serving LINCOLN/COPIAH/FRANKLIN/LAWRENCE COUNTIES
JAN./FEB. 2018
BROOKHAVEN
MAGAZINE
A WINTER WONDERLAND FOOD
HISTORY
‘MY DEAREST JENNY’
Nurse is a ‘souper’ cook
BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 1
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“My brother and I operate a poultry, beef, and row crop farm. Our family farm trusts the family-owned business of Farmbelt Equipment to provide us with quality equipment and exceptional service.” - Scott Smith, Peeps Poultry, Brett Smith, Particular Poultry and SmithLake Farms.
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BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 3
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BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 5
CONTENTS 10 ARTS: Haley’s legacy lives on
GARDEN: Try black-eyed Susan
42
14 HOME: House of a hundred I Do’s
What to do in Brookhaven
43
20 PHOTO ESSAY: Winter wonderland
PHOTO ESSAY: Christmas parade 46
26 SHOP: B*Dazzled, the evolution of
VOICES: Why I love Brookhaven by Rita Robinson
48
Social scenes
49
a business
32 HISTORY: My Dearest Jenny
BROOKHAVEN
serving LINCOLN/COP
IAH/FRANKLIN/LAWR ENCE
A WINTER WONDERLAND
COUNTIES
MAGAZINE
FOOD
40 BOOKS: Other words & worlds
HISTORY
‘MY DEAREST JENNY’
Nurse is a ‘souper’ cook
BROOKHAVEN MAGAZIN E1
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JAN./FEB. 2018
36 FOOD: She’s a ‘souper’ cook
On the cover: A blanket of white covered the area Dec. 7 and 8, turning Brookhaven and Lincoln County into a winter wonderland. Photo by Bill Perkins.
BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 7
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Plastic bottles and jugs (1&2), steel and aluminum cans, paper, newspaper and cardboard (flatten cardboard boxes if they do not fit in your container) For the continued success of our recycling program, we remind citizens the following CANNOT be recycled: Glass, plastic bags, Styrofoam™, auto fluid or pesticide containers or any type of trash or garbage.
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Books, like people, deserve to be loved B
y now, you’ve packed away the Christmas decorations and are on your way to breaking a few New Year’s resolutions. I’ve tried to make resolutions before. I get a clean white sheet of paper out and carefully number it up to 10, like I’m getting ready for a spelling test. “Lose weight” I write, then chuckle to myself as I finish off the donut. That one shouldn’t be too hard. Then there’s “get organized.” I’ve purchased organizational tools before — calendar, planner, sticky notes, lists, color-coded pens. I usually misplace them before I’m able to find the time and enthusiasm to use them. “Save money.” I’d laugh at this one, too, but I’m still giggling to myself about the diet one. “Read more.” That’s one I want to do. I love to read. I used to read all the time. There were nights I planned to read a few chapters before turning out the light, and I’d still be flipping pages when the morning alarm sounded. I don’t know when I stopped, but it’s been years at least. I think the last book I read for pleasure was “Goodnight, Moon,” which was age-appropriate for my 23-year-old at the time. That’s not to say I haven’t purchased books to read. I have. I have a stack of novels, devotionals and self-help books by my bed, just waiting to be read. Some of the novels are even autographed
Editor Donna Campbell
DAILY LEADER
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
Publisher Luke Horton
paperback and hard-bound books. And they’re free for the picking. Allen is already painting a second book exchange box that will go into the children’s area at King’s Daughters Medical Center. Friends are hosting two others that will be placed in the downtown area. Haley’s Libraries will make free books available to anyone who wants to get one. Those who take a book are asked to either return it when they’re done, or put another in its place. The goal is to share Haley’s love of reading with others and to remember the young woman from Brookhaven who died too young. If you see one of the Little Free Libraries with Haley’s name on it, choose a book and read it, then put it back so you can share it with someone else, or swap it with something you think others might enjoy. But most of all, remember Haley Allen. She loved you.
Editorial Brett Campbell Adam Northam Trapper Kinchen
Contributing: Bill Perkins
THE
BROOKHAVEN
by my writer friends who wonder why I haven’t written my own best-seller yet. When I see their names on the covers of books at Barnes & Noble, I wonder the same thing. My husband, Brett, reads all the time. It puzzles me how he can read four or five books at a time, switching between C.S. Lewis, Tom Clancy, Stephen King and Lee Child with such ease. I’m jealous. I can’t find the motivation anymore to read one book, and he’s got a pile going at any given time. Haley Allen was a voracious reader like my husband. Sadly, she died the day after Christmas in 2013. She was home and had a seizure and didn’t recover from it. Her mother, Sharon Allen, told me Haley loved books almost as much as she loved people. And that was a lot. That’s why her mother’s plan to plant Little Free Libraries around Brookhaven is such a wonderful idea. She hopes that by inspiring others to love reading, Haley won’t ever be forgotten. The first one is already in place at the end of the driveway from their house in Tanglewood subdivision. It’s painted like Van Gogh’s The Starry Night and its two shelves are filled with a variety of
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Michael Granger
BROOKHAVEN Magazine is produced and published by The Daily Leader, 128 N. Railroad Ave., Brookhaven, MS 39601. The magazine is published six times a year. For additional information on this issue or other publications or for copies, call 601-8336961. To inquire about story content, email donna.campbell@dailyleader.com, or to inquire about advertising, email advertising@ dailyleader.com. Copyright 2018 © The Daily Leader
BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 9
arts JANUARY/FEBRUARY 18
Haley’s legacy lives on Little Free Libraries preserve big memories Story and photos by Donna Campbell
A
nyone who’s seen “Steel Magnolias” knows about the cemetery scene. It’s especially heart-wrenching for those who knew Haley Allen, a Brookhaven native who died four years ago, with so much still to accomplish. In the classic movie, Shelby’s just been laid to rest and Annelle tries to comfort a distraught M’Lynn. Her encouraging words are met with the heartbroken mother’s resistance. Annelle: “It’s just when somethin’ like this happens, I pray very hard to make heads or tails of it. And I think that in Shelby’s case, she just wanted to take care of that little baby, and of you, of everybody she knew. And her poor little body was just worn out. It just wouldn’t let her do all the things she wanted to. So she went on to a place where she could be a guardian angel. She will always be young, she will always be beautiful. And I personally feel much safer knowin’ that she’s up there on my side.” M’Lynn: “Thank you, Annelle. I appreciate that. And it’s a real good idea. Shelby, as you know, wouldn’t want us to get mired down and wallow in this. We should handle it the best way we know how…and get on with it. That’s what my mind says. I wish somebody’d explain to my heart.” Haley Allen’s story is life — and death — imitating art. Allen died Dec. 26, 2013, at her parent’s home in the Tanglewood subdivision of Brookhaven. She’d been suffering with spontaneous seizures for over a month and they were getting increasingly worse. Her parents don’t know what caused them; only that she was having one the night she died. The monitors and video used to document the episodes recorded her passing. She was 21 and a junior at Mississippi State University. Her parents, Bart and Sharon Allen, her older sister Hannah and younger brother Noah were devastated. One day she was there, taking care of friends and family. The next day she was not. She’d been making plans for her future as a mechanical engineer. She wanted to improve infrastructure in impoverished communities around the globe. That way she could help strangers meet their basic needs. Allen loved people — no matter their race, social standing, appearance or sexual preference. It was what she did. It was who she was. Her mother doesn’t want people to forget that, or her daughter. Sharon Allen is creating a legacy with book exchange boxes she purchased from the nonprofit, Little Free Libraries. The first went up Oct. 30. It’s painted in the style of Vincent van Gogh’s “The Starry Night.” Van Gogh was one of Haley’s
favorite artists. Ava Jane Newell, Haley’s art teacher, painted that one, so when Allen decided to get a second library in circulation, she turned to Newell again to help her with a Dr. Seuss theme. “I’m not an artist at all,” she said. “Haley had all the talent.” The first library is at the end of their driveway in Tanglewood. The second one will be placed in the children’s area at King’s Daughters Medical Center, she said. Ward 4 Alderman Jason Snider plans to put the third downtown near the entrance to Janie’s Bakery. It will depict Brookhaven landmarks painted by Rhonda Rayborn. The fourth library will be put up on West Monticello Street near Hollie Pappas’ consignment shop, Ruby & Ethel’s. Sharon Allen believes giving free access to books to people all over Brookhaven would make Haley happy. “My daughter loved to read more than anything,” Allen said. Haley was a member of First Baptist Church of Brookhaven. She graduated second in her class from Brookhaven High School in 2011 and headed off to the Shackouls Honor College at MSU. She was a whiz kid in the honors society who was invited to China by the International Scholar Laureate Program. She was on the robotics team at State. She’d also been accepted to intern at the Animal Kingdom Engineering Department at Disney World. She was set to start Jan. 8, 2014. The young woman who named the trees at her home was passionate about politics — she was a Libertarian — and engineering. She wanted to use her talents to help others. She started painting as a 5-year-old girl, taking lessons from Newell, but it was in her first semester at State that she turned to the canvas as a way to relax. Her work is scattered throughout the house her parents built after she died. It’s down the street from the home Haley grew up in. The memories of living where Haley died were just too great, Allen said. Her family opted to rebuild, bringing all the good Haley memories with them. They remember her great smile and a personality that would wrap around her friends like a warm blanket. “She took everyone’s problems as her own,” Allen said “She tried to solve their problems.” Earlier this year, Allen was visiting her daughter Hannah Allen, an attorney in Brookhaven, Georgia, outside of Atlanta. Walking around the neighborhood, Allen noticed the small boxes resembling large two-story birdhouses, with glass doors and two shelves of books. She knew right then that Haley’s legacy would be the free libraries. Photos by Donna Campbell
Opposite page: At top, Sharon Allen paints a book exchange box in a Dr. Seuss theme at Ava Jane’s Art Barn. Bottom left: Haley Allen was a voracious reader. Bottom right: The first of Haley’s Libraries is in the Tanglewood subdivision. Three more Little Free Libraries will be placed around Brookhaven soon.
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She’d love knowing that people would share books with each other in her libraries. “I think every day, she’d go see what new books are in there and what books people chose to take. I think she would love it,” she said. Allen asks that those who use Haley’s libraries — her name is painted on each one — leave a photograph of the moment on the Facebook page she created. It’s a public group called Haley’s Libraries. Allen said every day is still a struggle. “The worst fear of a mother that loses her child is that their child is going to be forgotten,” she said. “I just keep her name out there.” Former Miss Mississippi Laura Lee Lewis sang at Haley’s funeral. The two girls had known each other since their diaper days. Haley and Laura Lee were polar opposites and best friends, Lewis said. The woman who has competed for the Miss America crown said Haley played Junior Miss with her in elementary school, not because she wanted to, but because she loved her friend. “What made her so sweet is that she truly loved people,” Lewis said. “That is what I think Haley should be remembered for.” Allen was not a girly girl, Lewis said, but she had a rhinestone pin that she’d worn to a dance once. Lewis wore the pin in her hair when she competed in the Miss Mississippi pageant. She was wearing it when they gave her the crown. She is excited about the libraries and hopes the idea will expand into all of Lincoln County. “She is doing amazing things because her legacy is living on, she said. “She’s inspiring people.” BM
Submitted photos
Opposite page: At top, two of Haley Allen’s paintings. The 21-year-old used painting to relax from her studies at Mississippi State. At bottom: Haley Allen loved to read. Above: Haley’s mother, Sharon Allen, adds books to the Little Free Library in Tanglewood. At right: Haley chose painting as a way to better cope with her stressful major.
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home JANUARY/FEBRUARY 18
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The house of many I Do’s SHARING A HOME WITH STRANGERS AND GHOSTS Story by Donna Campbell
A
ugusta Walden shares her nearly 200-year-old home with strangers and ghosts. The visitors are usually saying “I do.” The ghosts don’t say a thing. Walden, who likes to be called Gussie or just Gus, is the owner of Belle Rosen, a two-story home that sits in the shadow of the eight-story dormitory of the Mississippi School of the Arts. The house and grounds that were once the home of Whitworth College’s president now serve as a wedding venue for lovable couples looking for something a bit out of the ordinary. In the 20 years since Walden purchased the house, she’s hosted hundreds of events. Believed to be built originally as early as 1830, the house in 1901 was the home of Willie McGrath, owner of McGrath’s Department. His statue stands in Railroad Park. During Whitworth College’s days, the school’s president lived there in 1925. In the Civil War, Whitworth campus served as a hospital and Belle Rosen was the home for hospital workers. During
Grierson’s Raid on Brookhaven in the Civil War, the house was one of just a few houses left standing, as the Raiders destroyed railroads and burned depots and buildings, she said. Walden considered buying the property for a while. She doesn’t make rash decisions, she said. This one took her a quarter century. When the house was empty, she loved to look at it at night to see the streetlights reflecting in the solid leaded crystal glass of the double front door. It glistened like a million rainbows, she said. Even at night, she could see the Tiffanyinspired stained glass at the top of the stairs. The door, with its sidelights and transom lights was imported from Italy in 1903 at a cost of about $3,000. Others features of the house take Walden’s breath away even now and her eyes brighten as she describes the history during a tour. Garlands and urns are a Greek motif of the house, which is repeated throughout the building and outside.
Photos by Donna Campbell and also courtesy of Augusta Walden
Opposite page: Most of the interior of Belle Rosen is a Victorian theme. Above: Augusta Walden’s home is also a wedding venue. At right: The doors with leaded crystal windows open to reveal a Tiffany-inspired stained glass window at the top of the stairs.
BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 15
The hand-forged cast iron fence is original to the house. Both garlands and urns embellish the six cast iron gate posts on the front iron fence and also on the white molding above the stained glass window on the stairs. Urns decorate three stair newel posts. The oak flooring in the front part of Walden’s house has an inlay on the edges of the rooms, with a Greek key design in corners resembling a square tied ribbon, she said. Although oak is what people see as they make their way around her home, the upstairs floors and floors in the kitchen and back sunroom are heart pine under the oak. She’s been advised to rip up the oak to let the pine shine, but it’s still on her wish list. Maybe someday. The molding in the foyer is papier mache, which Walden wanted to gold leaf. She didn’t, at the advice of her friend David Lovell, a former owner of Edgewood mansion. He told her it was too old and fragile to withstand the technique. In the double parlors, the molding is dentil and also egg-and-dart. The Greeks thought the egg was symbolic of life, while the dart, or arrow, symbolized death, she said. Lovell sold her a pair of columns he didn’t need for Edgewood, and they’re in the entryway to the dining area. The stained-glass windows — which make a beautiful backdrop for white-laced brides on the staircase, on the stair landing and in guest bathroom —are attributed to Louis Comfort Tiffany. She believes they’re the real thing, not just an inspiration, but has no proof. A white Italianate gazebo and curving old brick basket weave sidewalk were added in the front side yard. She hangs a chandelier in the gazebo for evening weddings, she said. The furniture throughout the home has history, too. A desk in the dining room is carved from a solid piece of rosewood and came from Dalzell House, a castle in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, she said. She has a painting from there as well, she said, called “Judith with the Head of Holofernes” by Cristofano Allori, which hangs on the staircase wall and has surprised more than one mother of the bride. It depicts a woman clutching the severed head of Gen. Holofernes, which dangles beside the folds of her gown. The artist reportedly used his own likeness for the head and his mistress was the model for the woman.
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Walden bought the house — which is on the National Register of Historic Places — in 1997 and named it Belle Rosen. Belle means beautiful in Italian and her maternal family name is Rosen. The Methodist church is a former owner as well as the Loter family, who began restoring it after more than a century of decay, she said. She hosted her first wedding soon after moving in. Back then she lived upstairs, but in recent years has taken up residence downstairs near the kitchen and the only modern room in the house — her purple bathroom. Since buying Belle Rosen, she’s seen more than 600 events — mostly weddings, but also rehearsal dinners and organization luncheons. That’s where a 24-seat table comes in handy. She’s cried at every wedding. She’s a romantic at heart, she said. That’s why it’s not surprising that Walden has her own love story involving the wedding house. It’s where she met her late husband, Ed Thompson. A friend sent Thompson over to put in a watering system for the landscaping. When he found out that she was a psychometrist — someone who administers IQ tests — he asked if she’d give him one. He scored high enough on the Wexler test to join Mensa. While they were falling in love, he installed the upgrades to her property. “He did and he added some bonuses, too,” she said. Sadly, he was diagnosed with cancer and died too soon. They were married eight years. The wedding business for Walden has slowed a bit. Though she’s retired, she still travels some to test students for IQ levels, but she’s not helping as many couples find their happily ever after as she used to. Brides have many more options now. “Before these other places came, it was all the time. It was just busy, busy, busy,” she said. “I just love weddings. It’s just fun.” Walden said the trends lean toward rustic over Victorian era for nuptials these days. And though her home isn’t filled with bridal guests like it used to be, she knows she’s never completely alone there. That’s where the ghosts come in. Belle Rosen is haunted, she said. Walden never believed in ghosts, but “several things have happened,” to make her change her mind.
She’d already discounted stories she’d heard, but then she saw it for herself. It happened when she replaced an original fixture with a chandelier from another house she’d owned. “They say ghosts don’t like you to change things,” she said. One day she was getting ready for a party, “ginning around” in the dining room, she said. “All of a sudden, I saw a vapor come through the store, and it went just like you see in the movies, up through the chandelier and into the ceiling,” she said. “It wasn’t a scary feeling. I stood there and watched it. It was for real. It made a believer out of me.” Others have told her stories. Supposedly, a girl in a little white dress appears in photos and has been seen in mirrors. When she appears, someone has a baby nine months later. It’s happened to at least two people that she knows of. She’s pretty sure some of her brides may have seen the girl and kept mum. The lawyer who handled her purchase told her about an upright piano that started playing by itself in the wee early hours. That happened after the wooden steps were replaced with brick. Again, she said, ghosts don’t like change. The ghosts have been still for a while. They live in the basement, she said. Since Walden has claustrophobia, she lets them stay there unbothered and rent-free. BM
Opposite page: At top, one of Augusta Walden’s favorite weddings was Katie Ryan and Chad Lagrone, who left the house under an archway of sparklers. At bottom center, Ed Thompson and Augusta Walden were married for eight years, until his death two years ago. Walden met Thompson when he came to Belle Rosen to install a watering system for her. Above: The dining table at Belle Rosen seats 24 people. At right: The Tiffany-inspired stained-glass window at the landing of the stairwell has been a backdrop in many bridal portraits.
BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 17
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220 Hwy. 51 South, Lincoln Plaza Shopping Center
New Look ... Same Store New Sections - House, Kitchen, Fireplace, Plumbing, Outdoor Grill & More! Come look at our close-out section Brookhaven, MS 39601• (601) 833-1561
Authorized Bad Boy Mowers and Snapper dealer BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 19
photo essay JANUARY/FEBRUARY 18
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Lincoln County transforms into a winter wonderland Photos by Bill Perkins Snow fell on Brookhaven and Lincoln County Dec. 7-8, creating some fun memories and beautiful scenery. The picturesque became even more so, and the ordinary was transformed into extraordinary by the white blankets that adorned so much of the area.
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Lowery, Payn and Leggett, CPA’s strives to ensure our clients accomplish their financial goals by providing the highest quality accounting, tax, audit and consulting services.
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PROFILE 2018
STORYLINES: A look at the people and places that make our communities great
Now is your opportunity to be part of our biggest and best edition of the year! Contact your Daily Leader Advertising Representative today to take advantage of this opportunity. Deadline is January 26, 2018. Advertising Representative Kristi Carney - 601-265-5300 kristi.carney@dailyleader.com
Advertising Representative Orionna Coleman - 601-265-5302 orionna.coleman@dailyleader.com
BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 25
shop JANUARY/FEBRUARY 18
B*DAZZLED
The evolution of a small business
Story and photos by Trapper Kinchen
R
ainy Smith knows what it means to take a risk. When she was 20-years-old, she decided to become an entrepreneur. With the support of her future husband, Smith uprooted her life, moved from Biloxi to Brookhaven and launched a fledgling enterprise — the aptly named B*Dazzled. “We began with dollar jewelry, and, over time, we have transformed into a women’s boutique,” she said. Smith discovered her passion for commerce while attending college in Hattiesburg. When she wasn’t in class, she stayed busy by working at a local boutique. That experience taught her one of the most valuable professional lessons of her life: quality customer service is a business’s most precious asset. She opened B*Dazzled in 2010 with 10,000 pieces of low-priced jewelry. The process of getting started was a tremendous exercise in
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economic faith, but Smith was determined to see her vision through to completion. She initially set out to serve a niche market — women interested in reasonably priced trinkets — and, from the moment her doors opened, the shop was inundated with customers. “I knew it was a hit when I had a whole line of ladies buying handfuls of jewelry on my first day in business,” she said, laughing. After four years of steady profit, she made another bold choice. Smith opted to reach beyond the jewelry trade and branch into the wildly competitive world of clothing retail. She started small, stocking a few pair of printed leggings, and the gamble swiftly paid off. “It’s incredible, but I sold 10 leggings in an hour,” she said. Since then, her business has grown from a simple store into a veritable trove of ladies’ textiles and beauty supplies. Smith said she owes much of her success to her unbending belief that
Opposite page: B*Dazzled carries products designed to appeal to Brookhaven shoppers. Items like the American-made, soy candles by “South” are particularly popular with local consumers. At left: Garlands of hair bows hang like ornamental wisteria blossoms on several of B*Dazzled’s walls. Below: One of B*Dazzled’s most trendy products is a line of specialty scented candles by Boudreaux & Co. Krista Davis takes a moment to admire the ‘nanner puddin’ fragrance.
all women deserve to feel valued. “My mission is to have something for people of all ages — whether they’re 8 years old or 80 — and people of any size,” Smith said. “I cater to every woman.” B*Dazzled boasts an array of women’s sizes, and Smith said she makes certain everything she sells — regardless of dimension — is chic. “I consider my business a very trendy boutique,” she said. “Whatever is popular, I keep in stock.” Not only has B*Dazzled diversified its merchandise over the years, but the boutique’s overall appearance has also evolved. Smith said her shop has transformed so dramatically since its inception that some of her original clients are still amazed by the shift. After nearly a decade in business, customer service remains the key to Smith’s success. She said she wants every individual
who walks through her doors to feel acknowledged on a personal level. “I train my girls to tell everybody ‘Hey,’ because we want our customers to know we see them and we care about helping them find what they need,” she said. Smith focuses her inventory on the kinds of styles Lincoln County women generally appreciate. Yet, her clothing is as versatile as her clients, and — whether someone is looking for something to add to their everyday wardrobe or an accessory for a special occasion — she always keeps the consumer in mind. “The truth is, we’re in Brookhaven, not LA,” she said. “Don’t get me wrong, I love LA style, but we want local people to really connect with our clothes.” As a small business, B*Dazzled is able to constantly adjust to meet local demand. BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 27
Smith’s inventory changes with the seasons, and her team often updates the shop’s displays to keep its ambiance as lively as possible. “I’m all about small business and the local economy,” she said. Smith is proud to be a part of Brookhaven’s budding marketplace. With more shoppers choosing to shop locally and greater numbers of area businesses striving to meet community needs, Smith is optimistic about her store’s long-term prospects. “Brookhaven is so special because of our small businesses, and we really rely on women to shop local,” she said. B*Dazzle’s development is ongoing, and Smith is constantly working to renovate the store’s interior. She also has plans to digitally expand her enterprise, in the hopes of reaching as many consumers as possible. “I would like to evolve and get the business online, one day,” she said. The shop has slowly become a genuine delight for Smith, who is a busy mother and wife. Even though her life has changed a great deal since she founded B*Dazzled, she still loves going to work, everyday. “I’ve been open for seven years, and I do not plan on ever closing,” She said. And, even with her ever-evolving ambitions for the boutique, Smith’s original vision remains steady. Above all else, she and her team want to help women feel beautiful and respected. “We want people to feel comfortable and appreciated at B*Dazzled, whether they’re spending $1 or $100,” Smith said. BM
At top left: Smith started her business with 10,000 pieces of dollar jewelry, and, after a great deal of hard work, quickly grew into a full fledged ladies’ boutique. At right: Beyond jewelry and clothes, B*Dazzled offers an array of beauty supplies and gift items. Products like bath bombs sell well year round.
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The best in local news, sports and weather is at your fingertips. BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 29
shop JANUARY/FEBRUARY 18
Warm up to winter deals
McComb Electric There’s no easier and more efficient way to enjoy a fire this season than with Real Fyre gas logs. And there’s no more beautiful gas log that delivers a more incredible fire than Real Fyre. It’s what fire is meant to be. Handcrafted in the USA. Available at McComb Electric. Prices vary by style.
Expectations Too True Grit fleece pullovers are a stylish way to keep you warm this winter. Available at Expectations Too. Prices vary.
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shop JANUARY/FEBRUARY 18
Expectations Confetti CC beanie hats with matching Confetti gloves with “Smart-Tip.” You can text, call, take pictures, etc., without having to remove your gloves. Available at Expectations.
601 Sports The Mr. Heater Big Buddy provides temporary propane heat — up to 18,000 BTU — for sheds, campers, patios, garages, sporting events, hunting blinds, etc. Dual heating system combines radiant heat comfort with convection heat air flow for maximum efficiency. Available at 601 Sports.
601 Sports ThermaCELL Original Heated Insoles are the perfect solution to your cold feet blues — keeping your feet warm without getting hot to the touch and making them sweat. It’s the best way to keep your feet warm while hunting, working, and enjoying outdoor passions. Available at 601 Sports. 601 Sports The UGG Classic Short II boot features a pretreated exterior for stain-and-water resistance and a lightweight sole to increase cushioning, durability and traction. Available at 601 Sports. Sizes, colors and prices vary.
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history JANUARY/FEBRUARY 18
MY DEAREST JENNY Students pay tribute to a soldier they never knew Story by Brett Campbell
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hen schoolteacher Kathy Ann Bracey Thames of Brookhaven died in December 2005, she was 48 years old and had taught at Alexander Junior High for 27 years. Her obituary, published in The Daily Leader, described her as an extraordinary teacher. “She displayed a genuine love for all her students that went beyond the classroom,” it read, in part. “She was a true and faithful friend … She always had positive words of encouragement when we needed it.” This portrayal was certainly accurate just over four years prior to her death, when she demonstrated her
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concern for her friend Jenny and the loss her family had been feeling for nearly 30 years. Jenny was Jennifer Entrican Watson of Brookhaven, whose brother Danny Entrican had been declared Missing in Action in 1973. Entrican was last seen wounded and presumed captured in Vietnam on May 18, 1971. He was an Army first lieutenant with a 5th Special Forces Group MACV-SOG team, or Military Assistance Command Vietnam Studies and Observation Group, a joint-service unconventional warfare task force engaged in highlyclassified operations throughout Southeast Asia.
He was 24. His sisters Jenny and Judith were three and 11 years older than him, respectively. Their mother, Mildred Clara Day Entrican, was 62 when her son went missing. But the family had not given up hope of his eventual return. They told their story, Danny’s story, in an article published in The Daily Leader on Veterans Day 1993. They shared about what he meant to them, how he had refused to leave others behind during an evacuation and was likely captured, and how much they longed to hear his footsteps across the porch coming home. The account struck the heart of the junior high language arts teacher, and she shared it eight years later with her eighth-grade students as they studied other writings about the Vietnam War. Her students were touched by the story of this young man from their town who had not yet returned from a war fought long before they were born. So they decided to write letters. Danny’s mother had died just a year prior to their lessons, and his oldest sister Judith Day Kirkpatrick was living in Jackson. But they knew his sister Jenny was still alive and living in Brookhaven. So they wrote their messages of encouragement to her. Some wrote alone and some wrote with a partner. They wrote poems and prose, and their words, phrasing, spelling and grammar were not always what a teacher wants her students to use. But that was part of their beauty, as far as Thames was concerned. She was happy to know that her students wanted to do this themselves — it was not an assignment — and didn’t want to diminish anything they shared from their hearts by making changes. It was with this in mind that she penned her own letter to Danny’s sister, and delivered it with the 14 penned by her students. She began by writing, “My Dearest Jenny, my kindred spirit.” Her letter continued, in part: “Reading my students’ hearts on paper will be bittersweet and may even cause tears to flow; however…I know these tears will be refreshing, to know that someone cares and remembers your loved one. ...As you read their poems, tributes, and letters remember that the students on their own volition wrote to you.
Above: Army 1st Lt. Danny D. Entrican, third from left, poses with unidentified soldiers in Vietnam circa 1971. This photo is part of a Military Memorial Museum of Brookhaven display commemorating local fallen or missing soldiers from Lincoln County. Below: Entrican stands outside his unit’s post in Vietnam, dressed in combat fatigues.
Opposite page: A framed pencil rubbing of Entrican’s name from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., rests in a display case at the Military Memorial Museum, along with a Missing In Action bracelet given to the Entrican family by someone who wore the bracelet in Cpt. Entrican’s honor. Army 1st Lt. Danny D. Entrican poses for a dress uniform portrait. This photo is from the collection of the Military Memorial Museum of Brookhaven.
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Photos by Donna Campbell
The Freedom Tree is a magnolia tree planted in Railroad Park, Brookhaven, with a plaque in the ground nearby that reads, “The Freedom Tree. With the vision of universal freedom for all mankind this tree is dedicated to Capt. Dan D. Entrican and all Prisoners of War and Missing In Action, 1973.”
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“These words of theirs come straight from their heart. I read over each, but I am sure you will find errors in them. Yes, I could have made them correct them, but if I had done that, then the words would not have been theirs, and often when we allow children to write what is in their hearts, no-strings-attached, we get POWERFUL WORDS. “… If you read something that may sound unfamiliar to you, the students pulled that knowledge from the other texts and it carried over to Danny’s tributes. Most of the students did not know ANYTHING about the Vietnam War prior to this unit.” Students took varied approaches in their letters to the sister of the man about whom they had just recently learned but already considered a hero and role model for them to follow. One letter was written as an acrostic made from Danny’s name, ending with the author’s assessment of Entrican as “Nice and just wonderful.” A poem entitled “Hope Burns Brightly” expressed gratitude that the poet’s own granddaddy had returned safely — “life would not be the same” without him, she wrote. Several students wrote that they were praying for Watson and her family, and expressed belief that God was taking care of Danny wherever he was. One offered scripture as encouragement: “But your need any more comfort read Romans 8:31” (“If God is for us, who can be against us?”). “He is a great hero to the city of Brookhaven, and a great role model to us…the hero of our hearts…the role model of our lives. He is the brother we never knew, the friend we never met, and the hero we hope to one-day see,” two young girls wrote. A young boy wrote that he knew his poem would not make up for her loss, but it would show her that he cared. “I give this poem to your family, but I know it cannot make up your life. I give this poem to show that I care. I give this poem to honor you, may the flag still hang in hope.” Kathy Thames’ own letter to Jenny closed by saying, “Your precious brother, Brookhaven’s own hero, will forever be sketched in the hearts and minds of my students, and if you can find comfort in knowing that Danny is not forgotten … then students will have learned a far greater skill than subject/verb agreement but rather knowledge of the heart…for a lifetime.” Jennifer “Jenny” Entrican Watson died in 2016 at the age of 72. Her sister Judith had died in 2011, age 76. Capt. Danny D. Entrican is still considered Missing in Action. BM
These Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals are two of the awards presented to Entrican. Entrican sits on sandbags at his post in Vietnam while operating a field telephone. Other photos: Entrican in Vietnam. Photos courtesy of Virtual Veterans Memorial Fund
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food JANUARY/FEBRUARY 18
Photo by Donna Campbell
Nurse Brenda Webber has the remedy for what ails you. Her prize-winning soup is a must-try in cold, winter weather.
BM
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SHE’S A ‘SOUPER’ COOK Nurse has the remedy to beat cold-weather blues Story and photos by Donna Campbell
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somewhat famous commercial soup company claims its soup is “mmm, mmm good.” There aren’t enough letters in the alphabet to properly describe the seafood chowder that’s won a Brookhaven nurse an armload of awards over the past decade she’s been ladling it up. Brenda Webber’s recipe has earned her the title of Souper Bowl Champ for too many years for her to count. But it’s not really even her recipe. It’s one the recovery room nurse borrowed from a friend and doctored it up to suit her family’s taste. Webber, who lives with her husband Bo between Bogue Chitto and Brookhaven, is a registered nurse at the Vein Center and at King’s Daughters Medical Center. About 10 years ago, a co-worker at KDMC brought everyone some of her shrimp chowder to try. “Angie Williamson gave me the recipe years ago,” Webber said. “The recipe started being a shrimp chowder and I’ve added to it over the years.” Webber dumps in crawfish and crabmeat to add to the shrimp and it’s a perfect combination for anyone who loves seafood. But it’s not necessary, she said. The soup with just shrimp is good, too. With étouffée mix, half-and-half and canned diced tomatoes and green chilies in the base, her family begs for bowls of the stuff. Webber is glad she’s found the remedy for chilly days and hunger pains. “My family, they love it,” she said. So do her friends at Southway Baptist Church. “I have to fix it every year for the Souper Bowl.” From dozens of submissions at the church’s annual January fellowship, Webber’s chowder consistently earns the highest number of votes. Her pot is always empty at the end of the night. She doesn’t think there’s a secret ingredient that makes it such a huge hit with everyone who tries it. “I guess when you put it all together, it’s a good flavor to it,” she said. Especially with some hot, freshly-baked cornbread, she said. She tries to make it at home several times a year, but with the generous amounts of seafood that she adds to the mix, it can get a bit too pricey for a monthly meal. She mostly saves it for special occasions, like when her brother, Scotty Oberschmidt, visits from California. “That’s one of the things he likes,” she said.
Bo Webber is also a huge fan of his wife’s cooking, and that chowder is one of his favorites. “He begs for the kids to come home and come eat because that’s when I’ll cook,” she said.
Brenda’s Seafood chowder Ingredients: 2 sticks butter 1 onion, chopped 2 boxes Zatarain’s étouffée mix base, mixed per package directions 2 cans whole kernel corn, drained 1 can mild Rotel tomatoes 4 cans cream of potato soup 1 quart half and half 2 lbs. of shrimp (or more depending on chef) Optional: Shelled crawfish and crab Directions: Saute’ onions in butter. Add to étouffée mix and the other ingredients. Cook on medium heat for 25 minutes. Stir often. Great with cornbread.
OTHER RECIPES, SUBMITTED BY READERS: Old-fashioned vegetable soup submitted by Rep. Becky Currie Makes about 4 cups Vary the vegetables in this soup. For the 3 cups of stock in the recipe, use 2 cups diced vegetables. Bring to a boil over high heat, in a soup pot: 3 cups beef, chicken or vegetable stock 1/4 cup diced onions 1/4 cup diced carrots 1/4 cup sliced celery 1/4 cup diced potatoes 1/4 cup 1-inch pieces green beans 1/4 cup corn kernels 1/4 cup baby peas 1/4 cup baby lima beans 1/4 cup chopped green cabbage (optional) 1 clove garlic, minced 1 1/2 tsp. tomato paste or 1/2 cup chopped drained canned or stewed tomatoes Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in: 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley salt and ground black pepper to taste Ladle into warmed bowls and serve.
BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 37
Tortellini soup
Touchdown chili
Submitted by Tammie Santos Brewer Soup can be cooked on top of the stove in a Dutch oven or in a slow cooker. Serve with sliced garlic bread. Make a big pot of soup and freeze in 1- to 2-cup containers. It freezes well and can be reheated by adding just a bit of beef broth when thawing and reheating from the freezer. Serves 10 Ingredients: 1 lb ground Italian sausage, browned 1 medium onion, chopped 2 large carrots, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp. Italian seasonings 2 beef bouillon cubes 4 cup beef broth ¼ cup cornstarch mixed and dissolved in ¼ cup water 12-oz can evaporated milk 12-oz bag of three cheese tortellini 5 cup (small bag) fresh baby spinach 1 cup milk Directions: 1. Use a large stock boiler. Brown sausage; add in onions, carrots, celery, garlic and Italian seasonings. Cook until carrots are no longer crunchy. Add beef bouillon cubes and broth. Bring to a boil. 2. Mix cornstarch mixture with evaporated milk and add to soup mixture. Stir well. Add in tortellini and mix well again. Cover and cook on high heat for about 30 minutes or until the tortellini is soft and cooked. 3. Add in the spinach leaves. Press the leaves down into the soup. Cover and cook another 10 to 15 minutes, until the leaves are wilted. 4. Slowly pour in milk, as you stir. Salt and pepper to taste. You may add more or less milk to suit your tastes and thickness of the soup.
Submitted by Lucy Shell, Brookhaven School Board member Serves 5 Ingredients 1 lb. lean ground beef 1 cup chopped onion 1 package chili seasoning mix 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce Directions Cook ground beef and onion in large skillet on medium-high heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain fat. Stir in seasoning mix and remaining ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped onion, if desired.
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Enchilada Soup Submitted by Sen. Sally Doty Ingredients: 1 large can Old El Paso green enchilada sauce 1 large can puréed pumpkin 16oz can chicken broth 1 onion 2 cans whole kernel corn Optional add-ins: cooked shredded chicken; 2 cans black beans Directions: Sauté an onion. Add can of Old El Paso green enchilada sauce. Add pureed pumpkin (adds texture but you don’t taste it). Add 16 oz. can of chicken broth (or more to reach consistency you like). Add 2 cans whole kernel corn. You can also add shredded chicken and two cans of black beans. Let simmer for 30 minutes or so to blend flavors. Serve with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese and a handful of crushed tortilla chips. Tastes great and freezes well.
Spicy tomato soup Submitted by Donna Campbell, Daily Leader managing editor Yield: 4 to 6 servings Ingredients 3 Tbsp. olive oil 2 carrots, peeled and chopped 1 small onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce 2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Can also add mini frozen meatballs that have been thawed in the microwave or quarter regular-size meatballs. Directions Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic and saute’ until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the jar of marinara sauce, chicken broth, cannellini beans, red pepper flakes, pasta, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve. If making enough for leftovers, cook the pasta separately and ladle soup over individual servings of pasta. BM
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books JANUARY/FEBRUARY 18
Other words & worlds Suggested reads from Brookhaven Magazine staff Recommended by Adam Northam, sports editor
Recommended by Trapper Kinchen, reporter
“My Southern Journey: True Stories from the Heart of the South,” by Rick Bragg 2015
“Mattaponi Queen: Stories” by Belle Boggs
It could be because, like me, he’s from Alabama. Or, like me, he was raised by old women. He’s fat. So am I. His mouth makes trouble. So “Lonesome Dove,” by Larry McMurtry does mine. Whatever the reason, Pulitzer Prize-winning 1985 author Rick Bragg is my favorite writer, and — far as I’m concerned — the leading Southern Go to the bookstore. Look at the westerns. writer in modern times. There are 200 novels. Louis L’Amour probably Southerners are a sundry bunch. We’re wrote all but two or three. not all choir members, or jars of sweet tea. You don’t need Louis. You need Larry. We’re complicated. When we’re divided over Larry McMurtry’s “Lonesome Dove,” things like flags or money or former winner of the 1985 Pulitzer Prize for Alabama Supreme Court justices, Bragg Fiction, is the best western novel ever understands all that. The old-time truths written. It’s usually sold out. You can in the stories he writes contain some always watch the 1989 CBS miniseries, kind of healing voodoo, or maybe the expertly acted by Robert Duvall and Holy Ghost. I’m not sure which. Tommy Lee Jones. Wal-Mart has it for All I know is the best way to get $10. into Bragg’s writing is in little pieces. But the book is always better. Before you grab one of his great books, Adam Northam “Lonesome Dove,” set during the end take him in single-page increments of the frontier era in the late 1800s, by reading “My Southern Journey,” follows Capt. Woodraw Call and Capt. a collection of the pieces he’s written for Augustus McRae, retired Texas Rangers, on Southern Living, Garden and Gun and other their journey from the Mexican border to Southern-themed magazines. northern Montana with a herd of cattle. Now Here’s an excerpt from “The Roses of on the downslope of long lives, Call and Fairhope,” probably the best thing he’s ever Gus confront the decline of their lifestyles, written. past mistakes and old wounds, lost love and I wanted them to see the sunset from the friendship, all while nursing a herd of beasts Fairhope pier, and as we rolled down the bluff, and men on a long, dangerous adventure I heard them go quiet. But the sunset was just through Indian and outlaw lands. a light to see by. It was the roses. They were It’s a powerful story, written in a fine, blooming in a circle the size of a baseball slow prose. Southerners have all heard their infield, more than 2,000 of them, with names grandmothers speak this way: like Derby horses or unrealized dreams— “By god, Woodrow,” Gus declares, “long Mr. Lincoln, Strike It Rich, Touch of Class, as you worked around horses, I’d think you’d Crimson Glory, Lasting Love. My mother, who know better than to turn your back on a Kiowa never even liked roses much, said, “Oh, Lord.” mare.” Juanita, tough and tiny, made of whalebone “You want to think somethin’,” Woodrow and hell, looked about to cry. grouses, “why don’t you think that roof back up on that barn, ‘stead of sitting in the shade all the time?” “Well, I’m glad I ain’t scared to be lazy,” 40 BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE Gus replies.
Belle Boggs’s “Mattaponi Queen” is an earthy collection of short stories about life in a mellow swath of rural Virginia. It explores the complex relationships between race, gender, faith and renewal in the modern South, and Boggs develops a mesmerizing sense-of-place that unifies the individual plots into a much larger narrative about the human condition. Each story builds to mild, soulful crescendo, and, by the time the book comes to an end, a reader’s literary palate has been thoroughly cleansed. With powerful characterizations and painfully vivid landscape descriptions, “Mattaponi Queen” is a must read for anyone who appreciates expressive writing. The book’s tone is so serene and engrossing that it’s hard not to get lost in its words. Beyond being a fine example of contemporary southern literature, “Mattaponi Queen” is just a beautiful read.
“Gigi” by Colette Written in 1944, Colette’s Trapper Kinchen “Gigi” is a bright and brisk little example of twentieth-century French literature — filled with lilting dialogue and effervescent characterizations. It tells the story of an intelligent Parisian girl on the cusp of womanhood at the turn of the last century. Her name is Gigi, and she comes from a long line of courtesans. Colette does a remarkable job of providing historical context for her novel without dragging its plot through a chronological quagmire. She also uses her words to paint a literary tableau textured with charm, insight and poignancy. Even though it has been nearly three quarters of a century since “Gigi” was first published, its narrative is perhaps more
Recommended by Brett Campbell, news editor
“The Magician’s Nephew,” by C. S. Lewis First published in 1955, “Nephew” is the sixth of seven novels in The Chronicles of Narnia. Lewis asked that future reprints list the novel as first in the series, since its content comes first in the sequence according to Narnian history. The book deals with the creation of Narnia by the lion Aslan, and centers primarily on a young boy named Digory. Digory and his terminally ill mother live with their odd aunt and uncle and it’s through Digory’s exploration with a neighboring girl that they stumble upon a nasty secret of the uncle’s. The story takes off from there. Readers of any of Lewis’ fiction will enjoy his unique style of fantasy as they read this volume for the first or fifth time. Anyone who hasn’t read his fantasy or science fiction novels will likely recognize style and elements that have influenced countless writers Brett Campbell in the past 60-odd years. Though “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” is the best-known and most popular volume in the series — it is also the first, which lends credence to the reason it is the most-read — “Nephew” is the favorite of many, this reviewer included. It’s language is simple, and poetic. “A voice had begun to sing. It was very far away and Digory found it hard to decide from what direction it was coming. Sometimes it seemed to come from all directions at once. Sometimes he almost thought it was coming out of the earth beneath them. Its lower notes were deep enough to be the voice of the earth herself. There were no words. It was hardly a tune. But it was beyond comparison, the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.” The book also contains one of my favorite lines of dialogue, spoken by Aslan himself: “All get what they want; they do not always like it.” The book is readily available at most brick-and-mortar and online booksellers.
“21 Ways to a Happier Depression,” by Seth Swirsky Swirsky is perhaps best known as the writer of the Grammy-nominated pop hit “Tell It to My Heart,” recorded by Taylor Dayne in 1982. Having battled with anxiety and depression for most of his life, Swirsky felt his financial success and all of his accomplishments by the age of 50 — songwriter, author, recording artist and musician, documentary filmmaker — were overshadowed by his struggles. In a phone interview, Swirsky told me that he had recently completed a degree as a clinical psychologist because he had planned since he was 20 to one day be able to help others deal with their anxiety and not feel “stuck” like he had for so long. This thin, simple book was written with that goal in mind. “I am not trying to cure depression,” Swirsky said, stressing that the book was simply a list and short explanation of techniques that had actually worked for him personally, and had subsequently proved helpful to the clients he saw in his practice. “Some of it even seems kind of silly,” he said, referencing a chapter about painting shapes just to get his mind off everything else, “but if it really works, who cares?” As someone who inherited the double problem of anxiety and depression, and is trying to help some of his children through it as well, I recognized a couple of suggestions in the book that really hit close to home with me, and that I considered helpful. When I was done reading the book, I passed it on to my son and encouraged him to read it. “If even one chapter helps you, it’s worth it,” I told him. I can’t think of better praise for a book. The little volume’s full title is “21 Ways to a Happier Depression: A Creative Guide to Getting Unstuck from Anxiety, Setbacks and Stress.” It’s available at multiple retailers online.
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garden JANUARY/FEBRUARY 18
Try black-eyed Susan vine for a resilient ground cover By Gary R. Bachman
Most folks have poinsettias and entertaining on the agenda during the holidays, I want to highlight a plant that has been an outstanding performer for me all year. It took this past weekend’s hard freeze to finally shut down my blackeyed Susan vine (I’m going to use the abbreviation BES for this flower), known botanically as Thunbergia alata. For many gardeners, in their experience this is traditionally a basket plant that deserves to be grown more often. These plants are not related to our garden-variety BES, but they have similar looking flowers with dark centers surrounded by colorful petals. This annual vining plant starts out small but grows fast, and it readily scampers up any Gary R. Bachman fence. Its flower petal colors range from yellow to orange and white. An interesting selection that I like is African Sunset. This variety starts out a rusty orange, and, as it ages, the color will change, reflecting the various warm colors of sunset. I got the idea of planting the BES from seeing it being grown in the Mississippi State Trial Gardens on the main campus in Starkville. Those plants were being trained to grow up a set of supports, but what caught my eye was how the plants created a fine and dense ground cover. I have a grouping of subirrigated EarthBoxes that I used last year to create a small garden with plants to attract pollinators and butterflies to my home landscape. I choose a mix from the tropical Asclepias variety with red and yellow flowers, along with the variegated Monarch Promise and the yellowflowered and the rusty-orange African Sunset. Both grew great in the EarthBoxes. By the end of the year, the BES had almost completely overrun the butterfly
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Photo by MSU Extension Service/Gary Bachman
African Sunset is a variety of black-eyed Susan vine that changes its color as it ages to reflect sunsets.
weed. This turned out OK because we didn’t have any Monarch visitors until November and actually watched Monarchs emerge between Christmas and New Year’s. The BES came back with a vengeance this year. I was surprised that four of the six original plants overwintered in our coastal Mississippi garden, along with numerous seedlings. I didn’t realize that BES could be that aggressive. Not only has my small wire fence been completely covered up, but the BES also decided to take on my 8-foot privacy fence. I’ll admit I installed a few eye bolts and some fishing line to encourage it to climb.
The best part of having all of this BES has been all the pollinator and butterfly action -- lots of Gulf fritillary butterflies, yellow sulfurs and Monarchs (again, no caterpillars feeding on the butterfly weeds, I think because they can’t find them). We also saw the occasional hummingbird. If you think you might like to try BES in your garden next year, seeds are readily available. Buy some from your local garden center, sit back and enjoy all of the winged visitors. Gary R. Bachman is an extension/ research professor at Mississippi State University.
What to do in
BROOKHAVEN
JANUARY Mississippi Symphony Orchestra
The orchestra will present “Mozart by Candlelight” on Friday, Jan. 12, at 7:30 p.m. at The Haven. Tickets are $30.
MSA Literary Arts Coffee House
FEBRUARY Bayou Independent Wrestling
Students will present original poetry based on the theme “Throwback: Nostalgia” on Monday, Jan. 22 in the Elizabeth Cottage beginning at 6:30 p.m. The event is free but seating is limited.
Several wrestling bouts will take place at the Lincoln Civic Center on Saturday, Feb. 3, 7:30-10 p.m. Tickets are $10 /$15.
The Odd Couple
Brookhaven Little Theatre presents the classic play Friday and Saturday, Feb. 9-10, 16-17 at 7:30 p.m. Matinee performances will take place on Sundays, Feb. 11 and 18 at 2 p.m. All tickets are $20.
MSA Literary Arts Coffee House
Students will present original poetry based on the theme “Connections” on Monday, Feb. 26 in the Elizabeth Cottage beginning at 6:30 p.m. The event is free but seating is limited. BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 43
MAY/JUNE 2017
BROOKHAVEN
MAGAZINE
serving LINCOLN/COPIAH/FRANKLIN/LAWRENCE COUNTIES
ARTS
‘Poppins’ one of BLT’s best yet
Liz-Beth:
A pageant shopping destination
HISTORY
It’ly thrived in Brookhaven
BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 1
Why advertise in The Daily Leader’s Brookhaven Magazine?
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Brookhaven Magazine is delivered to all Daily Leader subscribers and placed in racks, offices and retail locations throughout the area.
WHO READS BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE? Middle-to-upper income residents who have an interest in or a love for the Brookhaven lifestyle. The magazine is targeted to homeowners in the area, particularly women.
Brookhaven Magazine is created by locals for locals.
Make the SMART move and advertise your business where it matters ... right here at home. Kristi Carney - 601.265.5300 kristi.carney@dailyleader.com Orionna Coleman - 601.265.5302 orionna.coleman@dailyleader.com
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128 West Cherokee Street Brookhaven, Mississippi 601.265.2415
Weekdays: 10AM - 6PM Saturday: 10AM - 2PM
“I challenge you to find a better dealer to buy from than Bus Supply of McComb.” -Actual Testimonial from a Satisfied Customer
2084 Highway 98 E., McComb, MS 39648 (601) 684.2900 BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 45 Toll Free: (800) 748.8681
photo essay JANUARY/FEBRUARY 18
46 BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE
Brookhaven-Lincoln County Christmas parade Photos by Donna Campbell The theme of the annual Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce Christmas parade, which rolled through downtown Brookhaven Nov. 30, was “All-American Christmas.” Several World War II veterans served as parade marshals.
BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 47
voices JANUARY/FEBRUARY 18
Why I love Brookhaven A
s a young college graduate with the world at her beck and call, small town Mississippi was not in the plans for me. As a product of Copiah County, I had dreams of big city life and allowing my degree in retail management take me to bigger venues, but God said no. He diverted my path and sent me to Brookhaven in 1991. After I was introduced to my husband, Burnell Robinson, I gained a second degree in education, and my dreams of big city life were no longer my desire. I found Brookhaven to be the perfect place to rear our children, Basil and Cassidy. I love the closeness and quiet nature of the town as a whole. I have stated on many occasions that I could not have picked a better town to live in and rear my family. I love the quaint “corny appeal” of the Exchange Club Fair. I love mingling among the shoppers and greeting friends at the Ole Brook Festival. I like an evening of fun and shopping with my daughter Cassidy during Girl’s Night Out. I love the great performances of the Brookhaven Little Theatre. I love going into businesses and being greeted by name. I love sampling delicious food at the Taste of the Trust. Need I go on? These annual events and the wonderful people are what make Brookhaven the unique “Mayberryish” town that it is. As principal of Lipsey School, I have the opportunity to work with a group of great educators and an even greater population of wonderful students. When it seems like the weight of the world is on my shoulders, the children manage to give me some type of joy and something to smile about.
Watching them take pride in Ole Brook traditions and encouraging them to continue their education in order to make their families and Brookhaven proud is a labor of love for me. Being a small part of providing future productive citizens for Brookhaven makes me proud! Each and every morning at my desk I say a prayer for my teachers, my students, my family, and the city of Brookhaven, that we all are blessed by the Father with hearts of service, to be able to give as well as receive. All in all, my life in Brookhaven with my husband and children has been picture perfect. God couldn’t have chosen a better place for me, and I am proud to call Brookhaven my hometown. Rita Robinson has been married to the Rev. Burnell Robinson for 25 years. They have three children — Dion, Basil and Cassidy. Robinson graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in retail management and from Alcorn State University with a master’s degree in elementary education.
48 BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE
Having a social event? Send Us Your Photos! Brookhaven Magazine welcomes contributions of event photos. They will be subject to editorial approval and availability of space. Minimum of five photos per event.
Criteria for picture submission: A brief description of the event and first and last names of everyone in the photo that can clearly be identified from left to right, 300 dpi resolution minimum, and a contact name plus phone number should questions arise.
Photos can be e-mailed to: editor@dailyleader.com or mailed to: Editor, The Daily Leader • P.O. Box 550 • Brookhaven, MS 39601 OR dropped off at the front desk at 128 North Railroad Ave., Brookhaven BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 49
Brookhaven Camellia Society The Camellia Society inaugurated the Homestead at Brookhaven Nurseries on Oct. 10.
Edna Bishop and Ann Boyd
Frank Burns, Jill Burns Logan and Bob Logan
Mallory Johnson and Aubrey Chance
50 BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE
Frank Burns and Carol Burgess
Renate Huntington, Rev. Rick Munn and Janet Shriver
Don Jacobs and Shelley Harrigill
Betty Ann Perkins and Shirley Estes
Tricia Nelson-Easley, BCS president Bill Perkins and Janet Shriver
Poozie and David Swink, Aubrey Chance, Mallory Johnson, Mike Jinks, Dr. Ted Dear and Janet Shriver
BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 51
Lincoln County Soil and Water annual meeting Held Sept. 26 at Poppas Fish House.
Gary Blair, Betty Ann Perkins and Don Underwood
Vice Chairman Gary Blair
Cecil Rhodes and Jack Combs
Danny and Marianna Knight
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Linda Smith and Becky Dixon
Kay Calcote and Dr. Betty Bullard
Cecil Rhodes and Nancy Falvey
Speaker Don Underwood
BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 53
River Oaks Construction Pete’s Interiors rebranded and reopened in October on Hwy. 51.
Trae Rickerson and Chuck Wallace
April Wallace and Jason Snider
April Wallace, Aubrey Lee Chance, Devon Winborne and Lindsey Gennaro
Jetty Gary, Cathy Gary, Sharon Payn and Stacey Leggett
54 BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE
Dustin Walker and Brad Boener
Clay Pruitt, Garrett Jackson, Chuck Wallace, Patrick Wallace, Jeremy Winborne and Blake Carroll
Katie Nations, Jason Snider, Garrett Jackson, Chuck Wallace, Patrick Wallace, April Wallace, Susan Wallace, Charmagne Gregg, Stephanie Jordan, Charley Wallace, Sarah Catherine Wallace, Skip Tarver, Michelle Lovette, Sherrie Welch and Jillian Sicks Ricceri
BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 55
Doll’s House Benefit Dinner Doll’s House held its Sixth Annual Benefit Dinner at the Lincoln Civic Center on Oct. 24.
Tonya Hayes, Peggy Foster, Catherine Cox, Dot Baker, Nelline Reed and Sherrie Brown
Jeff and Angie King
Standing: Bronze Beckley and Amanda Belser seated: Amanda Harveston, Jennifer Netterville Hay and Gabe Netterville
Back: Howard Moak, Pat Moak, Susan Glennis and Patsy Nelson Front: Peggy McCullough, Angela Permenter and Elrea Hux
Bobby and Gloria Britt
56 BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE
Marion Blackwell, Maura Dunaway and Lou Neal
Mignon McKennon, Kent and Amy Davis Marilyn Phillips, Heather McKenzie, Wayne McKenzie and Ronnie Nettles
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601.833.8100 Visit our website at drgiust.com BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE 57
58 BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE
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Banking Shouldn’t Be! Working with a great local bank that has your best interests in mind can be as comforting as a snug blanket on a frigid winter day. Rest assured, at Bank of Brookhaven we won’t leave you out in the cold.
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