Ouida Dye Joseph entered eternity with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Sunday, March 6, 2022.

Ms. Joseph was born in Marks, Mississippi, on October 9, 1931, to Mr. and Mrs. Willie Ray Dye and grew up in Vicksburg. She attended the Vicksburg public schools and graduated from Carr Central High School in 1950, where she was a majorette and 1949 Homecoming Queen. In the coming years, Ms. Joseph married and began her life’s most important role as mother to her three children.

She dedicated many years to raising her two sons, Norman and Lamarr “Bo” Joseph, and daughter, Leslie Joseph Phillips. Ms. Joseph was a devoted mother and a wonderful sports mom, supporting her children throughout their athletic careers. Her two sons both earned football scholarships to Mississippi State University (MSU), and she remained a lifelong MSU football fan.

Ms. Joseph spent most of her life in Vicksburg and invested in her community in various ways through the years. She worked at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before opening two businesses in Vicksburg, a maternity shop on Drummond Street and Ouida’s Closet, a much-loved ladies’ dress shop in the Battlefield Mall. Later in her career, she worked for a time as manager of Versil’s Gift and Bridal Shop. Ms. Joseph was a member of First Baptist Church, and she was active in the local Bridge Club and Garden Club.

Ms. Joseph was the epitome of a Southern lady and will be remembered for her beautiful Southern accent and warm hospitality. She was an exemplary cook of Southern and Lebanese cuisine and could whip up a dinner to feed her children and their friends, often to include Southeastern Conference football players, on a dime. Ms. Joseph was a gifted seamstress and made lovely clothes for her children and grandchildren through the years. She loved animals and cared for numerous pets with great affection.

In October, Ms. Joseph celebrated her 90th birthday in the company of her family. There, she received a special note in honor of her birthday from former President Donald J. Trump.

Ms. Joseph’s greatest legacy is her three children, her grandchildren, her great-grandchildren, and their families. She is preceded in death by her parents, Gladys Dye and Willie Ray Dye; and her brother, Gene Dye. She is survived by her children, Norman Joseph (Jane), Lamarr “Bo” Joseph, and Leslie Joseph Phillips; grandchildren Elizabeth Joseph, Grace Anne Joseph, Sara Catherine Joseph, Ashley Joseph, Keely Phillips Sexton (James), Taylor Phillips, and Ally Anne Phillips; and great-grandchildren Noah Bliss, Logan Bliss, and Halle Grace Bonelli.

A memorial service will be held in the chapel of First Baptist Church Vicksburg on Thursday, March 10, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. Gifts may be made in Ms. Joseph’s memory to First Baptist Church, 1607 Cherry Street, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 39180. The family would like to send special thanks and appreciation to Dr. Sam Pierce and Amy Brown and her staff at Vicksburg Convalescent Home.