Ima Ruth Reese

Ima Ruth Powell Reese, age 93, passed away on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. She was born

January 10, 1933 in Clarke County Mississippi. She was the third and last child born to Henry

Abner and Mary Ellen Mo ett Powell. She was born eighteen years after her second sibling's

(Minnie) birth and essentially raised as an only child since her brother Carl and sister Minnie

had already moved out of the family home.

Ruth graduated from Clarkdale High School in Meridian Mississippi. After her graduation, she

rode the bus to Jackson Mississippi to attend Draughon's Business College. She lived in a

boarding house close to downtown Jackson and worked as a waitress to pay her expenses

and room rent. She often talked about sharing a bedroom with three other girls that also

attended the college. None of the women knew each other prior to them attending the

business college.

Her first job after graduation from the business college was a bookkeeper for a loan company

in downtown Jackson. It was while working at the loan company she met her husband James

Harrel Reese. James owned a jewelry store on Capital Street and their courtship started on the

sidewalk of his store as she walked to work. They married in Brandon, Mississippi, however

their first home together was in Jackson, Mississippi. They had two daughters together, Donna

Marie and Karen Rene.

Shortly after her daughters were born, Ruth decided to go Mississippi College to become a

teacher. She obtained a Master's Degree in Elementary Education and Biological Science. She

began her teaching career at Jackson Public Schools, but later the family bought a farm in

Crystal Springs, Mississippi and Ruth became a teacher for the Copiah County School System.

She taught many years in the regular elementary classroom, but later obtained her certification

to teach the gifted program. She loved all of her students. In the gifted program, she taught a

lot of the same students for several years. She carried students in her car on many overnight

field trips. She wanted her students to have many experiences. Some of those trips included

the Space Center in Huntsville, Alabama, Mud Island in Memphis and the Mississippi Aquarium

in Gulfport.

Ruth retired after thirty years of teaching. She had many talents and always believed if

someone else could do it, she could also. Her unique talents, independence and willingness to

learn new things, enabled her to draw the plans for her first home in Jackson, move and

remodel an older home to the farm in Crystal Springs and later draw plans and build her

daughter Rene's home. Nothing was impossible with hard work and determination. Ruth was

always creative. She loved drawing and painting and became an accomplished artist. She won

many awards, and her high point was becoming the featured artist at Jackson Municipal Art

Gallery. Her art reception was highlighted by having a surprise visit by Grammy Winning Artist

George Winston. He played the piano during the reception and gave Ruth a box full of his CD's

after the event.

Ruth loved gardening and doing anything outdoors. She loved her girls and sparked their

interest in horses. Ruth learned how to ride a horse and obtained riding lessons for her girls.

Many years was spent every weekend attending horse shows. Ruth even tried to ride her horse

on the Dixie National Trail Ride, but it was cut short when her horse threw her in the parking lot.

That did stop her love for horses.

Ruth had a love for life and adventure. Her true love was her husband, James. They did

everything together and they loved traveling.

Ruth is preceded in death by her parents, brother (Carl Leroy Powell), sister (Minnie Ella Powell

Terrell) and her husband (James Harrel Reese).

Ruth is survived by her daughters, Donna Short and Rene Mulligan (Dennis); grandchildren,

Josh Weems (Wendi) Jessica Weems and Reese Berry (Hailey); and eleven great grandchildren.

A private graveside service will be held at New Zion Baptist Cemetery in Crystal Springs.

In lieu of flowers and her love of animals, donations can be made to Mississippi Horse Rescue.

Mississippi Horse Rescue

184 Twelve Oaks Road

Canton Mississippi 39046

https://mississippihorses.org