RIP, Marie Estes Stribling

My Aunt Marie passed away earlier this week in Philadelphia, Miss. This is from her obituary in the Jackson Clarion-Ledger:

Mrs. Stribling, 98, died Monday, January 17, 2011 at Neshoba County Nursing Home.

She was a native of the Deemer community of Neshoba County and a longtime resident of Philadelphia. She was a retired beautician. Mrs. Stribling was a member of First United Methodist Church, where she taught kindergarten age Sunday School for several years. She volunteered at Neshoba County Nursing Home for a number of years. She loved playing bridge and other card games.

Mrs. Stribling was preceded in death by her husband, Bruce Stribling; and a brother, Frank Estes.

Survivors include her son, Jay Stribling of Jackson; grandchildren, Bruce James Stribling and Jessie Marie Stribling both of Flowood; sister, Cecil Wyatt of Philadelphia; and brother, Everett Estes and his wife, Mildred of Philadelphia.

Marie's husband, Bruce, was my father's brother, older than he was by more than 20 years, since Dad was a late-life baby. By the time I was born, Bruce had died, but as a child I met Marie. As an adult in the 1990s, I went to Philadelphia twice to visit her and my cousin Florence. Marie lived with her brother Frank and her sister Cecil in those days, and they were most hospitable each time, providing me a place to sleep in their guest room and some delicious bran muffins for breakfast the next day.

Along with my cousin Jay, I visited Marie at the Neshoba County Nursing Home in the summer of 2009. She wasn't conscious during our visit, but I'm glad I went.