Mary Nell Farris was called to be with her Heavenly Father and family on January 30, 2019. She was born September 16th, 1929 to James Claude Powell and Maude Mae (Brazeal) Powell. She grew up in north Mississippi, attending Mooreville and Lawhon public schools. At Mooreville High School she met her sweetheart, Bobby Dwayne Farris, whom she later married. They were blessed with two daughters, Janice and Angela. Mary Nell was blessed with many talents. She was a gifted seamstress, crafting beautiful dresses for her daughters. She was also skilled in embroidery and crochet, and many of her works are still treasured in the homes of her family. With an eye for beautiful things, Mary Nell loved gardening springtime flowers, and home decorating. She had an infectious laugh and enjoyed dancing at the Young at Heart Club where she was a charter member. Mary Nell was born into a musically gifted family, and they all enjoyed making music together. In the group Mary Nell sang and kept time with the spoons. Raised in a devout, Christian home, Mary Nell accepted Jesus as her savior and was baptized as a teenager. She held her faith dear, and regularly attended church throughout her life, holding membership at Pleasant Hill Baptist and later Euclatubba Baptist Church. During her working career, she held positions at Lee County Welfare and Health Departments, Lift Incorporated, and later retired with USF&G Insurance. In her later life, Mary Nell was diagnosed with terminal late stage cancer, but God wasn’t ready to call her home quite yet. She survived that illness and a relapse to live for almost fifteen more years.
A celebration of her life will be held at 3 PM Saturday at Lee Memorial Funeral Home with Bro. Scott Witcher officiating. Entombment will follow in the Lee Memorial Park Mausoleum. Visitation will be 1 PM to service time. Lee Memorial is entrusted with the arrangements.
Survivors include: two daughters, Janice Ezelle and her husband Don of Saltillo, and Angela Porter and her husband Billy of Saltillo; three grandchildren, Michael Parker and his wife Jameka of Tupelo, Corey Thrasher of Memphis, and Sarah McLaurin and her husband Tyler of Saltillo and five great grandchildren; two brothers, Fred C Powell and Jonathan Powell and his wife Carrie of Tupelo; one sister-in-law, Joy Green, and many nieces and nephews.
She was proceeded in death by her parents James Claude and Maude Mae Powell; six sisters, Sue, Claudia Lou, Azalea, Agnes, Regina and Joanna (twin sister to Jonathan); five brothers Bordeaux, Ernest, Razzie, Lurell (twin brother to Mary Nell) and James; the love of her life, Bobby Farris, and in-laws Clovis and Lena Farris.
The family would like to thank Baldwyn Nursing Facility’s staff, nurses and all caregivers for the care, love, and compassion shown to our mother and family.
