Elizabeth Ann McGuffie

Published 9:40 am Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Elizabeth Ann McGuffie, 82, passed on to her eternal reward on Christmas morning at Clinton Healthcare in Clinton after declining health began in February 2016. She was born in Glen Allen on April 19, 1934, to Claude and Lillian Frances Guthrie Coleman.

She was preceded in death by husband, Vardaman McGuffie Jr. (married Jan. 11, 1950); father and mother; and sisters Hazel Coleman, Frances Coleman Ross and Doris Coleman Walley.

She is survived by two sons, Mike McGuffie (Cyndy) of Clinton and Pat McGuffie (Jeri) of Vicksburg; one daughter, Sandra Rhodes (George “Dusty”) of Carencro, La.; a sister, Marilyn Weaver of Vicksburg; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, Katie Elizabeth Kopp and son Wyatt Montgomery of Clinton, Sara Anne Robinson and daughters Lillian “Lily” Robinson and Lyla Robinson of Madison, Humphrey Barlow (Stephanie) of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Mandy McGuffie and Patrick McGuffie of Vicksburg; and numerous nephews and nieces.

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After she was born, her parents returned to Winston County to her mother’s Guthrie family farm where she learned the value of such hard work as chopping and picking cotton. In 1946, her family moved to Vicksburg, and she briefly attended city schools before moving to Culkin Academy where she was a cheerleader and played basketball.

Mrs. McGuffie married her high-school sweetheart in January 1950 and moved to the old Gibson place on Gibson Road, where she lived for the rest of her life, except for six months she spent at Camp Atterberry, Ind., where her oldest son was born while Vardaman trained for deployment to Korea.

When Warren Central opened in 1965, Mrs. McGuffie started working in the cafeteria, where she truly loved the students and “her ladies and coaches” that all “grew up together.” She loved hosting school events and was very proud to support the special prom. Before retiring in 1999, Mrs. McGuffie achieved the role of food service manager and continued to be an advocate for “her folks’” nutrition and comfort. On one of her last outings in October, she rode to Warren Central to see the outside awning of the cafeteria area that she lobbied for in the 1990s.  She mentioned that even though she didn’t get the awning installed before her retirement, she was satisfied to know the children, staff and faculty were enjoying the covering today. She especially loved the cafeteria ladies and thought of them as the “unsung heroes” of the school.

Meme, as her grandchildren called her, lived to help others. She constantly showed compassion and support for many people. Most notable was her work at Porter’s Chapel United Methodist Church from the early 1950s until she was unable to attend in October 2016. Her last outing to the church was in September for Porter’s Chapel Day, which she enjoyed thoroughly.

Meme loved her family and always enjoyed having them visit and spend time at “The Place.” Always wanting to feed someone or something, she spent countless hours feeding friends and family members, perching birds, hummingbirds, deer, turkeys, cows, pigs, horses and whatever else that needed to eat. Her favorite pastime in the latter years was to sit on the back porch with family and watch the many birds and animals and look out into the pasture over the place.

One of her children’s earliest memories is of their Mama on her knees every night at the couch in the living room praying for forgiveness and guidance. Her sweet smile, her caring spirit, her dedication to working hard, her butterfly pins on her clothing, and her loving hugs will all be missed.

Services will be Wednesday, Dec. 28, at 2 p.m. at Frank J. Fisher Funeral Home with the Rev. Don Williams officiating. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be from noon until the hour of the service Wednesday.

Pallbearers will be Keith Alexander, Johnny Franklin, Ricky Lowery, Jimmy McCaskill, Edward McKnight and Jimmy Taylor.

Honorary pallbearers will be Mr. Wince, B.B. Evans, Mike Richmond, Tommy Skinner, Frank Skinner and all Warren Central coaches, administration and staff from 1965 until 1999.

The family would like to thank the caregivers at Heritage House Retirement Home, Clinton Health Care, Home Instead Senior Care of Clinton, and PAX Hospice of Ridgeland for their excellent care of Mama.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be sent to Porter’s Chapel United Methodist Church of Vicksburg.