Mrs. Mercede Jackson Tabor Doty was born November 30, 1927, to Chapman and Susie Loyd Jackson of Sturgis, (Pleasant Hill community) Mississippi. She passed away at Beehive Homes of Lewisville, Texas, on June 29, 2018. Visitation will be held on Sunday, July 8th, at Porter Funeral Home in Louisville, Mississippi from 3:00 – 4:30 P.M. with a service at 4:30 P.M., with Rev. Prentiss Gordon officiating. Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mercede “Jackie” was a graduate of Sturgis High School and Blue Mountain College where she received her bachelor degree in education. She taught English in the Sallis, Macon, Ackerman, and Louisville public school systems. She became a librarian and also taught remedial reading at Nanih Waiya and Louisville public school systems before retiring in 1985. While living in Louisville, Jackie was an active member of East Louisville Baptist Church where she and her husband William (Billy) C. Tabor, Jr. were Charter Members. She was active in the church choir, bus ministry, WMU and taught children’s classes for many years. She was also a familiar face visiting friends and making new friends in the nursing homes after retirement. Jackie and Billy moved to Starkville in 1993 and were members of First Baptist Church of Starkville. She was widowed in 2002. In her golden years, Jackie met and married Dr. Darryl Don Doty in 2007. Jackie and Don brought love and companionship to each other after the passing of their long time spouses. They were members of the Church of Christ in Starkville.
Jackie was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 48 years William C. Tabor, Jr., of Louisville; her husband of 9 years, Dr. Darryl Don Doty of Starkville; four brothers, A.L. “Boose” Jackson, Gines Jackson, and Alfred Jackson all of Sturgis; Ruben Jackson of Clinton; four sisters, Virginia Jackson, Betty Jackson ,Rebecca Jackson and Lelia Jackson of Sturgis; and Polly Sprayberry of Byram.
Jackie is survived by her two children and their spouses: Chip and Lisa Tabor of Lewisville, Texas; Sandra and Steve Gladney of Starkville; grandchildren Laura Tabor and Caroline (Mack) Ward of Dallas, Texas; Maggie (Caleb) McMinn of Starkville; Emily (Shane) Beamer and three great grandchildren: Sutton, Olivia and Hunter Beamer of Norman, Oklahoma; one step-daughter, Cindy (Bill) Wall of Nashville, three sisters-in-law: Frances Jackson and Rachel Jackson of Sturgis and Helen Jackson of Clinton, and a number of nieces and nephews.
The family is extremely grateful to the staff and residents of Montgomery Gardens Assisted Living of Starkville, Mississippi, and Beehive Homes of Lewisville, Texas, for the assisted living care, love and support in the past 4 years. The family would also like to thank Trinecia Neely and Daisy Harris for their personal care in times of need.
Memorials may be given to Pleasant Hill Fund, 579 Pleasant Hill Road, Sturgis, MS 39769 (childhood home and church for the Jackson family) or the church or charity of your choice. To sign the guestbook, please visit www.porterfuneralhome.net.
