CLEVELAND, Miss. — Nell Jones Pitts, 88, of Cleveland, died Friday, Jan. 29, 2010, at Bolivar Medical Center. Visitation will be Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010, at 1 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Cleveland. A memorial service will follow at 2 with the Rev. Billy Owen officiating.

Nell was born July 3, 1921, to Robert Bernett Jones and Virginia Patton Kelly Jones in Blaine, Miss. She lived in the Cleveland community all of her life. She graduated from Delta State Teachers College in 1943. She married Sam Rufus Pitts April 17, 1943, in Fort Worth, Texas.

She was a faithful member of First United Methodist Church, where she served on numerous committees as well as a member of United Methodist Women. She was a life member of Cleveland Junior Auxiliary and a former member of the Cleveland Woman’s Club.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved husband, Sam Rufus Pitts; and her special daughter, Janet Lynn Pitts.

She is survived by her sister, Frances Jones Griffin of Moorhead; her children, William Robert “Bob” Pitts Sr. (Katherine) of Vicksburg, Judy Pitts Dilworth (H.L.) of Cleveland, Barry Allen Pitts (Karen) of Jackson and Samuel “Sam” David Pitts of Keller, Texas; her grandchildren, William “Bill” Robert Pitts Jr., John Kelly Pitts, Hugh “Shad” Brown Jr., Amy McGee Vance, Meg Bradley McGee, Parker William Dilworth, Hiram Lee Dilworth Jr., Hannah Marie Pitts, Lauren Nicole Landon and Jack Landon Pitts; her great-grandchildren, Kathryn Hees Vance and Seth McGee Vance; and her great-great-grandchild, Kathryn Turner Norquist. 

Nell or Mother or Mimi, as she was most commonly known, had the most beautiful smile. It was not only an outward expression of her loveliness, it was a window into her kind spirit. In that smile you could feel her love and compassion for others. Its warm glow showed her lust and joy for life. It told of her kindness and generosity. That smile and all that it stood for will be so greatly missed by her family, friends and even the strangers who received the blessing of Mimi’s sweet smile.

Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church or the charity of your choice.