Jessie Mae Holloway Lee

Jessie Mae Lee

Smithville – Jessie Mae Holloway Lee, 104, finished her long and wonderful life here on earth and had a sweet, long-anticipated reunion with her family in heaven on Monday, March 11, 2024. She was born on October 3, 1919, at her home place in Smithville, MS to the late Emery Holloway and Nela Warren Holloway. Jessie was well loved by Lizzie Warren Holloway and Melinda Hurley Holloway after the death of her mother when she was only 5 years old.

Jessie grew up in Monroe County and attended Turon School. At age 10, the Great Depression hit and she quickly learned the value of hard work. On her family farm, there was a total of six children and their experiences growing up molded their loving and can-do personalities. She married her true love, Delmus Lee, on January 30, 1938 and together they were blessed with five children. Jessie helped support the family by working at Monroe Trouser where she made many lifelong friends. However, her most important job was that of a homemaker which she took most seriously.

A loving mother and grandmother, she loved Jesus first and was a staunch follower of His Word. A longtime member of Trace Road Baptist Church, Jessie loved to sing old hymns and reminisce on simpler times. Due to her many years here on earth and the history she lived through, she was an amazing and captivating storyteller. She had a sweet love for the people in her life and nothing pleased her more than to devote her time and attention to those who came to visit her home, always insisting her guests join her for a meal. Jessie was funny and knew that life was precious so she didn’t take anything too seriously. In her downtime, she enjoyed working outside in God’s beautiful creation. She made wonderful meals from her vegetable gardens, gave out beautiful flowers from her flower gardens, and kept a lush yard. After retiring she never slowed down and could work circles around anyone, always gardening, canning, cooking, quilting, or crocheting. She loved her family and loved seeing her many grandchildren as often as possible. A void in the local family is her weekly Sunday lunches after church.

This wonderful matriarch for her family will be missed so much yet she passes on the torch of love for the Lord to the generations that come after her. When Jessie was 98, she moved to River Place Nursing Center in Amory where she was reunited with old friends and made many new ones around the bingo table, enjoying meals, or gathering to visit in the halls. Jessie enjoyed her home there and the staff loved and cared for her like family. Towards the end of her life, she always said, “I don’t know why the Good Lord still has me here.” But her family and friends believe that it is the lessons and wisdom learned from her which are the answer to that question and for that they are eternally grateful.

She is survived by her daughters, Rubye Knight, Greenwood Springs, and Glenda Brewer (Bill), Union, KY; her son, Dannie Lee (Bridget), Smithville; son-in-law, Dwight Brown, Burton; daughter-in-law, Bonnie Christensen-Lee, Racine, WI; grandchildren, Deb Lorsung, St. Charles, MO, Ron Lee, Muskogee, OK, Linda Kumkoski (Scott), Kenosha, WI, John Lee, Kenosha, WI, Alice Lee, Mesa, AZ, Jennifer Stewart, Chandler, AZ, Richard Hagopian (Cynthia), Racine, WI, Raechel Rowland, West Hollywood, CA, Melinda Sanderson (Michael), Smithville, Amanda Gurley (Mark), Amory, Allison Coker, (Tim), Smithville, Jill Crook (Kevin), Amory, Amy Collins (Jeff), Union, KY, Kerri Hathcock (Stephen), Amory, Kassi Lee, Clinton; her twenty-nine great-grandchildren; her twenty-one great-great grandchildren; and a host of cousins, nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband so many years prior, Delmus Lee; a son, Johney Lee; a daughter, Mary Ruth Brown; son-in-law, Larry Knight; a grandson, Steve Brown; grandsons-in-law, Richard Pett, and Joe Lorsung; brothers, Vester and Leborn Holloway; sisters, Jesker Hurley, Ressie Upton and Susan Ann “Susie” Parish.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at 12:00 pm at E. E. Pickle Funeral Home in Amory, MS with Bro. Jamie Stark and Bro. Kevin Crook officiating. Burial will be in Pearce Chapel Cemetery with pallbearers being Mark Gurley, Tim Coker, Michael Sanderson, Stephen Hathcock, Nicholas Sanderson, Turner Sanderson, Kaleb Crook and Jack Hathcock. Visitation for family and friends will be held at the funeral home on Saturday from 10:00 am until the service hour.

Donations may be made in her honor to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or Eight Days of Hope.

Memories and condolences may be made to her family at EEPickleFuneralhome.com