Society

Tuesday, Chelsey Gilliam played her last home game on the Lady Patriot softball field. Knowing it is a senior’s last game, you notice their last play, last bat, last high five from their coaches. It is a weepy moment, one of those when you feel a little piece of your heart ache inside. Although you know they are going to go on to do awesome things, you will miss them being right there down the hill.

Since Chelsey was in the sixth grade, she has been a driving force behind the Lady Patriots, helping them to move forward to their first state championship when she was only in the eighth grade. Since, she has proven herself to be a team leader, helping the new players adjust to life as a team and to softball in general for some.

Watching her play has been a joy. I will miss her goofy smile and laugh, which is contagious. She has brought fabulous attributes to the Marshall Academy Lady Patriots and will be leaving behind a legacy for others to follow. She is one very special young lady and will be missed by anyone who ever got a chance to watch her play!

You not only lose the player, you lose their family, too, when they are seniors (unless there are other younger siblings). With the Gilliams, Chelsey is the last of their children to leave a ball field. They are a magnificent family and throughout the years, I have enjoyed being around them and learning from them. Being a newbie back when Caitlyn was in the sixth grade, I vividly remember Mary Beth walking up and introducing herself to me. Two weeks later, it was like we had known each other all our lives. Who could miss Jimbo and not remember all of his glory days on the basketball court at Marshall Academy? The Gilliam family has been tied to Marshall Academy for years on end, like most of us. If you have been as lucky as I have to get to know this beautiful family, consider yourself blessed. Senior years will come and go, but family bonds you make with people will last a lifetime.

Congratulations, Chelsey, on all of your wonderful softball accomplishments! You are going to set this world on fire when you get beyond the realm of Marshall County! SWAK!

Mr. and Mrs. James E. Isom of Holly Springs are pleased to announce the engagement and forthcoming marriage of their daughter, Flora Ranada Isom, to Garon Alphonso Marion Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Garon Marion Sr. of Waterford.

The bride-elect is the granddaughter of the late Lester and Flora Lee Isom of Hudsonville; and Willie Flemon Jr. and the late Ida Mae Lawson-Flemon of Holly Springs.

She is an honor graduate of the Holly Springs High School Class of 1999. She is also a 2003 graduate of the University of Memphis with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree in management information systems.

The prospective groom is the grandson of Charlie and Florida Marion of Waterford; the late Samuel Jr. and Maggie Mae Delbridge of Abbeville.

The couple will exchange vows Saturday, September 24, 2011 at 4 p.m. at True Vine M.B. Church located at 525 West Street in Holly Springs. A reception will immediately follow the ceremony. Family and friends are cordially invited to attend.

LaTosha Dannielle Swindell and Bryan Scott Babb

LaTosha Swindell and Bryan Babb to wed September 17 in Hernando

Mr. and Mrs. Owen P. Swindell are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, LaTosha Dannielle Swindell, to Bryan Scott Babb, son of Keith and Doris Babb of Harmontown.

The bride-elect is the granddaughter of the late Johnny and Stella Shannon of Holly Springs and Evelyn Swindell and the late Harvey Swindell of Belzoni.

The prospective groom is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. James Benson of Shiloh, Tenn., and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Babb of Memphis, Tenn.

The wedding will be held on Sept. 17, 2011, in Hernando at Gray’s Creek Baptist Church. A reception will follow the ceremony.

Kristen Foster and Justin Howard to wed September 17 at Flat Rock Baptist Church in Hickory Flat

Mr. and Mrs. Dwayne Foster of Hickory Flat announce the engagement and upcoming marriage of their daughter, Kristen Nicole Foster, to Justin Allen Howard, son of Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Howard of Hickory Flat.

The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Novella Foster of Potts Camp, the late Woodrow Foster of Potts Camp and the late Mr. and Mrs. Joe Thompson of Hickory Flat.

The groom is the grandson of Evelyn Childers and the late Harold Childers of Hickory Flat, and the late Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Howard of Bolivar, Tenn.

Miss Foster is a 2005 graduate of Hickory Flat High School and a 2010 graduate of Delta Tech in Horn Lake. She is currently employed with Cardiology Associates of North MS in Tupelo.

Mr. Howard is a 2006 graduate of Hickory Flat High School and attended Northwest Community College in 2007 for EMT training. He is a 2009 graduate of the Mississippi State Fire Academy in Jackson and is currently employed as a full-time firefighter for the city of New Albany and also serves as fire chief with the Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Department.

The wedding will take place at 6 p.m. Saturday, September 17, at Flat Rock Baptist Church in Hickory Flat. The ceremony will be officiated by the Rev. Gary Yates.

All friends and family are invited to attend the ceremony and reception immediately following in the church fellowship hall.

Monday at the Marshall County Historical Museum we had lots of visitors. Two of them were on a motorcycle and had come the long way around from Vancouver Island, Canada, seeing America. They loved our museum and the fabulous hummingbird festival. We are really busy entertaining and informing.

We are planning our 22nd annual “Christmas In Holly Springs” tour with some of our original houses on December 3 and 4. Each tour is unique and always fun, fantastic and festive, also glittery, sparkly and twinkly. Several of the houses have never been on tour before. Advance tickets are cheaper.

We plan an antique show in the old I.C. Levy building with a gala that first night. The Baptist Dinner Theatre will be three evenings. We’ll have an art show and sale in a bonus house. The Town and Country Garden Club will have a bazaar in the original Presbyterian Church building. The church of the Yellow Fever Martyrs will be part of the tour.

Upstairs we have the most gorgeous antique clothing. The people of the past really knew how to dress and had the means to do it. One of our wedding dresses is a copy of President Grover Cleveland’s White House bride’s wedding dress. They got married in the White House on June 2, 1880 in the Blue Room. President Cleveland was president twice, but not successive terms.

My uncle, Grover Bonds, and many American boys who were born when he was president were named after him.

Something new we received last week was a 1974 Wurlitzer jukebox, given by Dennis Carlisle. It’s about the same age as the museum and it is beautiful!


Thursday, September 15, 2011
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