Mary Cornelia Hurdle Pepper went to her heavenly home Thursday, January 11, 2018 at 4:10 p.m. at her home in Vaughan.
She was under the care of StaHome Hospice since November 2017, after a 2 1/2 year battle with appendix/ ovarian cancer.
She was baptized in Doc Hurdle’s pond in Slayden in Marshall County in 1949. She was a member of Black Jack Baptist Church in Vaughan for over 60 years.
Cornelia was born at home in Slayden on July 20, 1930. She attended and graduated from Holmes Jr. College in Goodman in 1949-1950. She then attended and graduated from the “W” (MSCW), as it was then called, in Columbus, 1951-1952, with B.S. in Home Economics. She obtained her first teaching job at Benton High School and moved to the teachers home at Benton. She soon met Thad (Thaddeus Theodore Pepper) from Vaughan and married on August 1, 1954 at her mother’s home in Slayden. They were married just three months shy of 40 years at his death.
Cornelia was preceded in death by her husband Thaddeus Theodore “Thad” Pepper of Vaughan; parents, Vera May Rodgers Hurdle and Irby James Hurdle (he died when she was 7 months old); seven brothers, and one sister, all of north Mississippi. Brothers were Percy Gray Hurdle, Harold Cornell Hurdle, I.J. Hurdle Jr., Maurice Lanier Hurdle, Leslie Byron Hurdle, Chester Hurdle, and a baby who died at birth. The one sister was Francis Mozelle Hurdle Belluscio.
Cornelia is survived by two daughters, Linda Kay Pepper Richardson (Randy) of Vaughan and Pamela Jo Pepper of Canton. She had one grandson, Robert Lee Richardson, who was her pride and joy!
Funeral services were Sunday at Black Jack Baptist Church with Dr. David White and Rev. Ken Anderson officiating.
Serving as pallbearers were Harry Pepper of Canton. Dr. William Pepper of Starkville, Donnie Pepper of Vaughan, Paul Hurdle of Slayden, Alan Hurdle of Slayden, and Walker Hurdle of Byhalia.
Honorary pallbearers were deacons of Black Jack Baptist Church: John Kinch Wilson, David England, Jay Nichols, Art Nichols, Arthur Siegel Nichols, Matt Cox, Webb Lampley, David Shipp and Cortez Hutchison.
Music was provided by Melanie Hughes, pianist; singers - Soloist, Toney Fisher, Duet: Dianne Pepper, Amy Bradford
