Mrs. Burvil Hankins Thaxton was born in Itawamba County, Mississippi, to Elzie Ellis Hankins and Lavada Marcy Hankins and was the eldest of their five children. She attended Holmes Junior College, Goodman, Mississippi, and Blue Mountain College, Ripley, Mississippi. On August 30, 1952, she married Joseph W. Thaxton, and they were married 60 years. During their long marriage they lived in Mississippi, Denmark, Oklahoma, and Michigan, before settling in Memphis, Tennessee, where they raised their two daughters. Mrs. Thaxton worked as a bookkeeper at Layne and Bowler, and later for Farris, Hancock, and Gilman Law Firm, and retired from Hamlett, Hamric, and Brown Law Firm, all in Memphis, Tennessee. Upon retirement, she and Joe moved to Mantachie, Mississippi, where they enjoyed their time together until he was laid to rest in 2013.She was a faithful Christian who was always active in church, loved spending time with her grandchildren, and enjoyed quilting, and gardening.
Mrs. Thaxton was preceded in death by her parents, husband Joseph Thaxton, sisters Sue Strickland and Wilma Jean McAnally, and brothers John Hankins and David Hankins.
Survivors include daughters Deborah Eaton (Gary), Pamela Liljeberg (Robert), beloved grandchildren Caroline Eaton, Robert Liljeberg, III, Erika Liljeberg, and Madison Liljeberg, and a host of loving nieces, nephews, and cousins.
The Thaxton family is grateful to her caregivers at Serenity South Memory Care, Troy, Alabama, who treated her with kindness and dignity, filling her days with joy and friendship during this season of her life. The family is also thankful for the physicians and nursing staff of Troy Regional Medical Center who provided compassionate comfort care to her after a short illness and ministered to her family as she faced her last days.
Services will be at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, February 3, 2024, at McNeece Morris Funeral Home Chapel in Mantachie, Mississippi. Burial will be in the Stephens Cemetery. Visitation will be from 2:30 pm until service time on Saturday.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Burvil Thaxton may be made to: Serenity South Memory Care, 610 Botts Ave, Troy, AL 36081; or Pike Medical Foundation, ℅ Janet Stewart, Troy Regional Medical Center, 1330 US Hwy 231 South, Troy, AL 36081, with designation for Comfort Care.
