Onnie Patricia Barnette Ross

Published 1:13 pm Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Onnie Patricia “Tricia” Barnette Ross, of Brandon, Mississippi., died Sunday, June 29, 2025, at UMMC after suffering a stroke. She was 70 years old.

A native of Vicksburg and the ninth of 11 siblings, Ross graduated from Warren Central High School in 1972 and attended Mississippi State University, where she earned a degree in mathematics in 1976. She began her teaching career at Noxapater High School, but soon returned to Vicksburg to work in the finance department at Grand Gulf Nuclear Station. There she was introduced to her husband, Stanley.

They were married Aug. 8, 1980, and after starting a family, she returned to her love of teaching and tutoring students. For nearly three decades, she taught math all over Warren County, including St. Aloysius High School, where she was named Star Teacher in 1999 and 2002, Vicksburg High School, All Saints Episcopal School, Porter’s Chapel Academy and Warren Central High School, before retiring in 2010.

An avid reader, Tricia loved puzzles, sewing and crafting of all kinds, especially making unique gifts for her many nieces and nephews (or even their friends). She often hosted family gatherings and loved to collect “hearts.” A wonderful wife, mother, teacher, and everyone’s favorite aunt, she loved her family well and will be greatly missed.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Gladys and Clyde Barnette; brothers, Milford Barnette, Billy Barnette, Bobby Barnette, Robert Barnette and James Barnette; and a sister, Carolyn B. Wilkerson.

She is survived by her husband of nearly 45 years, Stanley C. Ross; a son, Stanley “Craig” Ross Jr., of Huntsville, Alabama; a daughter, Leigh Ann Ross, of Brandon; brothers, Doug Barnette (Linda Jane) and Terry Barnette (Angie); and sisters, Bettye Oakes (Donald) and Janice Brown (Frank).

Visitation will be held Saturday, July 5, at Natchez Trace Funeral Home in Madison, Mississippi, from 10 until 11 a.m. The service will begin at 11 a.m., followed by a graveside burial.

Pallbearers will be Blake Barnette, Justin Barnette, Dustin Daams, Craig Ross, Jerome Ross, Wayne Ross, Jr., Jake Russell and Cain Wilkerson. Honorary pallbearers are Ryker Barnette, Danny Daams, Josh Geter, Tom Pharr and Bill Pittman.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Little Light House of Central Mississippi, a non-profit Christian Developmental Center for children with special needs, and/or the University of Mississippi Medical Center Neuro Institute: Little Light House of Central MS, P.O. Box 13662, Jackson, MS 39236-3662 and The UMMC Fund (with Neuro Institute in memo line), University of Mississippi Medical Center, Office of Development, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216.