Elsie Gene Cockrell, age 79, died Sunday, September 18, 2016, after a short stay at Sunshine Health Care Facility in Pontotoc, MS. She was born October 7, 1936, to Elsie and Lagrone Cooper of Eupora, MS. She graduated from Eupora High School in 1954 and on July 24, 1954, she married Curtis Boyd Cockrell. They were happily married for 56 years until his death in 2010. During that time, she was a loving and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. After moving to Tupelo in 1959, she and her husband were faithful members of Parkway Baptist Church. In addition to their church life, her greatest enjoyments in life were their family, friends, traveling, and MS State Football. The last four years of her life were spent at Avonlea Assisted Living enjoying new friends and the wonderful staff.
A celebration of life service will be at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, September 21, 2016 in the Tupelo Chapel of Holland Funeral Directors with Bro. Matt Scopel officiating. Burial will follow in Lee Memorial Park. Visitation will be Wednesday from 12 noon until service time.
Survivors include her children Butch Cockrell (Tricia), Tim Cockrell (Cheryl), Mitzi Moore (Jeff), and Lori Cockrell, grandchildren Curt Cockrell III, Corrie Cockrell, Emily Henson, Mary Henson Smith (Ben)Bob Henson, Cooper Moore, Kristen Cockrell, E.C. Cockrell, and Chance Underwood; great-grandchildren Curtis Cockrell IV and Sophia Cockrell; her sisters Sarah Cooper Stacy, Bobbie Cooper Morgan (Ronnie), and brother Larry Cooper (Judy).
Pallbearers will be Ronnie Morgan, Curt Cockrell lll, Cooper Moore, Chance Underwood, Johnny McKissack, and Mark Smith. Honorary pallbearers are Larry Cooper, Bill Stafford, Billy Lowry, Jim Jackson, Rudolph Franks, T. C. McDaniel and past and present employees of Cockrell Banana Company.
Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, Parkway Baptist Church, Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation, or a charity of your choice.
