Topsy Ruth Hickox

Topsy Ruth Dempsey Hickox, age 84, passed away on Sunday, August 14, 2022, at Winston Medical Center Nursing Home in Louisville, Mississippi. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday, August 16 in the Nowell-Massey Funeral Home Chapel. Visitation will be the day of the service at the funeral home from 1 p.m. until service time. Interment will immediately follow in Pleasant Hill Cemetery.

Topsy was born on January 4, 1938, to John and Ruby Giffin Dempsey. She enjoyed playing the piano and singing in church; she also enjoyed growing flowers. With her bubbly personality, Topsy loved being with people, especially her family always ending a conversation with “I love you and God Bless you.”

Topsy is survived by two daughters Kathy Clark and husband Keith of McCool, Mississippi, and Lisa Edwards of San Diego, California; and two sons John Edwards of Sarasota, Florida, and Alan Edwards of Louisville. One of her greatest joys was being “Grandma Topsy” to her seven grandchildren: Kassie Lloyd, Ben Clark, Sara Unseth, Stephanie Phillipson, Kelly Gray, Amelia, Carey, and Rachel Edwards as well as her 18 great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind her siblings: Carol Crosby, Lottie (Shelton) Whitmire, Jimmie (JoAnne) Dempsey, and David Lynn Dempsey, and sister-in-law Dean Dempsey. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother John Hubert Dempsey.

Serving as pallbearers are Robby Lloyd, Zachary Lloyd, Jason Phillipson, Jacob Massey, Trace Sullivan, and Jeff Gray. 

Memorial contributions in honor of Topsy may be given to Pleasant Hill Cemetery Fund, 445 Giffin Rd, Louisville, MS 39339, or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital online at stjude.org/memorial.