Funeral Services for Mrs. Virginia Hastings Atherton will be held on Friday, June 14, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Brookhaven. There will be a visitation from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Rev. Greg Warnock will officiate and interment will follow in Easthaven Cemetery.

   Virginia Hastings Atherton (93) went to be with Jesus on June 9, 2019, at Hospice Ministries in Ridgeland, Mississippi, after suffering a stroke. 
    She was born on January 10, 1926, in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.  After graduating from El Dorado High School, she attended Central College in Conway, Arkansas, where she was president of the student body, a  member of Delta Beta Sigma, Delta Psi Omega National Honor Society, and Zeta Phi. Her home has been  Brookhaven, Mississippi, for the past 70 years. 
    Virginia demonstrated her love of Christ through a gift of service and compassion. She was a dedicated member of First Baptist Church of Brookhaven and taught Sunday School for 65 years, served on various leadership committees, helped with Vacation Bible School,  regularly visited friends and fellow church members at local nursing homes and hospitals,  and also participated in numerous other church-related projects.  During Upward Basketball she could be found working in the concession stand. In the community, she served with Meals-on-Wheels and was active with Habitat for Humanity.  After her retirement, she took an active role in the Institute for Learning in Retirement at Copiah-Lincoln Community College.  She loved to learn and to travel.  She understood that travel is not about a destination, but it is about the people on the journey.  She kept a bag packed waiting on friends or family to provide the itinerary. 
    Virginia was always loving and supportive of her family. She framed and displayed "art" in her house, weathered the storms of countless athletic events, an survived many recitals all to show how much she loved her family.  She is survived by her three children, Perry E. Atherton, Jr. (Patsy),  Jo Atherton Fairburn (Bobby), and Judy Atherton Cleveland (Lance); three grandchildren, Katherine Alford (Charles), Leslie Beaton (Jeff), and Myles Atherton (Melissa); and three great-grandchildren, Eli Beaton (Juliana), Perrie Michelle Beaton, and Natalie Beaton.  
    She was preceded in death by her husband, Perry E. Atherton, Sr.; her parents Charles and Clara Hastings; a sister, Julia Jo Burris; and a brother, John Charles Hastings.
        In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that a memorial gift be given to the Baptist Children’s Village at PO Box 27
Clinton, Mississippi 39060 or First Baptist Church Brookhaven at 200 E Monticello St, Brookhaven, Mississippi 39601 in her memory. 

Graveside service for Mrs. Beverly Nations will be 3 p.m., Sunday, June 9, 2019,

at Riverwood Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until time of service at Riverwood Family.

Mrs. Beverly Ellis Nations, 70, of Brookhaven, ended her journey on this earth, June 6, 2019.

She was born September 6, 1948, to Frank West Ellis and Nancy Shultz Ellis.  Mrs. Beverly was

Valedictorian of her 1966 graduating class at Yazoo City High School. She began a

teaching career early in life and worked with the Brookhaven School District 25 years before retiring.

She was a gifted teacher and worked in the Gifted Program, devoting her life to children with

exceptional skills. She participated in many community activities as well as being a member

of the Jr Auxiliary and the DAR. Mrs. Beverly was a loving wife, mother, grandmother,

and friend. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

She is preceded in death by her parents; son, Donn Ellis Nations; sister, Barbara Tomcheck;

and brother, Frank West Ellis.

Those left to carry on her legacy are, her husband, Donn Nations; daughter, Nancy Nations;

two grandchildren, Ethan Nations and Mallory Nations; brothers-in-law, Dean Nations (Laura),

Dale Nations, and David Nations, and a host of nieces, nephews, and other loving family members and friends.