Dr. Mary Ellen Pope

Dr. Mary Ellen Weathersby Pope (Mrs. Willis), died at Baptist Memorial Hospital on March 28, 2007. She was born April 14, 1905 and lived a happy life for nearly one hundred and two years, and she encouraged others to be happy. Services to be held Saturday, March 31, 2007 at Parkinson Hall - Nissan Auditorium on the MUW Campus at 3:00 p.m. with interment at Friendship Cemetery. Visitation to be held from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m., Saturday, March 31, 2007 at Parkinson Hall - Nissan Auditorium with Gunter & Peel Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Reverend Rita Cochrane, Minister at First Presbyterian Church-West Point, is in charge of service, assisted by Rev. Wayne Bruchey, Rev. Gaye Mims, and Rev. Ron McDougald.
She was the daughter of the late Robert Lodwic Weathersby and Ellen Harrell Weathersby. She was born in Liberty, MS and raised in Magnolia, MS. She was a graduate of Magnolia High School. She attended Mississippi State College for Women, now MUW in Columbus, MS receiving a B.S. degree in 1926. She attended Columbia University in New York and the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis where she received her Masters degree in 1944.
She taught home economics in Anquilla, MS, Canton, MS, and Vicksburg, MS.
She also taught graduate courses at MUW in Columbus, MS, LSU in Baton Rouge, LA, and Peabody College in Nashville, TN. She served as Assistant State Supervisor of Home Economics in Jackson, MS.
She married Willis Pope in 1949. He preceded her in death in 1959, and his son Willis Pope, Jr. in 1996 and daughter-in-law, Norma C. Pope in 2007. She was preceded in death by her parents, four sisters, Ann Starnes (Harold) and Robbie Corder (Charles) of Hammond, LA; Marquerite Devall (Ben) of Orange Grove Plantation, Port Allen, LA; Nema Colee (Otto) of Magnolia, MS; and two brothers, Van Weathersby (Isabel) of Little Rock, AR; Harrell Weathersby (Mae) of McComb, MS.
She was active in the community, MUW, and the First Presbyterian Church. She served as president of the Columbus Garden Club and Mississippi Home Economics Association and was Moderator of Presbyterian Women in St. Andrew Presbyter. She was elected Elder three times in First Presbyterian Church, USA, Columbus, MS.
At the May 2004 Commencement, MUW honored her by bestowing a Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. In the fall of 2004, MUW named the banquet room the Mary Ellen Weathersby Pope Banquet Room.
She is survived by niece Lucy Ellen Ray (Bill) of Humble, TX; nephews, Charles Corder (Belinda) of Baton Rouge, LA; Dr. Harrell Weathersby (Pat) of Amite, LA; Ben Weathersby (Ann) of Tucker, GA; and Robert Weathersby (Donna) of Hammond, LA; great nephews, Will Ray of Encino, CA; Chuck Corder of Pensacola, FL; Dr. Blake Weathersby (Ashley) of Charleston, SC; Adam Weathersby (Heidi) of Tucker, GA; and great nieces, Kate Weathersby of Tucker, GA; Elizabeth Weathersby of Hammond, LA; three great great nieces, Isabelle Weathersby and Violet Weathersby of Tucker, GA; and Mary Phares of Charlotte, SC; and one great great nephew, Rowan James Weathersby of Charlotte, SC. She is also survived by three grandchildren, Willis Pope, III (Carolyn), Martha P. Bozeman (Eddie), Betty P. Waters (Mike) all of Columbus, MS; nine great grandchildren, Emily W. Norris (Brock) of Daphne, AL; Michael Waters, Katy Waters, Betsy Waters all of Columbus, MS; Carrington B. Grant (Justin) of Hattiesburg, MS; Catherine Bozeman of Asheville, NC; Clarke Bozeman of Columbus, MS; Allison P. Barton (Greg) of Lafayette, TN; and Willis Pope, IV (Angela) of Powell, OH; one great-great-granddaughter, Stella Pope Norris of Daphne, AL; four great-great-grandsons, Wiley and Chandler Barton of Lafayette, TN; Willis Pope, V of Powell, OH; and Brockton Norris of Daphne, AL.
Pallbearers will be Dr. Blake Weathersby, Dr. Harrell Weathersby, Ben Weathersby, Robert Weathersby, Adam Weathersby, Charles Corder, Bill Ray, Willis Pope, IV, Michael Waters, and Clarke Bozeman.
Honorary pallbearers will be Willis Pope, III, Mike Waters, Dr. Eddie Bozeman, Greg Barton, Brock Norris, Justin Grant, Elders of First Presbyterian Church, USA, Dr. James Strobel, Dr. Claudia Limbert, James Ferguson and Dr. James Woodard.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the First Presbyterian Church, 3200 Bluecutt Rd, Columbus, MS 39705, MUW Foundation-Weathersby Centennial Scholarship, 1100 College Street, MUW 1618, Columbus, MS 39701, or Palmer Home for Children, P.O. Box 746, Columbus, MS 39703.