Elva Potts Gooch

ELVA POTTS GOOCH Plantersville - Mrs. Gooch, 91, entered her eternal resting place on May 13, 2014, at the Orchard-Arbor Center in Ridgeland. She had been in declining health for several years. Her two daughters, Bobbie and Linda, had spent Mother's Day week-end with her. Bobbie was at her Mother's side when the Lord called her home. Mrs. Gooch was born in Paris and grew up in Water Valley. She attended Northwest Junior College in Senatobia where she met her husband, Wallace V. Gooch of Wheeler. After graduating from Northwest, Ms. Elva and Mr. Wallace attended University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and graduated from there with a Bachelor of Science and Masters of Education degrees. Teaching was not only her career but her love. She wanted each child she taught to excel and to reach his/her potential. For 42 years, she taught school in Pearl, Lee County Schools (Plantersville), Tupelo City Schools (Rankin and Lawhon schools). When she retired, she always said she would love to go back to the school room! Ms. Elva loved the outdoors. She and her husband always had a huge garden that they both loved to tend. Raising flowers and enjoying the beauty of the outside were two things she really loved doing. Her family remembers her care taking skills. Mr. Gooch had severe respiratory disease and was not able to do many activities in his last years. She diligently took care of him and his well-being always came before hers. Her loving, competent care was the main reason he lived his last years as well as he did. She moved to Jackson in 2005 to be near her daughter and she lived at Sunnybrook Retirement Center. Ms. Elva loved it there. She had many activities to participate in and she loved the people there. Although she really enjoyed Sunnybrook, she was always ready to return to Plantersville and Tupelo every chance she got! Her last few years were spent in the Arbor at the Orchard. Her declining health kept her from being able to participate in many of the activities there. Her family would like to especially thank Lula Hairston, Teritha Parks, Cam McLaurin, Emma Cotton, Sherri Hughes, Yolanda Roberts and Kim Hawthorn for the loving care they gave to her. Services will be 12 Noon, Wednesday, May 21, 2014, at the Jefferson Street Chapel of W.E. Pegues with Rev. Danny Balint and Rev. Jimmy Glover officiating. Burial will be in Plantersville Cemetery. She leaves behind to miss her, her daughter, Bobbie Ward and her husband, Dr. Frazier Ward of Jackson; her daughter, Linda Thompson and her friend, Chet Kenbok of Orlando, Florida, her granddaughter, Heather Huber, of Little Rock, Arkansas and many nieces and nephews. Mrs. Gooch was preceded in death by her husband, Wallace Gooch of Plantersville and her parents, Louise and Lillie McCoy Potts of Water Valley, her granddaughter, Leigh Anne Ward of Jackson. Her siblings all had preceded her in death. Pallbearers will be Jim Buckley, Luke Gooch, Hilton Peters, Randy Potts, J.C. Kelly and Gene Williams. Visitation will be 10:30 a.m. to service time Wednesday, May 21, 2014, at the funeral home.