Mildred Moreland

Mildred Jeanette Sorrell Moreland, 93, passed away Tuesday, August 13, 2013, at the Sanctuary Hospice House in Tupelo after a lengthy illness. Born in Friendship, TN, on April 5, 1920, to Herman Aaron and Grace Payne Sorrell, she grew up in Memphis where she was a 1938 graduate of Messick High School. She married Dewey A. Moreland on Aug. 13, 1938. They were married almost 59 years before his passing on June 17, 1997. They lived in several states before moving their family to Tupelo in 1953. Mildred was an active member of West Jackson Street Baptist Church where she served as Outreach Leader of the Ruth Langford Sunday School Class. She loved to visit class members who were in the hospital or in nursing homes. An excellent seamstress, she won awards at the county and state level for garments she entered through the Home Demonstration Club. She was a long time member of the Young At Heart at the Bel Air Center where she had served as a registrar. Mildred will be remembered for her vibrant personality, her passion for living, and her love for her family and friends. She especially loved to dance, enjoy music, and fellowship at Alpine Family & Friends, and the DAV. Many of her friends will remember her from Wilma's House of Fashion in Tupelo where she worked for a number of years. Sometimes affectionately known as "the Gardenia Lady", she loved to share her flowers, home baked cookies and jewelry bags with friends and neighbors. A service celebrating her life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, 2013, at the W.E. Pegues Funeral Home Chapel in Tupelo. Dr. H. K. Sorrell, her brother, and Rev. Bill Sorrell, her nephew, will officiate. Her son-in-law, Ken Cole will deliver family reflections. Burial will be in Tupelo Memorial Gardens. She is survived by three daughters, Barbara Hamilton, Joyce Davis (Charles "Buddy") both of Tupelo, and Marsha Cole (Ken) of Fairhope, AL; three grandchildren, Wendy Fil (Joe) of Huntsville, AL, Brian Davis of Los Angeles, CA, Brad Davis (Selena) of Tupelo; four great-granddaughters, Rebecca and Mary Fil of Huntsville, AL, and Megan and Kristen Davis of Tupelo; and one brother, Dr. H.K. Sorrell (Jean) of Brownsville, TN; several brothers and sisters-in law, nephews, nieces, and a host of other relatives and friends. She also leaves a very special friend Charles Parker. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two sisters, Mary West and Helen Howle. Pallbearers will be her nephews; Ronnie Harrison, Cayce Harrison, Mark Sorrell, Stephen Sorrell, Paul Sorrell, Richard Howle. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Ruth Langford Sunday School Class. The family would like to thank Sanctuary Home Hospice, AvonLea Assisted Living, and Sanctuary Hospice House of Tupelo for the compassionate care given to their mother during her illness. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, 2013, and 1 hour prior to the service on Saturday. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Sanctuary Hospice House, PO Box 2177, Tupelo, MS, 38803.