Obituaries
with his beloved coach Bull Sullivan. He was the only player Bull Sullivan and EMCC to ever have his jersey retired. His #31 jersey retired the following year after he graduated so that no other player would ever wear his number. His coach, Bull Sullivan in an article described “Baby doll” as the “THE BIGGEST LITTLE FOOTBALL PLAYER IN THE WORLD. The little fellow with the big heart!”
Baby doll loved spending time with his family, as well as working on and restoring old cars with his sons and friends. He was a member at First Baptist Church of West Point and loved the Lord. We are so thankful for the promise for believers “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord”. (2 Corinthians 5:8).
He is survived by his wife, Joyce Dunn Pierce; sons, Robby Pierce and wife Terri, Reggie Pierce all of West Point; brothers, Roy Earl Pierce, Kenneth Rodgers, Rodger Pierce; grandchildren, Kale and wife Maegan, Anna Margaret and husband Joel, Riley, Brody, Sydney, Creed, Chris, Randi, Carleigh, Baylor, Sarah Grace, Easton, and Great grandchild, Ellie.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and a son, Mike Pierce.
Funeral Service will be held at 3 PM Thursday October 5, 2017 at First Baptist Church with Reverend Dale Funderburg officiating. Visitation will be 1-3 PM Thursday at the church. Burial will follow in Greenwood Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be Bobbie Pierce, Wesley Pierce, Eddie Pierce, Bill Johnstone, Neal Myers, Cooper Dixon. Honorary pallbearers are Buddy McClelland, Leon “Coon” Simmons, Claude Keller, Dr. Ed Miller.
Memorials may be made to West Point Animal Shelter 5122 Old Tibbee Rd West Point, MS 39773.
Friends may leave an online condolence at robinsonfh.net.
Jo was the second of five children born in Carthage, MS to Milton and Lomie Rhodes Massey. She was raised in Carthage and later moved to Greenwood. While raising her children, Jo earned her medical assistant degree and worked in that capacity for numerous doctors in the Greenwood area until her retirement.
Outside of work, Jo spent countless hours counseling many people throughout the community and within her family. Her advice, which was given with love, was often balanced with much needed blunt honesty. She spent a significant portion of her life trying to redirect lives through her sacrificial devotion to counseling others in different recovery programs. During her free time, Jo relaxed by honing her creative skills. She enjoyed painting, gardening, sewing and photography. She ensured her creative legacy would continue by passing these skills to her children and grandchildren.
Mrs. Sheppard is preceded in death by her parents, her step-father, G. L. Scott, her sisters, Carolyn Massey and Jane Goodson, a step-brother, Davis C. Scott and his wife Mary.
Jo is survived by her husband of 46 years, William M. (Willie) Sheppard, three daughters; Patra Fontenot (Jerry) of New Orleans, LA, Patsy Dunn of Oxford, MS, Sharon Hankins (Steve) of Starkville, MS, two sons; Mickey Gilmer (Margaret) of Starkville, MS, Bill Sheppard (Michelle) of Hernando, MS, a sister; Merril Goolsby (Bobby) of Biloxi, MS, a brother; Larry Massey (Sue) of Walnut Grove, MS, a step-sister; Rita Morris (Bob) of Alpharetta, GA, a step-brother; Norman Scott (Jenece) of Bartlett, TN, 17 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and countless other family and friends.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital or the charity of donor's choice.
An online guestbook may be signed at www.greenwoodmsfuneralhome.com