Jorene Phillips Newman

Private funeral services for Mrs. Jorene Phillips Newman, 85, of Booneville, Mississippi, will be held Sunday, Nov. 21. Private interment services will follow at Carter’s Chapel Cemetery in Prentiss County.

Mrs. Newman passed away at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Booneville on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021, following an extended illness.

Jorene was born in Booneville on Sept. 11, 1936, and grew up in the rural Prentiss County communities of Hills Chapel and Altitude.

Family members said she “found her compass” when she met her husband of 43 years, James Newman. The two grew up a mere 14 miles apart in Prentiss County but did not meet until years later on a blind date in Zion, Illinois. After high school, both had moved to Illinois to seek employment, James at American Motors Corp., and Jorene at National Envelope Corp.

Following their marriage, the couple moved home to Mississippi to get much-needed family support in raising their three daughters, born 22 months apart.

Jorene loved her family and friends, honey buns, Sonic strawberry milkshakes, Conway Twitty, and playing Rook.

Survivors include: Daughters Rhonda Keenum (Mark) of Starkville, Regina Williams (Ken) of Midland, Texas, and Carla Newman of Booneville; grandchildren Hillary Combest, Katie Keenum, Rett Keenum, Mary Phillips Keenum, Torie Keenum; great-grandson Jackson Combest; sister Julia Pardue Allen; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Also left to mourn is beloved “grand-dog” Rufus.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents B.E. and Eudell Phillips, and sister Doris Armstrong. The family wishes to sincerely thank the compassionate caregivers, including Dr. Laurence Dennis, the Baptist Memorial Hospital – Booneville staff, and the Landmark Nursing Home staff.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests gifts to the Jorene Phillips Newman Memorial Fund in the Mississippi State University Promise Program benefitting college students facing economic challenges by contacting the MSU Foundation, Inc. at www.msufoundation.com and entering Newman Memorial in the designation box or by mail to P.O. Box 6149, Mississippi State, MS 39762.

Gifts may also be made to the Carter’s Chapel Cemetery Fund, 10 County Road 2010, Booneville, MS 38829.

Mcmillan Funeral Home in Booneville is in charge of arrangements. then entered into the United States Army and served for two years in the Second Infantry Division, 2nd Medical Battalion, where he served as a Sargent overseas in Korea. Jack left the service and continued his education at IJC for a year and later he obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration at Mississippi State. From 1961 until 1997 Jack worked in the furniture manufacturing industry in and around Monroe County and later Starkville. He worked Quality Control for Pullman Couch, Howard Furniture, and retired from Flexsteel Manufacturing.

He married his sweetheart Louise Gretter on November 11, 1954, and they shared over 67 years together. They lived in both Amory and Starkville. They were blessed by God with two children and were members of both St. Andrews United Methodist Church and later First United Methodist Church in Starkville. Jack liked to listen to Church music and old hymns. While in Monroe County, he served as the Jaycees President, a Cub Scout Master, a baseball coach, a member of the American Legion and the Church School Superintendent for a couple years. He was a friend to all, was honest and trustworthy, and always had other’s backs in times of need. Jack loved all things outdoors, gardening, especially growing tomatoes, hunting and fishing. A good listener, he was a great Dad as he taught his family how to do things right, the first time. Jack was also an artist, as he would carve some amazing things out of wood. He had an amazing work ethic and his family consider themselves blessed because of all he had done for them through the years.

There is no doubt that he will be missed dearly by his family and friends. He leaves behind so many great memories that they will cherish through the years to come.

Left behind to treasure the memories are his loving wife, Louise Noe, Starkville; daughter, Bonnie Louise Noe Woodall (Dolph), Madison; son, Jeffrey Maloy Noe (Jane), Houston, TX; grandchildren, Lindsey Noe, Sarah Noe Johnson (Matt), Patrick Wynn Noe, Davis Anderson Woodall (Mary Katherine), and Connor Jones Woodall ; great-grandchildren, Lucy Jane Pesek, Rosemary Elaine Pesek, Maisie Grace Johnson, Griffin James Johnson, and Hattie Louise Johnson; countless nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by all his siblings, Clorine and Sherman Phillips; Inez and Elmo Sullivan; Bernice Bryan; Hurston and Dorothy Noe; Eunice and Grafton Chism; Verdie and Henry Plaxico; Estell and John Vaughan; Beulah Gray and Baxter Neal; Kenneth and Margaret Noe; Shaffer Noe; Eston Noe and Laverne Noe.

A Celebration of Life Service will be on Saturday, November 20, 2021, at 1:30 PM, at E. E. Pickle Funeral Home, Amory, Rev. Hugh Griffith officiating. Burial will follow in Tranquil Cemetery, Wren, MS, with pallbearers being his grandsons and family.

Visitation for family and friends will be held on Saturday, November 20, 2021 from 12:00 until the service hour at 1:30 at E. E. Pickle Funeral Home in Amory, MS.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675

Memories and condolences may be shared with his family at epicklefuneralhome.com.