CLARIONLEDGER.COM SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012 I THE CLARION I 5B Revenge: 'It was like my grandmother reached down and grabbed me' From 1B Alzheimer's will also hinge on raising awareness, and on studying those it strikes. And by all counts, Amelia Lucy Plunkett was a study. "I remember one day when I was about 10, my grandmother got choked on a piece of leftover sausage," said Plunkett, now of Flora. "So I did the Heimlich maneuver on her. I guess I had read about it.
"When it was over, all she said was or 'Mercy then went right back to work." Living in Yazoo County just a quarter-mile from the fourbedroom, one bathroom house that nurtured Roy and Lucy Plunkett's six children, Keith Plunkett and his sister Gretta often raced to his grandpar- ents' kitchen after school. "It was always the kitchen," he said. "It was the center of the universe." Also acting as the base of operations for the family's farm and fertilizer business, the room was furnished with a two-way radio that crackled by the oven. "My grandmother would take orders over the Motorola," Keith Plunkett said, "while she stirred up a slew of peas on the stove. "I remember sitting next to the window, breezes blowing in, and the rumble of the attic fan in the hallway like the sound of a distant train, the smell of fried chicken in the kitchen, or a cake in the oven." When the work became too much for her, Lucy Plunkett, a 16 million: Estimated number of people who will be diagnosed with Alzheimer's by 2050.
15.4 million: Number of Americans currently living with the disease. No. 6: Alzheimer's ranking on the list of the leading causes of death in the United States (it's No. 5 for people ages 65 and OBITUARIES RIES View and sign guest books online at www.clariontedger.com/obituaries Richard Price Darby Sardis Richard Price Darby, 90, died Friday, April 20, 2012 at Sardis Community Nursing Home in Sardis, I MS. Mr.
Darby was the son of The Late Albert Estell Darby and Tamzey Zuleen Matthews Darby. Mr. Darby, whose high school years were spent at Blackjack High School, later completed his undergraduate and graduate degrees at Mississippi State University and Ole Miss. Mr. Darby's career was spent in education where he served Sardis High School as an agriculture teacher, later becoming principal of Sardis High School and the first principal of North Panola High School.
He ended his lengthy career as Vocational Dean of Education for Northwest Mississippi Community College. Mr. Darby was a life-long member of the Sardis Church of Christ where he served as both deacon and elder. He was also a U.S. Army veteran having served in the Philippines during World War Ill and later served three years in the Jean Francis Cooper Tupelo Jean Thickens Francis Cooper, 69, renowned and celebrated artist, lover of nature and all people and creator of much happiness through her talents of painting and unconditionally loving and accepting her fellow man as persons of worth and value, died at her home in Tupelo on Saturday, April 21, 2012.
A life celebration will be held at 3:35 PM Saturday, April 28, 2012 at All Saints Episcopal Church in Tupelo with Rev. Paul Stephens officiating. Visitation will be Mervin A. Comfort Brandon Mervin Ansie Comfort, 79, passed away Thursday, April 19, 2012 at Crossgates River Oaks Hospital in Brandon. Funeral services are scheduled for Monday, April 23, 2012 in the chapel of Ott and Lee Funeral Home in Brandon.
Visitation will be held from until Sunday, April 22, 2012 and also one hour prior to the service Monday. Interment will follow the service in Brandon Memorial Gardens. Mervin was born in Winston County near Ludlow, MS on April 24, 1932 to Renna Smith and Bennie Comfort. He graduated from Brandon High School and received a degree in Industrial Engineering from Mississippi State University. Mervin moved often with his career.
He returned to Brandon and married Mary ALZHEIMER'S faithful member of Concord Baptist Church in Yazoo City, would retreat to the backroom piano and bang out Amazing Grace or The Old Rugged Cross. "She had no personal ambition. Her ambition was to be Edward R. Owens Pearl Mr. Edward R.
Owens, 85, passed away April 20, 2012 at his residence. Visitation will be today from 1:00 at Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home in Pearl. Funeral services will follow at 3pm in the funeral home chapel with interment at Floral Hills Memory Gardens. Mr. Owens worked for City Steel for years.
He coached baseball at Pearl for many years and he loved to fish. He was preceded in death Bentleigh Campbell Bentleigh Sophia Grayce Campbell, 2 months old, away Thurs. April 19,2012 at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, MS. Visitation will be held Sun. April 22, 2012 from and Mon.
April 23, 2012 from at Ott Lee Funeral Home in Brandon, MS. Funeral Services are 2pm. Mon. April 23, 2012 at Ott Lee Funeral Home in Brandon, MS. Bentleigh was born on March 7, 2012 at the St.
Dominic Hospital in Jackson, MS. During her time on earth she touched many lives and was loved dearly by family and friends. Her brief life was a gift to us that we will cherish forever. We will miss our little chipmunk cheeked Bentleigh. Laura Langley Ellis Brandon Laura Dianne Langley Ellis died April 19, 2012, in an automobile accident in Canton, MS.
She was 44 years of age. Laura was born in Greenville, MS. She lived most of her life in Vicksburg and graduated from Warren Central High School. She attended Mississippi College and graduated from Belhaven College. She was a teacher for the past several years.
She was at McLaurin elementary and had been at Canton Arts and Sciences for the past 2 years. Her beautiful spirit will forever live on in the memory of the hearts and minds of the countless lives she touched while teaching. Her favorite pastimes were creating art, reading, inspiring children, and spending time with family. older). Estimated number of Mississippians with the disease.
Estimated number of Alzheimer's caregivers in this state. Sources: Mississippi chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, the MIND Center TOLL Mississippi Army National Guard. He is survived by his wife, Glynn Coleman Cooper Darby of Somerville, TN; one daughter, Rita Darby Henley (Brand) of Hazelhurst, MS; one son, Richard Howard Darby (Kay) of Sardis, MS; two sisters, Lillie Ruth Darby of Calhoun City, MS and Joyce Darby Sullivan of Batesville, MS; six grandchildren, Leigh Ann Darby, Mary Paige Huxford, Rebecca Darby Mitchell, Harris Brand "Hap" Henley, Ill, Price Darby Henley and Richard Cunningham Henley; and eight greatgrandchildren. Funeral services will be held on Monday, April 23, 2012 at the Sardis Church of Christ with Bro. Hal Johnson and Bro.
Steve Hentz officiating. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday, April 22, 2012 at Ray-Nowell Funeral Home in Sardis from 5-8pm. Memorial contributions may be made to The Price and Bobbie Darby Endowed Scholarship Fund at Northwest Mississippi Community College or to the Sardis Church of Christ. Ray-Nowell Funeral Home Sardis Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
from 1 pm-service time on Saturday only in the Parish Hall of the Church. Holland Funeral Directors -Tupelo (662 840 5000) is entrusted with arrangements. Survivors include her husband: R. Steven Cooper of Tupelo; her daughter: Kerry F. Francis of Tupelo and Santa Cruse, California; 3 grandchildren: Zoe, Hana and Akasha.
Two sisters: Perry Ritchie of Canton, Miss. and Mary B. Morris of Atlanta. Memorials may be made to All Saints Brew, 608 Jefferson Tupelo, MS 38804; Salvation Army, 527 Carnation Tupelo, MS 38804 Nature Conservancy, 405 Briarwood Drive, Suite 101, Jackson, MS. 39206 or UN CARE Agency, 777 First 5th Floor, New York, NY 10017.
Condolences may be emailed to net. Frances Head Kennedy in 1990, whom he had dated in 1952. They had a wonderful 22 years together traveling and cruising the world. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Hayes Comfort. He is survived by his wife, Mary Frances Comfort; sons, Michael Comfort and Patrick Comfort; daughters, Michelle Jennings, Terri Snyder, and Bonnie Albright; step children, Jane Werne, Jo Hegwood, and Lee Kennedy; and sisters, Bennye Jackson, Voncile Wilson, and Gaylia Brock.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church of Brandon "Living The Legacy" Building Fund, 309 College Street, Brandon, MS 39042. Please visit www.ottandleefuneralhome.com to sign the online guest register. OTT LEE Since 1934 FUNERAL HOME as much a help to anyone that she could possibly be," her grandson said. That included setting an example for those who suffered a great loss as she did in 1975. That was the year Rickey, by his parents, Herbert and Bessie Owens; son, Ricky Owens; brothers, Herman, Carol and Charles Owens; and his sister, Johnnie Ruth Williams.
He is survived by is wife, Peggy Owens; sons, David Owens (Liz) and Stevie Owens (Lorna); daughter, Wanda Boykin; brothers, Jimmy Owens (Frankie) and Buddy Owens (Faye); and sister, Patsy Roff (Stewart); 6 grandchildren; 4 stepgrandchildren; 8 great grandchildren and 4 stepgreat grandchildren. Guestbook at www.baldwinleepearl.com She is survived by her mother, Taylor Campbell of Pearl, MS; her brother, Benton Campbell of Pearl, MS; her grandparents, Keith and Sandy Campbell of Pearl, MS, John Lee of Star, MS and Renita Ryan of Ridgeland, MS; her greatgrandparents, Paul and Gayle Pettie of Brandon, MS, Jere Broome of Raymond, MS and Carlene Campbell of Pearl, MS; two uncles, Matthew McCoy of Brandon, MS and Brian Campbell of Austin, TX and many aunts, uncles and cousins. Bentleigh is preceded in death by her greatgrandfathers, Al Campbell and John Broome. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children 2500 North State St.
Jackson, MS 39216. Visit our online guest book at ottandleefuneralhome.com. Mrs. Ellis was preceded in death by her father Robert Wayne Langley of Vicksburg, maternal Grandparents Jesse and Frances Burch, and paternal grandparents George W. Langley and Allie Langley Smith all of Greenville, MS.
Survivors include her wonderful husband of 16 years Michael Todd Ellis of Brandon, MS, her mother Patricia (Pat) Langley of Vicksburg, three sisters Lisa Langley of Brandon, MS, Leigh Anne Rhymer of Natchez, MS, Lacey Lee of Vicksburg, MS, three nieces and seven nephews. Services will be at Culpepper Funeral Home in Canton, MS on Monday, April 23, with a visitation at 9a.m. until the hour of the service at 11a.m. A graveside service will be held in Vicksburg at the Vicksburg Cedar Hill Cemetery at 2pm. Loans $301 to $410 PORE Payday Loans We offer 30-Day payday loans to everyone regardless of how you get paid.
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"That's my personal opinion," said McCool, 69, of Panama City, one of Keith Plunkett's aunts. A year or two after Rickey Plunkett's death, Lucy Plunkett began visiting Leon's grocery store in Yazoo City multiple times during the week, only to buy the same things. On a Tuesday, say, she'd get dressed for Sunday school. One day, Lena Davis, another of Keith Plunkett's aunts, noticed her mother driving in the wrong direction on her way back home. "I followed her to town and began flashing my lights," said Davis, 60, of Lexington.
"When she stopped, I said, 'Where are you going?" "She said, 'I don't know." Like everyone else in the family, he saw his grandmother "lose bits and pieces of herself," Davis said. "She always had such a sweet spirit, even then; it was sad to see her go." Lucy Plunkett was able to function at home for a time, until the long slow, slide into dementia was nearly complete, Keith Plunkett said. "I remember the trauma of the day when we had to take her car keys away." Lucy's 1 husband Roy cared for her at home for years, before the burden of her health, aggravated by a stroke, became too much, even for him. In the end, as she sat in her wheelchair or lay in bed, her husband was the only person she might remember. He'd visit her at odd times to check on her at the nursing home, the sound of his cowboy boots echoing down the hallway at night as he approached her room.
"Before he got to her, she'd call his name," McCool said. "She knew the sound of his boots." Lucy Plunkett's death, in 1993, was followed a year or so later by her husband's in a traffic accident. "And last October, we lost another brother, Bill, from heart disease," Davis said. Keith Plunkett was 22 or 23 when his grandmother died. He had left home for college, followed that with a foray into the landscaping business, then gravitated toward political consulting and a stint as a newspaper publisher for The Flora Harvester.
His work drew the attention of Patty Dunn, executive director of the state's Alzheimer's Association. Something else about him had caught her eye as well, she said: "In 2009, he reached out to us when he was putting together a fundraising idea he called Lucy's Revenge." The idea was born one day on the Chunky River, where Plunkett was indulging in a -found passion for kayaking shared by his wife Sharon and their sons Isaac, now 20, and Rickey, now 12. "I saw some deer cross a creek i in front of me," he said, "saw the sun glistening off the water; there was peace and quiet, just you and your thoughts. "I thought, 'What if I could paddle every river in the state and raise money at the same time for a good "It was like my grandmother reached down and grabbed me by the shoulders and said, 'This is what you can A couple of months later, Plunkett, with his wife a and sons along for portions of the trip, was paddling down some of the state's most scenic rivers and streams his effort rewarded by around $10,000 in donations for the Alzheimer's Association. "When I started, I weighed 195 pounds," he said.
"I finished at 162." The 480-mile-plus journey started in July 2010 and ended several months later, after encounters with high water, alligators, additional snakes and bugs. Keith Plunkett had the time of his life. Earlier this year, Dunn asked him to help her association promote its largest fundraising event, Sante South. "Not two weeks later, she called and said, 'I have a job offer for Plunkett said. "I didn't hesitate to take it.
"And here I am." Now months into the job, Plunkett is planning a new version of Lucy's Revenge, which will promote the need to preserve the state's rivers, and, of course, bring attention to his grandmother's disease. "Lucy's Revenge is why I'm here," Plunkett said. The woman the event is named for lies in the cemetery of Concord Baptist Church, next to her sons Rickey and Bill and her husband Roy. Not many miles away is the house they used to occupy, which Keith Plunkett can still visit any time he wants. Sandra and Al Plunkett, his mom and dad, now own the place where it all began.
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