OUR STAFF

Whitney Camille Pegues-Beck, daughter of Greg and Sandy Pegues, joined the staff of W. E. Pegues Funeral Directors on August 1, 2013. She is the fifth generation of the Pegues family to join Tupelo's oldest family-owned and operated business.

Whitney is a 2005 graduate of Tupelo High School with honors. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 2009 from The University of Mississippi. At Ole Miss, she was an active member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority where she served as a new member educator and Vice President of Administration. While attending college, she also gained valuable experience working in the family business. After graduation from Ole Miss, Whitney joined the management team of Electronic Environments, Inc. in New York, New York, where she met her husband, Jason Beck. Jason and Whitney married in Tupelo on May 24, 2014 and welcomed their first son, Harrison Hayes Beck on May 22, 2020.

Whitney is currently a member of the Gumtree Museum of Art Guild of Volunteers, where she has served as President and serves on the Gumtree Museum of Art Board of Directors where was has previously served as Chairperson of the Board, she is also a member of Tupelo's Rotary Club and a 2020 graduate of the Leadership Academy of Selected Independent Funeral Homes. She is a member of the Tupelo Women's Club, where she previously served on the board and a graduate of the 2017 class of the Community Development Foundation's Community Leadership Institute.

As an Ole Miss graduate, in 2019 she became a Lifetime member of the Ole Miss Alumni Association. On June 14, 2017, Whitney was installed as Mississippi Funeral Directors' Northern District Governor and continued to serve going through all the chairs and on May 24, 2022, she was installed as MFDA President. Whitney has been and continues to be involved in the Next-Gen Selected Independent Funeral Homes including serving as a co-chair of the event in 2017. In 2021, she was the recipient of the NextGen Professional of the Year Award by Selected, This award highlights career achievements and community involvement of funeral professionals under the age of 50. She is a Licensed Funeral Director and Insurance Agent.

Raised in Tupelo, Greg represents the fourth generation of the Pegues family to enter the funeral service. He is a graduate of Tupelo High School, and the University of Mississippi, and completed his mortuary science education at Northwest Community College. He also is a 1985 graduate of the National Foundation of Funeral Service Management. While in school, he continued to work with W. E. Pegues as well as Memphis Funeral Home.

He and his wife, Sandy have three children, Whitney Pegues-Beck, William Edward, IV, and Wriley Abigail and one grandson, Harrison Hayes Beck. He is a “30-year member” of the Tupelo Kiwanis Club, serves on the BancorpSouth community board, served as president and treasurer of the Oren Dunn Museum advisory board, and continues to serve on the Friends of the Oren Dunn Museum board. Greg is also active with Sons of the American Revolution and is the Past President of the William Gray Chapter in Tupelo. Greg had served two terms as President of the Mississippi Funeral Directors Association. From 2001 until 2005, he served on the board of directors for Selected Independent Funeral Homes. Greg was also named Funeral Director of the Year two times by the Mississippi Funeral Directors Association.

Greg and his family are members of Calvary Baptist Church. He has been affiliated with W. E. Pegues Funeral Directors since 1979. He enjoys woodworking, working on "his farm", collecting old Matchbox cars, and especially hiking, backpacking and camping. He is the son of the late Norma Crockett Pegues and the late William E. "Bill" Pegues.

Returning to the Pegues staff is licensed funeral director, Marla Ledbetter. She has served 15 years in the industry. Marla is married to Terry Ledbetter and they have three Children, Amy, Andrew, and Aaron as well as six grandchildren. A graduate of Briarcrest High School in Memphis and Blue Mountain College, she taught kindergarten and middle school before she and her family moved to Tupelo. Marla has a heart for the funeral industry and is thankful for the opportunity to use her gifts to serve our families. When she’s not working, she can most likely be found attending a NorthStar Church service or activity or spoiling her grandkids completely rotten.

The son of Betty Bramlett and the late Jerry T. Bramlett, Steve was born and raised in the Nettleton area. He was a 1981 graduate of Nettleton High School and attended Itawamba Community College. He received his insurance license in 1982 and has since been an indispensable member of the advance planning and insurance staff at Pegues. Steve is married to the former Tracie Nichols of Tupelo. He has three children, Jon Bramlett and his wife Roni, Molly Bramlett and Ella Bramlett and recently earned the title of “Pop” with the addition of grandson, Wells Bramlett, in 2019. Steve enjoys spending time with his growing family and is an avid sports enthusiast. He and his family are faithful members of Gloster Street Church of Christ.

A Tupelo native, Robert is the son of the late Orville and Rebecca Wilson. He is a 1971 graduate of Tupelo High School and in 1975, received his BS in Business Administration from Mississippi State University. A versatile member of the Pegues staff, Robert assists with many aspects of funeral service and care but has truly committed his focus and become extremely proficient at working with families filling life insurance claims.

He is married to the former Pat Simmons of Endville and they have been longtime residents of the Brewer Community. Robert and Pat have two daughters, Tiffany Vaughan of Shannon and Amanda Wilson of Fort Wayne, Indiana and three grandchildren, Brooke, Eli and Owen. He enjoys woodworking, attending auctions and estate sales, hunting for unique antiques and fishing. He is currently serving as Master of Masonic Lodge 318 in Tupelo and is a member of Brewer Baptist Church.

Joey is a native of Pontotoc County and a 1981 graduate of South Pontotoc High School. He served 15 years in the Mississippi National Guard and worked for over 20 years in the retail and wholesale grocery business before joining the staff at Pegues in 2005. In 2016, Joey received his Mississippi Funeral Directors license and has been a certified crematory operator since 2008. His meticulous organization, captivating energy, and thorough knowledge of cremation have made him a pillar of daily operations at our Saltillo location. Joey is married to the former Denise Stubblefield and they have three children, Joseph, Kyle and Brooke. His most enjoyable hobby is collecting GI Joe figurines which he has been doing for 20 years.

A native and life-long resident of the Richmond Community, Harvey is the son of the late Rev. Jack and Beatrice Raper. He joined the staff at Pegues in 1978 and has held many positions over 40 years. After serving 30 years as a senior funeral director, he now leads our building/automotive maintenance and cemetery equipment operations. When he is not setting up tents or running company errands, he can be found making sure the rest of the staff are on their toes. His commitment to this company and the Pegues family is unwavering. He is married to the former Martha Gillespie and they have one daughter, Lisa Reid; two grandchildren, Mindi and Cassidy; and four great-grandchildren, Dawson, Allison, Skyler and Jenny. He and Martha are members of Richmond Pentecostal Church.

Born and raised in the close-knit community of Pontotoc, Stephanie is the daughter of Steve Johnson and Cindy and Gene Barton. Stephanie joined the staff at Pegues in 2019 and has become a highly valued member of the Pegues family. Demonstrating her commitment to personal and professional growth, Stephanie graduated with honors from Itawamba Community College in May 2023, earning an Associate of the Arts degree. Her relentless pursuit of knowledge and advancement now sees her undertaking a Bachelor’s degree at the University of Mississippi while apprenticing to become a licensed funeral director. Her professionalism, politeness, remarkable attention to detail, and exceptional customer service skills make her easy to converse with and her compassion and empathy offer a sense of comfort to the families we serve. She enjoys spending time with her family, exploring nature trails, and she especially loves attending tea parties hosted by her godchildren, Dani Marie and Hunter. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society, Ole Miss Undergraduate Legal Society, and the Orchard Tupelo.