Mary Margaret Mallard, age 75, died April 29, 2020, at home surrounded by her family.
Mary Margaret Parks was born on December 27, 1944, in Meridian, Mississippi, to William Lavelle and Annie Kate (Alexander) Parks. She was the sister of Bob Parks (Bobbie) and Alex Parks (Sandra) of Gulfport, Mississippi. She was preceded in death by her parents.
She is survived by her husband Joe Robert Mallard of Enterprise; daughters, Kelli Speed (Marc) of Enterprise, and Kristi Mallard of Alexandria, Virginia; sons, Joe Mallard Jr. (Tracie) of Jackson, and Matthew Mallard (Jennifer) of Mound, Louisiana. She was blessed with four wonderful grandchildren, Noah and Carson of Jackson, and Evan and Owen of Mound; and many nieces and nephews on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
She was Mar, Momma, Muggie, Aunt Mar, Mary, Mare-Margret, Puff and MM to her family and friends. She was a lifelong member of Concord United Methodist Church where she played piano for almost 40 years until the last few years. She graduated from Enterprise High School, East Central Junior College and Mississippi State University.
Following in her mother’s footsteps, she became a teacher and taught elementary and special education. She taught in Enterprise School District and at Parkview Elementary in Meridian Public School District retiring after 36 years of service. She was an active member and former President of the Women’s Club of Enterprise. She loved spending time at Parksmill with family, eating lobster in Maine, and sitting in the Chunky River in the heat of summer.
She spent nearly 60 years trying to keep Joe Robert in line from childhood sweethearts holding hands at church to 52 years of marriage. Mar loved life. She loved her family and friends.
We will miss her laughter and her hugs and her wicked sense of humor after a glass or two of wine. We will miss her fried chicken, chicken pie, rolls and her pralines. We will miss hearing “make it a great day” one more time or “how rude” someone or something was. But, we also know we were blessed to have had her and we know she is in heaven. She is now fully healed and healthy with all those that have gone before. As Momma would say “it is what it is”.
Brother John Wesley Leek, pastor at Concord United Methodist (UMC) will perform a private burial service on Friday, May 1, 2020, at Concord Cemetery, for family only, due to the current health concerns facing our communities.
We would like to thank all our medical professionals who have walked beside us these last few years. Your wisdom, professionalism, and kindness blessed Momma as a patient and us as a family. We are so grateful for Dr. Otis Gowdy, Dr. Bobby Clark, Dr. Jay Johnson, Dr. Joel Reynolds and the medical teams at Andersons, Rush and Specialty hospitals, Fresenius Dialysis Clinic and Harper’s Hospice.
In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to Concord United Methodist Church in her memory.
Services are provided by Wright’s Funeral Home of Quitman, Mississippi. Online condolences can be given at www.wrightsfuneral.com.
