One of Oakland’s matriarchs, the delightful Joy Mullen, celebrated her 87th birthday recently! Joy is truly a joy and we wish her many more years of health and happiness.
In addition, her granddaughter, Meg Daves, recently battled through a four-hour tennis match and emerged victorious at an ITA Regional Championship Tennis Tournament held in Perkinston. Meg plays for Northwest Community College and was named as a Distinguished Academic All-MACCC (grade point average of 3.80 - 4.00) for the 2024-25 school year. And, to top off the week, Joy’s daughter Karol Knowles also celebrated a birthday!
Another of Joy’s daughters, Gay Mullen Saxon, posts uplifting messages daily on her Facebook feed. When I have time for Facebook, it’s one of my favorite posts to read. One of her most recent: “Eating fireflies won’t help you shine! Being nice and kind will!”
The children of the late Roy and Mary Frances Edwards gathered in and around Oakland last week for their annual get-together. I don’t know where they all live now, but I know Debbie and Jimmy Dees are in the Winston-Salem, North Carolina, area. Debbie and I had the opportunity to work together at Entergy years ago, so that was a fun reunion for us! Roy Edwards was a fabulous Sunday school teacher. Even after I was working in Clarksdale as the Bureau Chief for The Commercial Appeal, I would drive home to Oakland for Sunday school.
I had a sweet email this last week from Gaynell Meador Gentry, who reads this column in the North Mississippi Herald. Gaynell was our 4-H youth agent in Yalobusha County from 1970-73. I have stayed in touch over the years with Gloria Shepherd Bynum, who was my 4-H leader from 4th grade until maybe Gaynell. Mrs. Bynum now lives in Hattiesburg. Two of my friends, Anne Hughes Callaway and Patrice Swearingen O’Brien, and I had lunch several years ago with Mrs. Bynum in Jackson. 4-H had a profound impact on my life and these women led that effort. I stayed in 4-H until they gently kicked me out when I became too old to stay!
Friends of Cossar State Park elected new officers last week. Terry Jones will serve as president with Andy Moore as vice president. Penny Rosenberg will serve as secretary and Melissa Lawrence as treasurer. Don’t forget about their car show on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Suzan Irby Freibert, now of Tucson, Arizona, and her husband Ricky recently spent almost a week proving you can go home again! Suzan grew up in Oakland with her family having lived in Oakland from the early 1900s until 1971.
Suzan said the trip was especially meaningful as it gave her the chance to reconnect with old friends, family history and the town that shaped so much of her life. She was delighted to be able to shop for her stay at the Farmacy Marketplace. Her sister, Rosemary, who lives in North Mississippi, joined them for the stay. Suzan said they felt their roots strongly as they visited the Oakland Cemetery and placed flowers on the graves of their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.
Suzan had several gatherings with friends from her school days, including attending Sunday services at Oakland Baptist Church with Rosemary Irby, Chris Ross, Pam Sellers Donaldson (daughter of the former pastor who served there more than 20 years), Susan Caruthers McCammon, John Waller, Ellett and Janet Caulder, and William and Nancy Irby, among others. They then had lunch at the Tallahatchie Country Club and were joined by Margaret Jean Ross, Emily (Carvan) Powell and her husband Bill, along with Jennifer and Dana King with their daughters, Hallie and Mettie, and Mike and Angela Robinson.
The group then moved to Margaret Jean Ross’ home for an afternoon of history and memories. The discussion was recorded, so it will be interesting to see what they do with the recording. Suzan said, “It was a beautiful way to end our weekend — gathered together, reminiscing, and celebrating the history and fellowship of this beloved town.”
