess it’s in my blood. For as long as I can remember, Dad has run the business from behind the scenes. He holds the reins. And I studied my Aunt Olivia for over twenty years as she worked the floor and managed the Ladies’ department.

Amanda Lewis Hyneman

AMANDA HYNEMAN

King

Homecoming

By LACEY NELSON | The Oxford Eagle PHOTOS SUBMITTED

PAUL NELSON

At the end of a cul-de-sac in a small neighborhood right outside the Oxford city limits, there is an orange brick house that sits back from the street, atop a long driveway with a large dip.

Most people take the driveway real slow – you swear you can almost feel your stomach drop when you hit the dip and then go back up.

Paul Nelson, however, takes it fast; pushing down the accelerator and coming to a screeching halt just feet away from the garage door. Even more impressive? He can take the drive backward just as fast.

And this might just be the perfect metaphor for the past few decades of his life – taking it fast.

FLYBOY

Standing in his front yard today, Nelson remembers being a young boy staring up at the sky and seeing small dots flying overhead – military planes from nearby Columbus Air Force Base.

He would wave to them and think about his boyhood heroes, flyboys like Claire Chenault, who would zoom across the sky going what he figured must be a million miles an hour.

“One day I want to do that.”

And from his front yard in Oxford a dream was born. A dream that would take him halfway across the world and back again.

BECOMING DOC VOODOO

After he graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1989, Nelson was admitted to Uniformed Services University’s School of Medicine outside Washington, D.C., and then completed his family medicine residency just a few miles away at An-

drews Air Force Base in Maryland.

Following his graduation from residency in 1996, Nelson received his first overseas assignment to Incirlik Air Base outside Adana, Turkey.

Nelson remembers how scared he was after receiving his orders and realizing he would be moving his family to the other side of the globe.

“This sounds goofy but I didn’t know if the dirt in Turkey would be like the dirt here. Or if the trees would be like the trees here.”

As it turns out, it was pretty much

the same dirt as Mississippi, just halfway around the world.

Nelson and his family quickly fell in love with Turkey; extending their tour for another year and taking every opportunity to travel and immerse themselves in the culture.

After his three years in Turkey came to a close, Nelson received orders to his dream assignment as a flight surgeon for a F-16 fighter squadron at Spangdalehm Air Base in Germany.

And it was in Germany where he became “Doc Voodoo,” revered as the ‘World’s Greatest Flight Surgeon by the F-16 pilots of the World Famous 23rd Fighter Squadron.

“Being the world’s greatest flight surgeon and being beloved by your fighter squadron is a great fit for someone with a big ego and an insecurity complex.”

Nelson was sometimes unsure if he was living in a dream. While he was zooming across Europe pulling G’s in a flight suit and aviators straight from ‘Top Gun,’ he was still that boy from Mississippi who watched planes in his front yard. This life almost felt too good to be true.

PAUL NELSON

YOU CAN’T GROUND A FLYBOY

After six years of back-to-back overseas tours, Nelson and his family returned home to the US; landing in San Antonio, Texas. Here, he was able to buy his family their first house and drive instead of fly home for Christmas, and, after three years of backseating in a fighter jet, he was a student studying for a master’s in public health and completing a residency in aerospace medicine. However, he missed flying; it had become an addiction after three years racking up hours in fighter jets, and in Texas he wasn’t getting any time in the cockpit. And as it turned out, grounding a flyboy just isn’t that easy.

In 2005, Nelson could barely believe it when he received his orders to go “home” to Columbus Air Force Base to be the Chief Flight Surgeon and be back in the cockpit again. It was a one in 50-something chance and he got it.

Nelson said it was his dream job –something many of his colleagues,

who were vying for jobs overseas or at big operational bases, just couldn’t seem to wrap their heads around.

For the next three years, Nelson flew over his boyhood home just up the road in Oxford, telling his parents to run out to the front yard and wave as he flew by – looking like a small dot in the sky; just like the ones he saw as a young boy.

COME BACK DOWN

Once again, the dream had to come to an end. When you’re on military time, you’re on borrowed time. So, the family packed their lives away in cardboard boxes and turned the page to a new chapter.

This time, the chapter began out west — in Spokane, Washington — where Nelson would command an aerospace medicine squadron; however, about a year and half into his command, he was deployed to Afghanistan and while there received orders.

And he couldn’t believe it. The Air Force was sending him back home to Mississippi — this time to Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi.

As Nelson often jokes, he joined

the military to see the world but 13 years of his career were spent just a few hours from where he grew up.

“Serving in the Air Force was wonderful for our young family, but as the kids grew up and my and my wife’s family got older, the reassignments home to the South were an unexpected blessing.”

The now Colonel Nelson was the Chief Flight Surgeon at one of the Air Force’s largest hospitals and, to sweeten the deal, became the flight surgeon for the Hurricane Hunters –the airmen tasked with tracking and flying into hurricanes and tropical storms.

Nelson was supposed to retire out of Keesler. His wife begged him too. His kids told him too. His colleagues recommended it.

Instead, Nelson took another assignment — his final one – at Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Nelson, now the consummate “Old Colonel,” taught at the War College; mentoring young airmen as they began their Air Force careers.

And because the universe has a

funny way of bringing things full circle, Nelson’s house on base was next door to the very house his boyhood hero, Claire Chenault, lived in while stationed in Alabama. Once again, it almost felt too good to be true.

NORTH[WEST] TOWARD HOME

In October of 2020, Nelson closed the longest chapter of his life when he retired from a 32-year career in the United States Air Force. As his last day in uniform came to an end, he stepped outside into the cool, fall Alabama air and saluted one last time as ‘Taps’ played over the base speakers.

He then got in his car and drove northwest toward the long driveway with the large dip in it just outside the Oxford city limits. The place where this entire journey started, where it would end and where it would begin again.

“I never considered that we would return to Oxford but it just felt right to come back and connect with the community, making sense of the long journey around the world…right back to where it all started.”

PAUL NELSON

Q&A with Dr Linda Spago

By BONNIE BROWN | The Oxford Eagle PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Q:Whatwas your first job at Ole Miss? What were your responsibilities?

A: Because I was a graduate student, I taught two sections of Freshman English each semester for six years. Dr. Ben McClelland also arrived that year to serve as a new faculty member to oversee the development of new methods of teaching freshman composition. This came out of a national shift in the teaching of writing, and Ben was a nationally recognized leader in this new movement. I was his graduate assistant, and he had a huge impact on my teaching of writing. As his grad assistant, we created the first Writing Center in the basement of Bondurant that was specifically for freshmen and peer editing. He also led the development of the Writing Project, a summer program for public school teachers in any discipline who wanted to increase writing in their field. We did a lot of work at many schools in Mississippi to teach new pedagogical methods and presented relevant research at confer-

ences. When I finished my dissertation, I was named the first Director of the Writing Center and held that position for about three years until the Chancellor called and asked for some help.

Q:Itis well known that Chancellor Emeritus Robert Khayat called you to the Lyceum and asked you to become his speechwriter. Talk about the interview and how you felt about assuming that responsibility.

A: I had become friends with the Khayats when I moved here in 1986. The Chancellor had just been named Chancellor in July 1995 and was overseeing the hooding ceremony when I finished my Ph.D. in August of 1995. By that time, I had been the Director of the Writing Center for three years. He called and asked if I could meet with him because he needed some help with some things as the new Chancellor. I was more than happy to help with anything and was so proud and excited that Ole Miss would be under his

leadership. We met for about an hour, and he asked if I could help with communication and letters and issues around the production of all kinds or writing. My Ph.D. in English definitely was something he saw as a good indicator that I could write properly. He is a wordsmith and craftsman of language, so this was an important component to the help he needed. I told him that I would help in any way. A few weeks later, his assistant called and said: Are you going to come work for us or not? I was shocked! I had no idea that that was a job interview. So, my journey in that office began.

The Ole Miss that the Chancellor inherited needed a lot of life support. Student numbers were down; the campus was pretty but needed TLC; Martindale-Cole was a boarded-up gym; and the Lyceum had cats in it. There was a lot to do, and Chancellor Khayat was ready to get busy and fast. He was going to Rotary meetings, 200 high schools, meeting with alumni, the UM Foundation, faculty, staff, physical plant. I wore many hats while in

Dr Linda Spago is University of Mississippi Coordinator, Special Projects emerita Chancellor’s Office, Director, Paris-Yates Chapel emerita Chancellor’s Office

LINDA SPAGO

Linda Spago with her daughter Hattie Alton Steiner

that office because there was so much to do with students, recruiting, financial aid, housing, etc. I began just helping with the overwhelming amount of communication that the Chancellor’s Office generated and also what the Chancellor generated because of the excitement around his new position. He did begin to need speeches and slide shows and lots of them. It was rare if he repeated information in the same way. He was selling Ole Miss and was rolling up his sleeves to get going with his vision of Ole Miss being perceived as A Great Public University. However, as student issues and alums began to call for help, someone had to return a call and help solve problems. That Help Line became me. I worked with any and every department on campus all day, every day. It was intense and began to create the customer service foundation that the Chancellor wanted. I was representing The University of Mississippi -- and the Chancellor. Fast forward five years: We raised $600k, got Phi Beta Kappa, have renovated Martindale-Cole, the Lyceum, built the Paris-Yates Chapel, Holman Hall and working on Honors College, Croft Institute, Lott Leadership, Bryant Hall, Residential Colleges. And the rocket was still going.

Q:Howdid you transition from speechwriter to Special Projects Coordinator?

A:I was always Coordinator of Special Projects. I wore many hats based on the multitude of problems or issues that arose and needed someone to handle them. A few years later, other titles were added: Academic Advisor, Director of the Paris-Yates Chapel, and Instructor of Business Communications for the School of Business. The transition away from speechwriting occurred about four years later when my role with students and parents grew and as the Chancellor’s speech requests soared.

I have to provide some context for this moment in time. When the Chancellor was hired, his principle goal was to transform the University from Good to Great. He wanted to strengthen our academic mission, thus his efforts to secure a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, grow our student population, renovate and build new facilities, create pride for our alumni, raise money, and the list goes on. He was focused on new branding when branding wasn’t a common word in marketing. He told every-

one that his office was an “open door.” Friends and alumni were coming out of the woodwork to meet with him. There was so much energy, excitement, and hope, and it was truly amazing to be a part of the next 14 years of his tenure. However, his open door had one problem: he wasn’t there very much, or he was scheduled for months out. I became the open door, which got wider and taller!

Q:Parents and students often have very unrealistic ideas about college life. What was your approach to merging those ideas when advising students and counseling parents?

A: I probably met with 300 families a year. I felt that if I met them that I should then be available to help with problems as they arose for every student. We were also very focused on developing strong retention methods to keep students at Ole Miss. That translates to tuition dollars and better graduation rates. So, I have seen everything imaginable, and I began to develop strategies and ideas about how to help students grow up. I gave them “homework.” I also learned that parents needed a lot of guidance, and they also needed a lot of boundaries and directions about responding to their child’s issues. Everyone thinks that their child is coming to college to get a degree. They are and usually do get a degree. However, the reality is that their child is coming to grow up emotionally, intellectually, physically, spiritually, socially -- it’s not just about academics.

Q:Tell us about some of your more memorable successes in establishing relationships with parents and students.

A: Every day that I walked into my office, I had a large stack of things to do, but I also knew that most of the day would be full of unknown encounters which would be an opportunity to help at least one person. I learned to set priorities because I had to assess the problem first. I learned that the problem could be very small, but to that person, it was huge and, more importantly, personal. Relationships came from just being nice, sharing my passion for the University, solving problems, going to the hospital or the auto repair shop, calling people back, giving them choices to make good decisions, being fair, being empathetic

Linda Spago

and compassionate, and being consistent with solutions no matter the economic status of the family. I told someone recently that just by calling someone back to let them know the status of a problem was worth a million dollars to that person. It built a lot of bridges.

Q:How did you deal with “helicopter” parents? You know, the ones that inserted themselves into every aspect of their student’s life.

A: Honestly, it was an honor to deal with any parent with a child in college. I had a daughter attend Ole Miss, and boy, did that give me perspective about this phase of student lives. I’ve definitely had a range of situations, but I did have a few strategies.

I always wanted to talk with the student instead of the parent. It’s surprising how often the parent doesn’t want me to do that but prefers to be the one communicating.

One strategy was to be direct and honest and always call them back.

I explained policy often because if I’m saying “no” then I needed to explain why.

I tended to also be the student’s advocate because most people don’t believe them or listen to them.

Students usually blame the teacher if the grade wasn’t good. If the parent called, I explained that there are three stories and that they have only heard one of them, their child’s. The teacher also has a story, and somewhere in the middle those two merge into the third story, which is closer to the true story.

The goal was always to try to peel the parent away from resolving the issue and encouraging them to allow the student to solve their own problem and gain that skill.

Q:What are your strengths and how have they helped

you be so successful?

A: It’s hard for me to talk about my strengths because our work in the Chancellor’s Office was based on helping students and families. I focused on service because it was always an honor to get to meet a student and a family and simply provide advice, guidance, and correct information. One simple phone call was often like gold; it connected me to a student or parent and personalized the situation and changed the dynamics and urgency of the moment.

I wasn’t representing me. I was representing The University of Mississippi, my alma mater, and the vision of a gifted chancellor to every person with whom I came in contact. I saw myself as part of a team that was rebuilding the University and whose dedication and hard work would contribute to the bigger cause of creating a great educational institution. Customer service was one of the most important building blocks in the Chancellor’s plan. I had the opportunity to treat people like I would want to be treated. Sometimes, I did that with a gentle nudge, sometimes a smile, sometimes a hug, sometimes my listening ear, sometimes a firm and direct piece of advice, and sometimes with tears. There were so many issues, and each person with a problem believed that the solution was very important to them and to their future.

I also took parents out of the formula as much as possible. I was teaching parents to let their child solve the problem, not the parent.

Some of the most meaningful moments came from simply helping one person get admitted to Ole Miss, face a teacher, get into the right major to discover their degree, change roommates, join a club, go to the infirmary, get a job, communicate with their parents, tell the truth, become a leader.... it’s a long, hard journey to graduation. There’s a lot for students to learn.

Everything that I had done in my life prepared me for this job. It was rewarding, and I was contributing and doing my part to build a better university. There is so much pride in what was being accomplished. It was easy to sell Ole Miss to people.

Every day that I walked into my office, I had a large stack of things to do, but I also knew that most of the day would be full of unknown encounters which would be an opportunity to help at least one person. I learned to set priorities because I had to assess the problem first.

LINDA SPAGO

like no other An Ole Miss Collection

By DAVIS COEN | The Oxford Eagle

Photos by BRUCE NEWMAN

JIM STEVENS

Nobody here in town, or likely anywhere else on the planet, has an Ole Miss memorabilia collection more impressive than Oxford native Jim Stephens.

Located at his home, the vast collection contains about 2,500 pieces of memorabilia - everything Ole Miss. Stephens has two full rooms devoted to these items, which include over six score years of autographs, magazines, yearbooks (13 shy of a full collection), original photos and more. He calls these his “Rebel rooms,” and together the two spaces add up to just shy of 1,000 square feet.

He and his wife also built a 600-square-foot building next to their house, half of which will be an extension of the collection, although it’s still in the process of being finished. “It’s really my Room ‘2 ½,”’ he joked, since he had to split the space with his wife, whose things fill the other half of the building.

Stephens anticipates that sometime this spring the satellite collection next to his house will be ready to show. And this smaller area, along with the main two rooms, will make a total of 1,300

JIM STEVENS

square feet of wall-to-wall Rebel memorabilia. “So, I have quite a collection,” Stephens said, of this manifestation of a lifelong passion for his and much of his family’s alma mater.

His grandfather, Hubert D. Stephens, Sr., played football for Ole Miss in 1894 and 1895, and 1893 was the first team they ever had - so family lineage literally goes back to the beginning. Hubert, Sr. also went on to serve for many years as a United States congressman and senator.

One of his prize possessions is the Ole Miss M-Club certificate that was awarded to his grandfather, and is signed by both Judge William Hemingway and T.J. Lilly, the Secretary at the time, for his part in the ‘94 season.

The M-Club was formed in the early 1900s, but players on the previous teams were given their awards retroactively. “It’s my prize possession,” said Stephens, who has a section exclusively devoted to the family patriarch, called “grandfather’s corner.”

Also, being a big Chucky Mullins fan, Stephens has a collection devoted to the late-great defensive back. Plus, to former player and legendary, longtime coach Johnny Vaught, and Charlie Conerly, who led the Rebels to their first SEC championship in 1947.

Stephens considers these

four collections his most precious, although he also has a “Manning Family corner” and a Sugar Bowl section, which displays every program from the Sugar Bowls that Ole Miss has competed in going back to 1953.

Having served in the U.S. Army for 27 ½ years (retired as a Sgt. Maj.), and as a poll worker and election commissioner for a total of 16 years, Stephens now considers himself retired but still quite productive, and keeps an amazingly positive attitude, including towards the city he calls home.

Stephens also has three Christmas trees on display year-round, decorated with Ole Miss flair, which help embody his positive spirit. “Everyday in Oxford is just like a holiday,” he enjoys saying. “Regardless of the weather, regardless of what’s going on, it’s a good day.”

He also maintains that as much as he enjoys visitors coming to see his extraordinary collection, the “bottom line” is that he collected it all for himself and his family.

“I’ve enjoyed it. It’s been a great effort - it’s been a labor of love.” Stephens often tells people: “I don’t have a boat in the driveway…I don’t have a collection of guns…I don’t hunt or fish. This is what I do. I just collect Ole Miss memorabilia.’”

I’ve enjoyed it. It’s been a great effortit’s been a labor of love. I don’t have a boat in the driveway…I don’t have a collection of guns…I don’t hunt or fish. This is what I do. I just collect Ole Miss memorabilia.

Jim Stevens

JIM STEVENS

Aubrey

Enriching Lives through the Arts

By DAVIS COEN | The Oxford Eagle PHOTO SUBMITTED

JULIA

Director of the Gertrude C Ford Center Julia Aubrey, an associate professor, who also serves as Director of Opera Theatre in the Department of Music, earned a master of music in vocal performance and a master of arts in theatre from the University of Missouri - Columbia, before arriving in Oxford.

Aubrey is determined to help those who come into the 1,250-seat auditorium, located on campus, have the best possible experience while they are there. Whether they are students, faculty, or touring artist performers or audience members, she and fellow staff aim to make visitors “feel welcome, and leave having enriched their lives through the arts,” she said.

In January 2012, Aubrey was elected president of the National Opera Association, and served as NOA president-elect

from 2010 - 2012; vice-president of regions from 2008 - 2010; and governor for the Southeast Region from 2001 - 2007. The award-winning UM Opera Theatre placed first in the NOA Collegiate Opera Scenes Competition in 2011, and in the NOA Opera Production Competition in 1999.

Professor Aubrey’s research

project “Living Masterpieces: An Improvised Opera Exercise” has been featured on tours and festivals, and was part of presentations at national conventions in both Philadelphia and Kansas City.

Of local note, she was also an associate artistic director of the Oxford Shakespeare Festival, and served as stage and

musical director for numerous productions, including tried and true “The King and I” and “The Sound of Music.”

Aubrey acted as the Guest Artist Opera Stage Director for the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival in Alaska from 2003 - 2005. Before her tenure at Ole Miss, she staged operas for the Quad City Mozart Festival and opera and operetta productions at her own alma mater.

She recently achieved a personal highpoint in her own professional musical career, and as director, to have world-renowned soprano Renée Fleming at The Ford Center for a free, public event.

Fleming, the Artistic Advisor at Large to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, hosted a panel of regional experts to explore the intersection of music, health, and neuroscience. “She is not

With funding from Nancye B. Starnes, the Ford Center will produce “The Music Man” in June. Their production of this seasoned classic is Aubrey’s personal favorite part of the upcoming event schedule. “This is a community engagement project that will involve all ages and include faculty, staff, and community members working and performing together on the main stage.

only an incredible artist, but an amazing human being,“ said Aubrey.

With funding from Nancye B. Starnes, the Ford Center will produce “The Music Man” in June. Their production of this seasoned classic is Aubrey’s personal favorite part of the upcoming event schedule. “This is a community engagement project that will involve all ages and include faculty, staff, and community members working and performing together on the main stage.”

As far as other good things leading up to then, including an evening with country singer-songwriter Lyle Lovett, Aubrey said, “this entire season has been a celebration of this wonderful performing arts center.”

Ford Center will kick off the spring 20th Anniversary Gala on March 25, which will feature Grammy award-winning, legendary soul singers Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr.

Professor Aubrey and her colleagues are also putting the finishing touches on a book about the history of the Ford Center which they aim to have published in time for the gala.

Another early-spring highlight will be the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players’ production of “The Pirates of Penzance,” on Mar. 30.

The two-decades-old Gertrude C. Ford Center is unique in many ways, although it draws expected comparisons to other similar venues with the same capacity. “This is a magnificent performing arts center that rivals any theatre its size in the region,” said Aubrey.

Of course, the structure and size of the building aren’t as significant to drawing audiences as dedicated staff, such as Aubrey and her co-workers, who continue to move the center towards more milestones to come.

JULIA AUBREY

Greats Among the

Many Oxfordians are known for greatness - both present and in the past. These are just a few of the people to know that have called Oxford home.

WILLIAM FAULKNER

William Faulkner was a Mississippi-born American novelist and short-story writer who is known as one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. Faulkner started writing his short stories and novels growing up on a farm in Oxford, MS. He was awarded the 1949 Nobel Prize for literature, won two Pulitzers, and two National Book Awards as well.

JIM DEES: THACKER MOUNTAIN

Jim Dees an author, editor, and host of Thacker Mountain Radio Hour on Mississippi Public Broadcasting since 2000. Dees was a reporter for The Oxford Eagle and is the author of The Statue and The Fury, which won the 2017 Independent Publishers Association's Bronze award for best nonfiction in the South.

FAMOUS OXFORD

FAMOUS OXFORD

DAVID MAGEE

David Magee is creator and director of operations of the William Magee Institute for student Wellbeing and the University of Mississippi, and a National Recovery Advisor for the Integrative Life Network. He speaks nationwide in schools and universities, discussing with students and parents about mental health and substance misuse challenges and solutions.

JOHN T. EDGE

John T. Edge is the author and editor for more than a dozen books and directs the Southern Foodways Alliance at the University of Mississippi. Edge has been an Oxford American columnist and contributes the monthly “United Tastes” column to the New York Times, as well as a restaurant column to Garden & Gun. His book The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South was named best book of 2017 by Publisher’s Weekly.

FAMOUS OXFORD

JUICE KIFFIN

Coach Lane Kiffin’s labrador retriever (from Wildrose Kennels) has over 43,0000 twitter followers and has become the unofficial mascot of Ole Miss. Juice has an active social media presence promoting “Come to the Sip”. Juice makes appearances on the sidelines of football games and other events.

ELIZABETH HEISKEL

She owns Elizabeth Heiskell Catering. She is a food contributor for The Today Show and has appeared as a judge on Food Network’s The Kitchen and on Chopped. She is the author of three best selling cook books: “What Can I Bring,” “The Southern Living Party Cook Book,” and “Come On Over”.

JAMES James the racially of the

FAMOUS OXFORD

BILLY RAY BROWN

Owner of Brown’s Family Dairy and Butcher Store and son of acclaimed author Larry Brown. Billy Ray and his wife Paula opened the dairy in 2008. The butcher shop opened to fill a need during the pandemic beef shortages in 2020. The store is located on Hwy 334.

VISHWESH BHATT

James Beard

award winning executive chef of Snackbar blends southern food with spices from his native India. He released a book in 2022 “I Am From Here: Stories and Recipes from a Southern Chef.”

JAMES MEREDITH

James Meredith 1962, the first African-American student admitted to the racially segregated University of Mississippi after the intervention of the federal government.

Campbell Clinic is coming to Oxford – Spring 2023.

Coming from a family of Ole Miss alums, I have such a deep appreciation for the culture and uniqueness of Oxford. Many of my current patients are also from here, and I’m thrilled about getting to serve this community so closely.”

G. Andrew Murphy, M.D. Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Surgery

I have treated several children from Oxford. Opening a clinic in their hometown is exciting because I can continue to give them the best possible care, but closer to home.”

Benjamin W. Sheffer, M.D.

Pediatric Orthopaedics

It’s an exciting time for our clinic and Oxford. We’ll be not only providing excellent and specialized orthopaedic care, but also using our resources to assist the community at large.”

Henry L. Sherman, M.D. Primary Care Sports Medicine

In my experience, Oxford has great people and excellent turkey hunting. I’m excited to become part of this charming community and see y’all in your neighborhood!”

Anthony A. Mascioli, M.D. Knee, Shoulder, Sports Medicine

My son studies at Ole Miss, and I love the vibrancy and energy of Oxford. Getting to bring world-class orthopaedic care to such a wonderful cultural town is a win-win partnership.”

Ashley Lewis Park, M.D., FACP Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spine

Campbell Clinic has been working to establish a presence in Oxford for quite awhile. Many of us already see patients from the area. We look forward to being closer to them, as well as expanding our relationship with the community.”

David R Richardson, M.D., FAAOS Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Surgery

Now’s the perfect time to get to know the specialists who will serve you at our new location.

The region’s best in your backyard.

Breaks? Sprains? Pain? When you’re hurt, our world-class orthopaedic experts provide the best possible care close to home.

Specialties served at our Oxford location include:

Sports Medicine Care, Pediatrics, Foot and Ankle Surgery, Minimally Invasive

Bunion Surgery, Total Ankle Replacement, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (Back, Neck, and Spine), Orthopaedic Sports Surgeries (including ACL/MCL/PCL Repair), Rotator Cuff/SLAP Repair, Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery, and more.

You don’t need an appointment for the region’s best orthopaedic care. Campbell

Still Living the

By DAVIS COEN | The Oxford

MICHAEL CANNON

Eagle

Photos by JOEY BRENT

Michael Joe Cannon was aspiring to become a head football coach in the Southeastern Conference when his father passed away in 1986, but then discovered that his coaching experience would also be useful in taking over the family car business.

His father’s store in Calhoun City, MS was one of the first auto dealerships to offer a Buy Here Pay Here (BHPH) program, meaning it offered on-site financing. This allowed greater flexibility in how the vehicle was paid for, and a customer could make a down payment then go back every week or month to make further payments, until it was all paid out.

“I grew up around him washing cars, as most ‘car sons’ did, typing paperwork until age 12 or 13,” said Michael Joe. His father was a “one-man show,” and would demonstrate how to do whatever needed to be done at any given time. Tasks would include typing paperwork and driving vehicles from points A to B, but most importantly his dad taught him how to take care of people.

“Without any customers there’s no need for us,” he said, of the most important lesson he picked up, about the basic necessity of people skills.

Coaching football had involved a little more travel than made sense for a young man starting a family, although it was the experience of coaching that also made the car business enjoyable for him, with the stark similarities.

“It was like coaching everyday. Trying to coach yourself, and your people. Finding ways to get better and take care of customers, and

MICHAEL CANNON

finding better ways to take care of the employees. I guess that’s the reason I stayed in it,” said Michael Joe.

He eventually would move his family from Calhoun to Oxford, mainly because his wife Cheryl’s parents were living in Azalea Gardens, but also for the schools - since ultimately all of their children would graduate from Ole Miss.

Of his three kids, two sons are in the family business; one a general manager at stores in Cleveland, MS and the other utilizing an accounting degree as a corporate comptroller for Cannon Motors.

But aside from it continuing to be a family affair, the company has nearly 600 employees, with roughly 125 in Oxford alone.

Michael Joe credits the love he has for the job, and his “give a damn,” for driving his passion and commitment day after day. But most importantly, he feels it’s all about the commitment of the employees and the family at-

mosphere. “Now watching the people that we have that work with us, their kids grow in the car business, and get better, and then I’m able to know that not only am I providing for myself but also for hundreds of people across the state of Mississippi.”

Reflecting on his early days in a small tow running a pool hall and shining shoes, Michael Joe says he still lives the American dream every single day. “It’s just been a great run and hopefully we’re just now getting started.”

MICHAEL CANNON

It was like coaching everyday. Trying to coach yourself, and your people. Finding ways to get better and take care of customers, and finding better ways to take care of the employees. I guess that’s the reason I stayed in it.

Michael Cannon

MICHAEL CANNON

RICHARD HOWORTH’S LEGACY ON THE SQUARE AND BEYOND

By JUDE BURKE-LEWIS | The Oxford Eagle

Photos by BRUCE NEWMAN

RICHARD HOWORTH

It’s late morning on a cold, overcast Saturday in early February. Despite - or maybe because of - the weather Square Books is thronged with customers. Deep in their midst is Richard Howorth, the store’s indefatigable co-owner: chatting and laughing with a group of 20-somethings visiting from Jackson, helping an older customer track down an obscure title, restocking the shelves, and greeting customers old and new.

You might think that after more than 43 years in business, not to mention two terms as mayor of Oxford, Richard would want to take it easy – but in truth there’s nowhere he’d rather be.

“I like to be on the floor,” he said. “Part of my job is to make sure that our customers are having a good experience and the best way to do that is to witness it myself. And I see it all the time and it makes me very pleased.”

The idea for Square Books first germinated when Richard was still in high school; growing up across the street from Rowan Oak and seeing licence plates from all over the country from visitors who made the pilgrimage to William Faulkner’s old home he knew “there was the potential for a bookstore to do well in the town”.

He and wife Lisa spent two years managing a bookstore in Washington, DC, before returning in 1979 to open Square Books, in the upstairs of the building that now houses Square Books Jr and Rare Square Books.

The pair were helped enormously in the early years by two pivotal figures: William Ferris, inaugural director for the Center for the Study of Southern Culture (CSSC) on campus, and the writer Willie Morris, both of whom moved to Oxford around the time of Square Books’ opening. It was through their extensive networks of contacts that Richard was able to bring such luminaries as Toni Morrison, Allen Ginsburg and Alex Haley to the store for signings – events that helped to put the store on the literary map.

By 1992 Richard had enough of his own contacts to draw upon for the annual Oxford Conference for the Book, which he co-founded with Ann Abadie, long-time associate director of the CSSC, and which Square

“

I like to be on the floor. Part of my job is to make sure that our customers are having a good experience and the best way to do that is to witness it myself. And I see it all the time and it makes me very pleased.

Richard Howorth

Books continues to sponsor. At that time the Faulkner conference, organized by the University of Mississippi, had been running successfully for two decades, which led Richard to think that a broader literary conference might just work. “From the very beginning we were able to get some really terrific writers but also bring with them editors and publishers and critics and book reviewers,” he said. “That helped burnish the literary reputation of the community, and also keep it from being just William Faulkner’s hometown”.

As Square Books has grown over the years – it now occupies over 10,000 square feet in four stores located in three buildings around the square – so too has its reputation. Its name regularly appears in lists of the best bookstores in the country, and it attracts visitors from far and wide.

What makes it so special? Ac-

cording to Richard, the store’s size is part of its appeal: small enough to be “doable” in a single visit, but big enough to accommodate a “large and diverse inventory” that “encourages people from all walks of life, both as readers and writers”.

He’s also quick to credit the others who have helped to make the store what it is, including Cody Morrison, the store’s longterm book buyer; Lyn Roberts, Square Books’ general manager for more than 30 years; and the many other staff who work across the store, from receiving to the front register.

It was this team that enabled Richard to take a step back from running Square Books for the eight years, from 2001 to 2009, when he was mayor of Oxford. His decision to run for mayor stemmed from a sense that Oxford had grown significantly in the preceding decade, which had created issues that the leadership at the time “was not responding to,” together with a

recognition that his years on the board of the American Booksellers’ Association – the trade body for independent bookstores in the US – had given him the experience to do the job.

Richard won the election by just 113 votes, and then set about winning over the board of aldermen, whose support was necessary to make any of the changes he felt needed to be made. Despite some initial scepticism from some members, ultimately “we got along very well, and we got a lot of things done”. This included updating the city’s comprehensive plan for the first time since 1972, establishing Oxford’s first historic preservation ordinance, creating a public transit system, and carrying out the largest annexation in the city’s history.

Much of the time during Richard’s first term as mayor was spent laying the groundwork for these later improvements; in 2005 he ran unopposed for a second term as “I hadn’t got every-

thing done that I wanted to do or felt that I should do”, before stepping down in 2009.

In 2011 he was appointed to the board of the Tennessee Valley Authority, a federally owned corporation founded in 1933 to provide economic development and low-cost electricity to the region, by President Obama.

After serving almost two terms, including two years as chair, Richard was fired by President Trump in May 2020 over a decision to outsource jobs in the authority’s information technology department in order to save costs. He’s philosophical about the dismissal. “Personally, it did not feel good, but I support the decision that we made. It was in keeping with my understanding of the objectives of the TVA itself.”

Now Richard’s focus is back on the bookstore, where you’ll find him almost every day “puttering and trying to touch things up” –and talking to the customers, of course.

RICHARD HOWORTH

TOM DAVIS

Captured Iconic Images of Top Musicians

Tom Davis, local State Farm agent talks about his upclose encounters with musicians as a photographer

By DAVIS COEN | The Oxford Eagle

by TOM DAVIS

Photos

TOM DAVIS

After photographing numerous well-known musicians, local Oxford photographer Tom Davis’ memorabilia collection has grown over the years with photographs and guitars signed by musicians like B.B. King, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and The Allman Brothers Band.

Born in 1954, Davis grew up in Oxford where his love of photography and music began after he and a friend created a dark room in a small utility closet in his home. Davis began experimenting with the darkroom equipment and taking photos of high school events.

After graduating high school early, Davis attended Ole Miss where he volunteered for the Daily Mississippian and went on to become the chief photographer in 1975. With a passion

for music, Davis loved attending concerts and photographing musicians from the audience. “I would take my camera and experiment with concert work,” Davis said. “Just a fan in the crowd stuff.” At this time, colored film was not as advanced as far as the film being exposed to lower lighting conditions like in a concert venue or theater.

Davis began creating what he called “underexposed and

“

It was great to sit with B.B. and him tell stories of the old days and talk to him. The way these folks tell stories, whether it be David Crosby, Graham Nash or Stephen Stills, a lot of the history of rock & roll is there.

Tom Davis

TOM DAVIS

TOM DAVIS

overdeveloped images” which helped create his rare colored photographs. “If you look at really early live music shots at this time, they are primarily black and white,” said Davis, “but I have Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Alice Cooper all in color.”

Davis began reaching out to the musicians that he photographed to get the photos signed. To Davis’ surprise, the musicians would say “These are great. Do you want to shoot some more shows for us?”.

Over the years, Davis was frequently told that he could make a lot of money with the photographs that he was taking, but money is not what interested him. “I would say ‘well, I was paid but I didn’t make

any money. Do you want $100 just to shoot the first three songs,”said Davis, “’or do you want all-access credentials, have dinner with the band, tell stories, hang out, and not be paid? Let me think on that a minute,’” Davis said laughing.

Throughout the years, Davis developed a very close friendship with B.B. King and he now owns one of his guitars signed by King himself.

“It was great to sit with B.B. and him tell stories of the old days and

talk to him,” Davis said. “The way these folks tell stories, whether it be David Crosby, Graham Nash or Stephen Stills, a lot of the history of rock & roll is there.”

After B.B. King passed away, Davis was on the board of the Blues Foundation in Memphis for several years and his passion for music and photography continues to grow. “I don’t hunt, I don’t fish, I don’t play golf,” said Davis.

“I grab my camera and go somewhere.”

TOM DAVIS

VISIT OXFORD STAKES CLAIM AS TOP TOURISM PARTNER

Visit Oxford established themselves as one of the top tourism partners in the state last year as they were recognized for their hard work by the Mississippi Tourism Association.

The organization received three statewide awards at the association’s annual Governor’s Conference on Tourism on

By JAKE DAVIS | The Oxford Eagle

Oct. 21.

BRENT

They were named “Destination Marketing Organization of the Year” and “Tourism Partnership of the Year,” and also received the “Large Festival Event of the Year” award for the Double Deck-

er festival.

“They are beyond talented and they work tirelessly for our community,” said Mayor Robyn Tannehill. “These awards are super competitive, I mean they’re statewide awards so to bring home three of these awards is certainly a huge testament to the work they’re doing.”

Photos by JOEY

Decades of greatness at Chaney’s Pharmacy Laura and Brent Smith

By KELBY ZENDEJAS | The Oxford Eagle

Photos by JOEY BRENT

Laura and Brent Smith have owned and operated Chaney’s Pharmacy on Bramlett Boulevard with class and innovation for over four decades.

Chaney’s Pharmacy, located at 501 Bramlett Boulevard off of University Avenue has become a staple for Oxford residents and visitors to step foot in, as its offerings to the community are much more than pharmaceuticals. Located inside Chaney’s are shelves of toiletry must-haves, a frozen yogurt section, a spa with specialists, a perfectly curated gift shop area, and a coffee shop.

Standing tall as one the city’s last home-grown pharmacies, Chaney’s started its innovation journey in response to the mass amount of local chains coming to the area. According to Laura Smith, Chaney’s has led Oxford through its adaptability and excellent customers.

“Over the course of the last 43 years, we have strived to remain forward thinking in all areas of our pharmacy,” Smith said. “We con-

while networking with others in our field.”

The Smiths married in 1980, however the pair met in 1978 when Brent was already managing Chaney’s under previous owner, Mr. James Hogue. Brent also grew up working in Greenwood, Mississippi at the Chaney’s Pharmacy under Mr. B.C Chaney - hence Chaney’s Pharmacy.

The greatness of Chaney’s Pharmacy wouldn’t have been possible without Brent and Laura’s exposure to the pharmacy profession at such a young age. The pair

“Chaney’s Pharmacy’s endless availability which is extended to their customers and patients is one of the many qualities that sets them apart from the rest of the retail pharmacy ‘field. Our staff, which is second to none, gives their very best to help the needs of the Oxford and Lafayette County communities.

Brent Smith

CHANEY’S

graduated from the University of Mississippi’s prestigious pharmacy school, and joined Laura’s father as an Ole Miss Pharmacy grad.

Brent’s father, the late Bob Smith retired after a successful 45-year career with McKesson Drug Co., where he was named National Pharmaceutical Wholesale Rep of the Year. Bob won the recognition not only once, but twice in the span of his time there.

At this time, there are nine pharmacists in the Smith’s immediate family. The generations of greatness shows itself in the amount of respect and service the Oxford location gets from the community.

“Chaney’s Pharmacy’s endless availability which is extended to their customers and patients is one of the many qualities that sets them apart from the rest of the retail pharmacy ‘field,’” Smith said. “Our staff, which is second to none, gives their very best to help the needs of the Oxford and Lafayette County communities.”

Brent and Laura have expanded the pharmacy profession to their own children as well.

Son Bart Smith has expanded the services offered in the pharmacy department. Included in these services are medication synchronization, expanding the immunization program and Chronic Disease Management.

Their daughter, Aynslee Smith works as an interior designer who assists with marketing, visual merchandising, and is a buyer for the store. She is responsible for curating many of the unique and unusual items offered in the home and gift area of the store, which has the atmosphere of a specialty boutique.

With innovations in its interior design, its products on the shelves, and its integrated pharmaceutical services, Chaney’s Pharmacy’s greatness is never ending and is still standing. The local pharmacy continues to serve the city of Oxford humbly and with support that ripples through the community.

“We are so appreciative of and humbled by the continued support given to us by our community,” Smith said. “They inspire and motivate us daily and enable us to continue to provide excellent services and products.”

ROSIE VASSELLO

ROSIE VASSELLO

HELPING RETIREES RELOCATE TO OXFORD IS ROSIE VASSALLO’S PASSION

By REBECCA ALEXANDER | The Oxford Eagle Photos by JOEY BRENT

Very few cities in the state of Mississippi have a Certified Retirement Program as Oxford has.

Oxford has a lot of great attributes that retirees look for - a college town, a literary culture, low crime, close to a big city. What other cities don’t have is Rosie Vassallo who is so passionate about helping people make the move to Oxford.

Rosie Vassallo has been the Retiree Attraction Program Director with the Oxford Lafayette Chamber of Commerce for the past ten years. She is a tireless cheerleader for how great Oxford is as a place to relocate for retirement, and also helps newcomers acclimate to all there is to do here.

Oxford has been featured in national and regional publications as one of the best spots in the country to retire such as Southern Living, USA Today and Home and Garden and Mid-South Magazine. Rosie Vassallo is ready with information to help people find the right place to put down roots in Oxford.

Jon Maynard, President and CEO

“Rosie Vassallo has been the Retiree Attraction Program Director with the Oxford Lafayette Chamber of Commerce for the past ten years. She is a tireless cheerleader for how great Oxford is as a place to relocate for retirement, and also helps newcomers acclimate to all there is to do here.

for the Oxford-Lafayette County Economic Development Foundation noted “Rosie is running the program upon which the EDF was founded. She continues to build on our 30 year history of making people the priority in our economic development strategy. She’s creating the future for the program by being innovative in how she develops opportunities to make our community more attractive for people looking for the next chapter in their lives.”

Patches Calhoun

Excelling in Education

Principal of Della Davidson Elementary School Patches

Calhoun shares what challenges she’s faced during her career as a teacher and administrator. An elementary math teacher for 17 years, Calhoun sits in the perfect spot between having experience teaching and now running an entire schooling facility in an administrative position.

1.Teaching or administrating isn’t for the faint of heart, how do you keep yourself motivated and strong-minded?

Honestly, I am a very intrinsically motivated person. I always have been. I am naturally very competitive and I’ve always pushed myself to be the very best that I can be in anything that I do - even the smallest things - I am actually also much harder on myself than I should be because I cause myself a lot of unneeded stress.

I have been blessed in the fact that I have found something that I get to do everyday that I am very passionate about - education and kids! And doing what is right/best for kids is also one of the things that keeps me waking up to do the job everyday. Education is a “life changing” profession - we literally have the ability every single day to change the projection of a child’s path in life - and you can’t take that lightly - that’s why the work is so important!

2.What’s been the most inspirational part of your job? What are some challenges?

something!

By KELBY ZENDEJAS | The Oxford Eagle PHOTO SUBMITTED

There are so many many challenges that come with this job. Right now for us, one of the biggest challenges we are facing at Della is that Covid and virtual learning made people start thinking that being at school is not important - like it is almost optional. Attendance, tardies, and check outs are really hurting our students. It’s like being at school has become less of a priority for so many families. If kids are not at school - we cannot teach them!

3.Since “greatness” is surely subjective, what makes you great in your current role? What makes you “great” in the education sphere? Don’t be modest here.

I’m not sure “great” is one of the adjectives I would throw out there when talking about myself. I am so hard on myself and I’m not the best at positive self talk - that’s something I’m working on.

I am a people person! I have a true desire to serve others! Relationships are very important to me - and I use that to help me in my position. I care so much about the people that I lead and I think that they see that in me and in return they work hard and strive to meet the high expectations that have been set because of that relationship. They know that my own

room before going into administration plays a big role in my success in this position. I spent 17 years teaching fourth grade math - two of those years I taught third grade math. I have lived the classroom life. I know what it’s like. I know how hard it is. As a leader I’m always going to think about what it’s like to be the person in the room that is doing the work. And my teachers know this about me - they know that I value the work that they do.

4.From your experience, what does the word “greatness” mean to you?

Greatness to me means being your very best self. I tell my teachers all the time that we have to be a little bit better today than we were yesterday

er settling on what my best is at that moment and continuing to push to improve and do better.

5.Lastly, did you always want to be in education? What did you aspire to be when you were younger?

I did always love school but I was never one of those people that put out the stuffed animals and played school. Being a teacher actually never crossed my mind until later in my college years. In high school, I wanted to be a band director - I guess you might say that is in education - but I didn’t really think about it like that.

I loved music. I played the drums in my high school band and later played two years in the Ole Miss band while majoring in music. I eventually decided that music was not something I wanted to do every single day. School made me realize that it was something that I loved doing (playing) - but I found that spending every waking hour working on it took all of the fun out of it and I was not headed into a career that was going to bring me happiness.

I grew up in a house where my dad hated going to work every day - and I heard that my whole life - so I decided early on that I would never spend my life going to a job that I hated. I wanted to find something to do that I loved, and I was blessed to find that in education. I might have taken the long

“

I have been blessed in the fact that I have found something that I get to do everyday that I am very passionate about - education and kids! And doing what is right/best for kids is also one of the things that keeps me waking up to do the job everyday.

Award Winning

Images

Milly Moorehead West Captured Mississippi Momements That Matter

Milly Moorhead West is a photographer. She believes this passion was sparked by her mother, who “used a Kodak Brownie and taught me how to load and roll the film, making the ‘taking’ a picture all the more interesting.”

When Milly was a sophomore at Ole Miss, her growing skill with a camera collided with journalism, another curiosity that would remain with her throughout the years. “I took courses and documented things I thought other people should see, whether newsworthy in the traditional sense or not. I was drawn to the margins of society. In the 1980s I found what inspired me in the towns of the Delta.”

Milly’s images of people she had met on the streets, their private spaces, and surrounding landscape were showcased and awarded prizes in many exhibitions across the South, including the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans and the 11th Annual Bi-State Competition and Exhibition at the Meridian Museum of Art, where her submission beat out 249 other entries to become the first photograph to win Best in Show. Later that year in Memphis, she won another Best in Show at Art in the Park.

Milly’s exhibition in 1985 at Clarksdale’s Carnegie Public Library resonated deeply with its influential director at the time, Sid Graves, Jr., who praised her photography. “Few artists attend to the subjects Milly Moorhead addresses in her work, which finds values, wealth, and dignity in plac-

Milly sold Southside in the winter of 2002 to Vickie Cook and taught photography at Ole Miss during the 2003 spring semester. Later that year she married Rest West and moved to Oklahoma to attend the University of Tulsa, where she earned an MFA in Photography and won the prestigious Gussman Award in Art.

es of extreme poverty and need. Her commitment to her art and its subjects avoids cliches and is unique.”

Milly’s ability to capture memorable pictures has made her a twotime recipient of the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Award in Photography. She attributes her success to a willingness to travel with a camera, “which means leaving my other plans by the wayside. I stop my car, or approach a woman on a street, or carefully make my way into a situation which may or may not be awkward. If a person is not willing to be photographed, then nothing works, the moment passes. And I move on.”

As accomplished as Milly is as an artist, her greatest legacy may be the founding of Southside Gallery in 1993 on the Oxford Square with sculptor and her then-husband, Rod Moorhead. It is hard to imagine what Oxford would be like today without Southside’s presence. It has given the residents a means to encounter beautiful, bold, and sometimes challenging

By THAD LEE | The Oxford Eagle Photos by THAD LEE

works and ideas. Because of its wonderful glass façade, the gallery has given countless people on foot the opportunity to see fine art that they otherwise may have never seen. Southside has given the community a place to hold events and gatherings that attract many of the town’s most interesting and sometimes overlooked characters. It has given collectors access to new art. And, perhaps most importantly, Southside Gallery has given artists, particularly local and regional artists, a place to show their work and engage with the public.

None of that would have been possible without Milly’s efforts and vision. “I had respect for our artists, and they had respect for me. It was a good time in my life. All of it. Nothing is perfect, and yet, those years on the square, working every day at Southside,” reflects Milly.

“It was a joyful time.”

Milly sold Southside in the winter of 2002 to Vickie Cook and taught photography at Ole Miss during the 2003 spring semester. Later that year she married Rest West and moved to Oklahoma to attend the University of Tulsa, where she earned an MFA in Photography and won the prestigious Gussman Award in Art.

Today, Milly and Rest live in Oxford and she continues to be an artist. “If there is a statement to be made about my philosophy, it is that our work defines us.” She affirms that “my work as a photographer brings oxygen into my life and is integral in my daily routine.”

DR. WALKER SWANEY Reflects on 47 Years in Dentistry

By KELBY ZENDEJAS | The Oxford Eagle Photo SUBMITTED

DR. SWANEY

DR. SWANEY

Dr. Walker Swaney from Oxford Dental answers five questions about the word “greatness” and the success of his dental practice. Swaney has been a dentist for 47 full years, and still carries the same amount of daily motivation and love for his community. Swaney has been included in this list of “greats” due to the nature of the office and his undeniable love for his patients and staff for decades past and decades to come.

1.What is the definition of the word “greatness” to you and Oxford Dental?

“Greatness” is a really big word and could mean many things to everyone. However, if it is referring to me, I have to say, “Whoa! I don’t feel like I am in the ‘great’ category.” I am very blessed to have had a long wonderful successful career.

I repeat, “great” is not in my vocabulary for myself but I do attribute my success to these

traits:

1) I was born with a lot of energy! I certainly don’t need caffeine to roll in the mornings.

2) I love that I have a lot of “want to.” This means I don’t need motivation to move forward. I simply feel the need to be an action person and help in getting things done.

3) Lastly, for me, change is good. I embrace change. Being stagnant is not my style.

These personality traits are very helpful in my everyday process in accomplishing what’s next.

This year I begin my 48th year. To have worked this long and still enjoy everyday means something to me. My practice though deserves the “greatness” category because I truly do feel it is “great!” The reason is because of the mindset our people have when they show up for work ev -

ery day. Basically, we agree at the beginning of each work day that today we will strive to make a difference in people’s lives and make them feel like a special guest when they come to see us. We are fortunate to be able to treat over 60-70 patients a day.

I can honestly say that our patients share and exhibit that feeling of looking forward to coming in. They know that on that visit they will be greeted by a friendly voice on the phone, welcomed with a warm smile as they enter, then promptly seen after a “no wait” appointment time, treated with 100% kindness and care and hopefully no discomfort, and when they leave they are thanked and be told we appreciate their support, their referrals, and their loyalty. Consequently, we see over 4,000 active patients many of whom have been coming for over 30-40 years!

So where is the “greatness” in Oxford Dental? It’s in the culture we share, it’s in the devotion and

Trying to “set myself apart” from other dental offices has never been a burning thought for me. Everybody has their idea and plan and method for delivering care to their patients. I do think the reason we might be perceived as different is the total patient commitment we all share in delivering the absolute best care in a relaxed, fun yet professional environment. Like I said, nobody wants to go to the dentist - but if you have to go and you need to go - why not go somewhere where you are treated like a special guest or treated like a friend and where you are made to feel welcomed and acknowledged and appreciated?

concern we have for all our patients, and it’s in the open communication and closeness we all share with each other at work.

2.How long has Oxford Dental been open? Was the dream always to open up our own dentist practice?

I started my practice as an associate with Dr. Don Newcomb in 1975. He truly was a wonderful mentor and role model. Then, I practiced for over these last 45 years wanting to grow my practice, to offer my patients the best care possible, offering the latest technology available in the dental field, and always striving to improve.

At this point I am privileged to have four partners and associates working with me that also share this level of care and commitment that I share.

3.What sets Oxford Dental apart from the other dentist offices in the area?

Trying to “set myself apart” from other dental offices has

never been a burning thought for me. Everybody has their idea and plan and method for delivering care to their patients. I do think the reason we might be perceived as different is the total patient commitment we all share in delivering the absolute best care in a relaxed, fun yet professional environment. Like I said, nobody wants to go to the dentist - but if you have to go and you need to go - why not go some

where where you are treated like a special guest or treated like a friend and where you are made to feel welcomed and acknowledged and appreciated?

Most patients that come to see us say, “I have never been to an office like this. Thank you for being here.” That makes going to work all the more exciting and enjoyable. And to this day – that has never gotten old.

4.Have there been any hardships you’ve had to face that could have affected the business? How did you overcome

DR. SWANEY

them, if so?

As a longtime business own er, I feel very fortunate to have experienced mostly positive pro ductive experiences.

However, in the early years of operating a business with the prime rate at 21 percent cer tainly made you skeptical about what the future holds. Then, the “Great Recession” of the 20082009 years was certainly a chal lenge when most everyone was having a hard time financially. Then, we all experienced the “Covid Years.” Who would think the world would be facing such an uncertain future and what the outcome would be.

Lastly, all business owners, no matter what their businesses are, have to have their employ ees understand the vision that the business owner has for his company. Sometimes this is an easy concept - sometimes this is difficult to grasp. But the future and success of any company, I

LOUIS NASH

GREATNESS FOLLOWS LOUIS NASH

Ahumble man who looks for any other explanation for his teams’ successes, Nash built dominant programs at Laurel and St. Joseph’s in Greenville before taking over as the head coach of Oxford tennis in the early 2000s.

Despite his proclivity to raise the level of play at every stop along his

By JAKE DAVIS | The Oxford Eagle Photos by BRUCE NEWMAN

coaching journey, Nash swears his success is entirely a product of having good players rather than a reflection of his coaching ability.

“I’ve been fortunate that I’ve had numerous good tennis players,”

Nash says. “I had ‘em in Laurel, had ‘em in Greenville and I have them here. All three of those tennis communities were thriving at the time I happened to be there.”

As much as he tries to refuse

credit for those successes, the fact that Nash has elevated every program he’s been a part of is undeniable.

When he took over the job with Oxford tennis the team had a long history of success, but it was often based on the greatness of individual players rather than a consistent

foundation of winning.

That trend quickly changed as Nash set to work building one of the top programs in the state, eventually guiding the team to their first team state title in 2008.

Ever the deferential coach, Nash is quick to point out that the program did not have the opportunity to win team championships prior to his arrival.

“You got to remember that there was no state team championship — we played in the Big Eight and there was a Big Eight overall champion but there wasn’t a state team championship,” he said. “It wasn’t until we wrote a rule — well I wrote it and the guy from Corinth signed off on it, we got it passed through the different districts that we wanted to play tennis just like the other team sports.”

As soon as the new rule went into effect, Nash’s Oxford teams won 10 consecutive team state titles from 2008 to 2017, a dominant run the likes of which are rarely seen in high school sports.

Nash capitalized on the success by working with Lafayette head coach Debbie Swindoll to bring the state championships to Oxford, bringing in tourism revenue for the city and establishing Oxford as one of the preeminent tennis communities in the state.

the work or the time, I have a wife who doesn’t mind the work or the time, I’ve got kids that ended up spending a lot of that work and time with me.

“You’ve got teams coming in and staying in town — I mean you’ve got 600 kids here and their folks comes, their friends come, their grandparents come. If you’re from Biloxi or Ocean Springs you’re gonna be here two or three nights, you’re going to eat seven or eight meals so boom — it brings a lot of tourism to Oxford,” Nash said. Nash’s never-ending work to grow the sport was finally recognized in January when he was inducted into the Mississippi Tennis Hall of Fame.

The first high school coach to earn the honor for their coaching record alone, Nash said the recognition was a humbling moment after working so hard for so many years to make an impact on the sport.

“When you look at the list of who’s in there it’s a rather humbling moment. You’re proud for

the tennis communities you’ve been in and the children you’ve worked with... you’re just proud to be validated in some way,” Nash said. “I’ve never minded the work or the time, I have a wife who doesn’t mind the work or the time, I’ve got kids that ended up spending a lot of that work and time with me.”

Always eager to add to his ever-growing pile of accolades, Nash is hungry to get to work in the 2023 season as he returns a talented team full of potential championship contenders.

That desire to always keep working is exactly what brought him to this point, what helped him oversee 11 team championships and over 60 individual championships and what earned him a spot in the Hall of Fame.

It’s what makes Louis Nash great.

When you look at the list of who’s in there it’s a rather humbling moment. You’re proud for the tennis communities you’ve been in and the children you’ve worked with... you’re just proud to be validated in some way. I’ve never minded

Louis Nash

after years sport. list of humfor the been worked vali“I’ve time, mind the that that his evNash 2023 talented championship workhim to oversee over and Hall great.