Barber. Teacher. ICU nurse. These are just some of the people the Coast lost to COVID.
More than 4.600 Mississippians had to say goodbye to loved ones in 2020 because of the new coronavirus.
In the six counties of South Mississippi, the number of confirmed deaths was closing in on 500 by the end of the year, with 481 as of Dec. 28.
For many of the surviving family members, that meant saying goodbye over the phone or on a video call through apps like FaceTime.
Here’s a look at some of the South Mississippi residents who lost their lives to COVID-19:
Howard “Fade” Pickens, of Bay St. Louis, died March 19 of complications from the virus. He was the first known Mississippian to die of the new coronavirus, and Pickens’ wife also contracted it. She said he may have caught the virus from someone who unknowingly had it when they came to his barbershop, Fade 1, for a cut.
Jimmie C. Taylor, a 45-plus year employee of Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, died on his bedroom floor five days after an April 20 call from Singing River Health System confirming his COVID-19 diagnosis. The 76-year-old was one of five members of his family to contract the virus.
Jerry Austin Williamson and his wife, Frances Jewel Bond Williamson, both 72-year-old Long Beach residents, died April 1 while holding hands at Memorial Hospital at Gulfport. The couple, married for over 50 years, had contracted the virus on a cruise ship. An avid Alabama football fan, Jerry Williamson was retired public works supervisor at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport, and she had spent her life working in the medical field as a phlebotomist, a healthcare professional trained to draw blood from patients.
Cheryl Smith-Longfellow, a 60-year-old ICU nurse at Ocean Springs Hospital, died Sept. 10 of COVID-19. A hospital spokesperson said she caught the virus outside of work, where she spent many hours caring for coronavirus patients.
Elaine McRae, a 63-year-old cardiac observation nurse at Memorial Hospital who volunteered to work on the COVID-19 unit, died Nov. 5 after 72 days in the hospital. Her four grown children described her as a country girl from George County who was filled with grit and a fierce love for her family.
Wiggins Mayor Joel Miles died Dec. 13 after a lengthy hospital stay battling the virus. Mary Miles said on her Facebook page that her husband was adamant about wearing a mask to protect people from the virus, but he was around people every day didn’t feel the need to wear a mask.
Mike Byrd, who served four terms as Jackson County sheriff, died on his 71st birthday on Nov. 5 after a lengthy hospital stay battling COVID-19. Byrd, who resigned from office amid state and federal charges, began his law enforcement career at the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and later went on to work in Gautier and Moss Point.
Tom Slade, a veteran teacher at Vancleave High School died Sept. 6 at the age of 53. The beloved teacher was favorite at the school and a role model to many during his years teaching history and world civilization. The bow-tie wearing educator was known for the type of lecture that left students wanting more.
Reggie Bates, a longtime Mississippi Coat radio personality, singer and songwriter, died Aug. 8 after a month-long battle with the virus. Bates, 66, had a 43-year career in radio and sales and spent the last 22 years of his life with WKNN in South Mississippi.
Joseph Leo Norman Boissonneault, 90, of Pascagoula, died July 30. After serving the Army and Navy, Boissonneault moved to Biloxi where he started his own building and contracting business, according to his obituary.
Kathleen Scholtes Cosper, 79, of Ocean Springs died Dec. 5. The Biloxi native graduated as salutatorian from Biloxi High School in 1958 at the age of 16. She was an artist who won prizes over the years for her painting, photography and doll costuming, her obituary said. In addition, she was lifetime member of the Ocean Springs Art Association.
Wayne Leroy Johnson, 84, of Wiggins, died Sept. 26 at Gulfport Memorial Hospital. He was a graduate of Greenbriar Military School in Lewisburg, West Virginia. After graduation, he joined the U.S. Air Force, where he served for 20 years. After that, he and his wife, Lilian, made their home in South Mississippi. Johnson went on to work as a Harrison County sheriff’s deputy and later as a bail agent in Gulfport, his obituary said.
Douglas Glenn Creel, 70, of Ocean Springs, died Sept. 23. Born in Biloxi, he was a boat captain in the seismograph industry and an Army veteran. In his obituary, he was described as a “sweet, kind and gentle man who was loved by everyone.”
Paul Ray Cuevas, 60, of Picayune, was a pharmacist at CVS who died Nov. 5 in Slidell. He was a lifelong resident of Picayune and graduate of the University of Mississippi. He worked over the years at other pharmacies, including K&B Pharmacy and Rite Aid. He loved to be outdoors hunting or fishing, according to his obituary.
Larry Luther Pruitt, 83, of Long Beach, died Nov. 10 after a three-week battle with COVID-19, according to his obituary. A 22-year veteran of the Air Force, he also worked at the Long Beach post office for over 20 years. He met his wife, Pat, while he was stationed at Keesler Air Force Base.
Robert E. Clark, 67, of Gulfport, died Nov. 2. He served in the U. S. Marine Corps for three years, during which he earned a National Defense Service Medal while assigned to the 4th AmTrac Battalion. He went on to work as an offshore captain until his retirement He was an avid boater and fisherman and a lifelong fan of car shows, Ole Miss football and the New Orleans Saints. his obituary said.
Beatrice Williams, 77, of Bay. St. Louis, died Nov. 21 due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease and COVID-19. Williams grew up in Pass Christian and moved to Bay St. Louis after marrying her husband, Cecil. Known to many as “Ms. Bea,” she is fondly remembered for the cakes she decorated and the assistance she provided to brides and students over the years, her obituary said.
