Grace Hanshaw Travillion, 82, departed this life on January 7, 2010 at Singing River Hospital, Pascagoula, MS. She was born in Pascagoula on June 7, 1927 to the late Chester Hanshaw and Mary (Willis) Hanshaw. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Hansel C. Travillion, a devoted brother, Cornelius Hanshaw and a foster brother, Gabriel Walker. Grace Travillion was a woman, who walked in beauty and brought peace, tranquility, and love to those who knew her. Her soft-spoken and modest dispositions were attributes that also defined her beauty. She was a life-long member of St. Peter Baptist Church where she faithfully served as church treasurer, senior choir member, and also a member of the Homemakers Club, the Household of Ruth, the Golden Circle and the NAACP. A graduate from Pascagoula Negro High School in 1945, she studied for three years at the National Trade and Professional School for Women and Howard University in Washington, D.C. and Meharry Medical School in Nashville, TN. She had a heartfelt compassion and commitment to the youth in her community and was a member of the Jackson County Youth Court Citizens Advisory Committee and participated in the court's (youth) Volunteers in Probation Program. She served on the Citizens Advisory Committee for Pascagoula Public Schools, President of Carver High School PTA from 1967 to 1969 and for many years treasurer of Fair Elementary School, when needed, even when she had no children in the school. She served as President of the Gulf Coast District Baptist Youth Convention for six years, corresponding secretary for the Gulf Coast District Convention, as local organizer in 1965 and chairman of the pilot Headstart Program. God and church were a central part of her life. She believed that she was able to overcome any situation with God's help. Her faith and devotion to God was evident in her daily walk through her relationship with family, friends and acquaintances. She is survived by her loving and caring children; son, Ken Conrad Travillion (Elizabeth), Mobile, AL; daughter, Leah Travillion Rollins, Pascagoula, MS; two foster sons, Robert Rollins (Annette), Jackson, MS and Jerome Thomas, Pascagoula, MS; two sisters-in-law, Edna Ruth Breaux, Baton Rouge, LA and Juanita Brown, Baton Rouge, LA; four grandchildren, Amber Rollins, Eric Smith, Alicia and Leslie Thompson; one great grandson, Zion Ezra Rollins; a cherished god-daughter, Dr. Gwendolyn Dunn Carroll, DDS, Baltimore, Maryland; devoted friends, Virginia Bartee, Rebecca Jordan, Gloria Harris; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, a host of other relatives and friends. Funeral Services will be held, Tuesday, January 12, 2010, at Union Baptist Church, 1509 Dupont Avenue, Pascagoula, MS. Visitation will be from 9am-11am. Funeral services to begin promptly at 11am with Reverend William Marshall, pastor of St. Peter Baptist Church of Pascagoula, presiding. Arrangements entrusted to Turner Gulf Funeral Services. Interment will be at Gabriel Cemetery, Pascagoula, MS. The Gulf Coast Mortuary Industry will be honoring Ms. Grace with representatives from Robert O. Rollins Mortuary of Jackson, MS and Lovett Mortuary of Mobile, AL.
Published in Mississippi Press on January 10, 2010