Katie McCallister

Published 12:00 am Sunday, September 12, 2010

Katie Inez “Sugarbabe” McCallister

June 5, 1922 — Sept. 10, 2010

NATCHEZ—Funeral services for Katie Inez McCallister, 88, of Natchez, who died Friday Sept.10, 2010 at Camelot Leisure Living in Ferriday, will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Laird Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Howard Peak and Rev. Kevin Dixon officiating. Burial will follow in Greenlawn Cemetery under the direction of Laird Funeral Home. Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home and Monday 10 a.m. until service time.

McCallister was born June 5, 1922 in Jefferson County, the daughter of Willis and Clara Martin Smith. She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband Allen W. McCallister.

McCallister, the wife of Allen; a mother of three children, Barney, Doug and Betty, grandmother to Jake; a mother to her children that always, no matter what they were doing at the time and how wrong they may be, she loved them all unconditionally. A spiritual woman that held true to her faith and convictions no matter what life may throw her way. She came up in the cotton picking days, when times were hard, mules, horses and model T cars. She knew what it was to live and function in a two room brick building south of Natchez, in the White Apple Indian Village, with herself, husband two children and another about to be born. With all that said never one time did her love for her family ever waver. From the red, clay hills of Jefferson County to Natchez-Adams County she saw a son go and come from the Vietnam War, one son leave for Texas, one stay close to home and yet her love for all of us was strong enough that we could always know she loved us all unconditionally.

She is survived by two sons, Barney McCallister and wife, Shirley of Sibley and Doug McCallister and wife, Carolyn of Fenwick; one daughter, Betty Laverne McCallister of Hattiesburg; two grandchildren, Jake McCallister and wife Vicky of Bryan, Texas, and Juli Gilbert of Monroe, La.; two sisters, Jewel Davis of Mountain Home, Ark., and Ruth Pritchard of Meadville; and several nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Fred McCallister, Jake McCallister, Kenny Jackson, Benton Blackman, Ray Davis and Ronnie Harrell.

Honorary pallbearers will be Steve Joy, Dale Jackson, Bruce Collier, J.T. Matthews, Luther Ray McCallister and Johnnie McCallister.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.lairdfh.com