Obituaries 02/05/2026
Ida Mae Edwards Jones
COFFEEVILLE – Mrs. Ida Mae Edwards Jones, 96, of Coffeeville, passed away Saturday, January 31, 2026, at her residence. She was born March 19, 1929 to Lionel and Clara Robbins Edwards. Ida Mae retired as a Supervisor with Kellwood in Coffeeville. She loved spending time outdoors and keeping her yard manicured. She was a faithful member of First Baptist Church – Coffeeville.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at First Baptist Church – Coffeeville with Rev. Craig Baker and Rev. Truman Scarborough officiating. Interment will follow in the Coffeeville Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service Wednesday at First Baptist Church – Coffeeville. McKibben and Guinn Funeral Service in Grenada is in charge of arrangements.
Survivors include her son, Mike Jones (Judy) of Winona; grandsons, Philip Jones(Samantha) of Winona and Wesley Jones(Shealyn) of Brandon; and six great-grandchildren, Lilian Jones, Eli Jones, Avie Mae Jones, Libbie Jo Jones, Bryson Carter and Reagan Carter.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Aven Jones; sister, Oonna Denley and brother, Edward L. Edwards.
Memorials may be directed to First Baptist Church – Coffeeville.
Betty Gurner
Child, Student, Wife, Mother, Teacher, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, Great-Great-Grandmother — A Long,
Full Life
WATER VALLEY – Betty Jo was born in the Pine Valley community of Yalobusha County on Oct. 29, 1931. She was the second of four children born to Ray and Lela Massie Evans.
She attended Jeff Davis School through the 11th grade and completed her senior year at Water Valley High School, graduating in 1949. She attended the University of Mississippi briefly before marrying Bruce Gurner on May 26, 1950, and starting a family.
Betty balanced the roles of wife, mother and student while continuing her education, eventually earning a degree in library science. She later completed her master’s degree and worked at the University of Mississippi, Oxford High School and Charleston High School. She taught for 27 years before retiring and joining Bruce in retirement.
In retirement, Betty began pursuing one of her lifelong dreams — traveling. She traveled throughout the United States, Canada and Europe with friends, including a close-knit banking group led by Melvin Ford.
She also enjoyed her garden club, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs baseball, men’s college basketball and Ole Miss football. In her later years, she found joy sitting in her chair with a book in hand, the television playing in the background — whether she knew what was on or not — and reminding everyone how old she was and that she could do whatever she wanted.
When visitors would leave, she would flick her hand and say, “Okay, I’ll be right here when you get back.” Until one day, she wasn’t.
Visitation will be held in the Gardiner Room of Seven Oaks Funeral Home on Saturday, Feb. 7, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. A private family service will follow.
She is survived by six children: Bill (Sheila) of Shannon, Hugh (Marty), Melissa Burrell, Joe (Anita) of Water Valley, Richard (Gale) of Oxford and Robert (Mel) of Huntsville, Ala.; and one brother, Jim Evans of Water Valley. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Bruce Gurner; her parents, Ray and Lela Evans; and two brothers, Ray Evans Jr. and Billy Evans.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Town and Country Garden Club of Water Valley or Second Chance Animal Alliance.