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25054. Bessie Mae11 Smith (William Edward10, Nicholas (Nick) Napolean9, Amanda Melvina (Vine)8, Priscilla7 Allgood, Wyatt6, William (Pikey) Henry5, William John4, Edward3, William2, Edward1 Algood) was born in MS May 14, 1910. Bessie died September 8, 2010. OBIT: Funeral services for Bessie Callender Coker, of Brookhaven, will be held at Philadelphia Baptist Church on Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2010, at 11 a.m., with burial in the church cemetery.
Visitation will be held at Brookhaven Funeral Home on Natchez Avenue on Tuesday from 5 until 9 p.m. and at the church on Wednesday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service.
Mrs. Bessie, 100 years of age, quietly passed away at her home in Brookhaven at 7:40 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 5. She was born May 14, 1910, to Nick and Anna Calcote Smith. After graduating from Copiah-Lincoln High School in 1929, she married Leslie Callender. She spent most of her life on their small farm in the Loyd Star community. After her husband passed away, she accepted a job at Brookhaven High School as cafeteria manager. She worked there for the next 10 years from 1958 to 1968.
In 1960, Mrs. Bessie married Clyde Coker. At this time, she moved her church membership from Philadelphia Baptist Church, where she had been a member since early childhood, to Easthaven Baptist Church, where she remains a member. Even after Mr. Clyde's death in 1972, she continued to be a faithful member at Easthaven, serving on various committees and teaching Sunday school in the preschool department and homebound ministry, which she started.
With a servant's heart, Mrs. Bessie could often be found taking care of the sick, baking cakes for someone or making chicken pies for her family or friends. She was an excellent cook. Her chicken pie won first place in a home demonstration contest.
One of the proudest moments of her life was in 1986 when she received the Golden Deeds Award from the Brookhaven Exchange Club in recognition for outstanding service to others.
She enjoyed working with her hands. Some of her most appreciated talents were flower arranging, pottery, cross-stitch, crewel embroidery, crocheting and quilting. Many family members and friends were recipients of the quilts that she made, some of which received awards at fairs and other expositions. Her garden and home demonstration clubs were the springboard for many of the crafts that were so freely given.
Preceding her in death were her parents; her husbands, Leslie Callender and Clyde Coker; her son, Kenneth Callender; her grandson, Mark Callender; her daughter-in-law, Ann Callender; her stepdaughters, Kay Coker and Ann Harris; and her sisters and brothers, Elsie Graves, Carruth Smith, Loyd Smith, Willie Smith and Bertha Bethea Smith.
She is survived by her daughter, Radie Faye Tatum; her son, Edwin Callender and wife, Shirley; her daughter-in-law, Doris Callender; her grandchildren, Dana Scroggs and husband, Leroy, Grace Richardson and husband, Jamie, Kenneth Callender and wife, Kay, Lisa Moffett and husband, Lee, Patrick Tatum and wife, Kellie, and Les Tatum; five stepchildren, Sonny Coker, Doris Coker Lea, Carolyn Coker Wilson, Margie Coker Lea and Iris Coker Rudman Smith; 12 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.
She married twice. She married William Leslie Callender December 19, 1929 in Brookhaven, Lincoln Co., MS. William was born January 19, 1905 in Brookhaven, Lincoln Co., MS. William was the son of Sidney Johnson Callender and Mary Isarada (Radie) Reed. William died November 22, 1955 in Brookhaven, Lincoln Co., MS. Willliam and Bessie were was buried in Philadelphia Baptist Church Cemetery, Caseyville, Lincoln Co., MS.
She married Clyde Coker 1960. Clyde died 1972.
Bessie Mae Smith and William Leslie Callender had the following children:
41627 i. William Kenneth12 Callender was born January 6, 1932. William died March 16, 1961.
41628 ii. Anna Catherine Callender was born January 6, 1932.
41629 iii. Radie Faye Callender (living).
41630 iv. Edwin Dale Callender (living).
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