Children lose tireless worker
By BUTCH WEIR
Picayune Item Tue Jan 12, 2010, 01:43 PM CST
POPLARVILLE — The Poplarville area has lost a tireless worker for its youth and their educational well-being with the death of Helen McGill, 71, last Thursday, Jan. 7, at Regency Hospital in Hattiesburg.
McGill, a teacher of 30 years who taught at the former Todd Memorial High School, is perhaps best remembered for her work with the Raine Street Save the Children Center and her 15 years on the Poplarville Special Municipal Separate School District board from January 1987 until Dec. 2001. She was the first African-American to serve on that board and also served as its president from March 1990 until June 1999.
Pearl River County District 1 Supervisor Anthony Hales said he first met McGill when she taught him in third grade and remembers that she was always very encouraging to the children.
Later Hales, when he served as a Poplarville City Alderman, presented her for appointment to the school board.
"She was a tireless worker," Hales said. "Any idle time she had was spent trying to think of ways to help people. She wouldn't accept no for an answer and will be sorely missed."
He said the Raine Street center was started on the site of the old Pearl River Training Center and had become dilapidated over the years. McGill and others spent of their time and money to make the center into the useful community activity center that it is today. He said even after her health began to decline she continued to work with the center and with people.
"The work she did needs to be continued," Hales said. "She was an asset to the community."
Former District Superintendent Gylde Fitzpatrick said McGill was very involved with the school district, the community and with improving the educational opportunities of the children.
"She was a champion of the children of the school district and of all the children," Fitzpatrick said.
Former Poplarville Lower Elementary School Principal Glenda Malley said the death of McGill "has been a shock to all of us and she is really going to be missed."
"She worked for the for the best interest of the students and the community," Malley said. "We've lost a very important person, a good woman."
A native of Utica, Miss., McGill was a member of Merrill Chapel United Methodist Church, a member of The United Methodist Women, and a member of Merrill Chapel Choir. She was a retired School Teacher from Todd Memorial High School, where she taught for 30 years, a retired School Board President, founder of the Raine Street Community Center, Director of Head Start, and worked for the Department of Human Services until she retired in 1998.
She was recognized with the 2006 Humanitarian Award from the Stennis Space Center chapter of Blacks in Government (BIG) for outstanding service to the community. BIG is a national organization of African-American government workers.
She is survived by: her husband, the Rev. James McGill of Poplarville; one son, Ronald McGill of Hattiesburg, Miss., two sisters, Namoi Dehman of Kansas City, Kansas; Christine McLenner of Utica; one brother, George Smith of New Orleans, La.; one granddaughter, Maria McGill; and two grandsons, Alex and Phillip McGill.
Funeral services are noon, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010, at Harts Chapel Baptist Church in Poplarville. Visitation is 10 a.m. until service time at the church. Burial follows in Rose Park Cemetery in Poplarville.
By BUTCH WEIR
Picayune Item Tue Jan 12, 2010, 01:43 PM CST
POPLARVILLE — The Poplarville area has lost a tireless worker for its youth and their educational well-being with the death of Helen McGill, 71, last Thursday, Jan. 7, at Regency Hospital in Hattiesburg.
McGill, a teacher of 30 years who taught at the former Todd Memorial High School, is perhaps best remembered for her work with the Raine Street Save the Children Center and her 15 years on the Poplarville Special Municipal Separate School District board from January 1987 until Dec. 2001. She was the first African-American to serve on that board and also served as its president from March 1990 until June 1999.
Pearl River County District 1 Supervisor Anthony Hales said he first met McGill when she taught him in third grade and remembers that she was always very encouraging to the children.
Later Hales, when he served as a Poplarville City Alderman, presented her for appointment to the school board.
"She was a tireless worker," Hales said. "Any idle time she had was spent trying to think of ways to help people. She wouldn't accept no for an answer and will be sorely missed."
He said the Raine Street center was started on the site of the old Pearl River Training Center and had become dilapidated over the years. McGill and others spent of their time and money to make the center into the useful community activity center that it is today. He said even after her health began to decline she continued to work with the center and with people.
"The work she did needs to be continued," Hales said. "She was an asset to the community."
Former District Superintendent Gylde Fitzpatrick said McGill was very involved with the school district, the community and with improving the educational opportunities of the children.
"She was a champion of the children of the school district and of all the children," Fitzpatrick said.
Former Poplarville Lower Elementary School Principal Glenda Malley said the death of McGill "has been a shock to all of us and she is really going to be missed."
"She worked for the for the best interest of the students and the community," Malley said. "We've lost a very important person, a good woman."
A native of Utica, Miss., McGill was a member of Merrill Chapel United Methodist Church, a member of The United Methodist Women, and a member of Merrill Chapel Choir. She was a retired School Teacher from Todd Memorial High School, where she taught for 30 years, a retired School Board President, founder of the Raine Street Community Center, Director of Head Start, and worked for the Department of Human Services until she retired in 1998.
She was recognized with the 2006 Humanitarian Award from the Stennis Space Center chapter of Blacks in Government (BIG) for outstanding service to the community. BIG is a national organization of African-American government workers.
She is survived by: her husband, the Rev. James McGill of Poplarville; one son, Ronald McGill of Hattiesburg, Miss., two sisters, Namoi Dehman of Kansas City, Kansas; Christine McLenner of Utica; one brother, George Smith of New Orleans, La.; one granddaughter, Maria McGill; and two grandsons, Alex and Phillip McGill.
Funeral services are noon, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010, at Harts Chapel Baptist Church in Poplarville. Visitation is 10 a.m. until service time at the church. Burial follows in Rose Park Cemetery in Poplarville.
Children lose tireless worker
By BUTCH WEIR
Picayune Item Tue Jan 12, 2010, 01:43 PM CST
POPLARVILLE — The Poplarville area has lost a tireless worker for its youth and their educational well-being with the death of Helen McGill, 71, last Thursday, Jan. 7, at Regency Hospital in Hattiesburg.
McGill, a teacher of 30 years who taught at the former Todd Memorial High School, is perhaps best remembered for her work with the Raine Street Save the Children Center and her 15 years on the Poplarville Special Municipal Separate School District board from January 1987 until Dec. 2001. She was the first African-American to serve on that board and also served as its president from March 1990 until June 1999.
Pearl River County District 1 Supervisor Anthony Hales said he first met McGill when she taught him in third grade and remembers that she was always very encouraging to the children.
Later Hales, when he served as a Poplarville City Alderman, presented her for appointment to the school board.
"She was a tireless worker," Hales said. "Any idle time she had was spent trying to think of ways to help people. She wouldn't accept no for an answer and will be sorely missed."
He said the Raine Street center was started on the site of the old Pearl River Training Center and had become dilapidated over the years. McGill and others spent of their time and money to make the center into the useful community activity center that it is today. He said even after her health began to decline she continued to work with the center and with people.
"The work she did needs to be continued," Hales said. "She was an asset to the community."
Former District Superintendent Gylde Fitzpatrick said McGill was very involved with the school district, the community and with improving the educational opportunities of the children.
"She was a champion of the children of the school district and of all the children," Fitzpatrick said.
Former Poplarville Lower Elementary School Principal Glenda Malley said the death of McGill "has been a shock to all of us and she is really going to be missed."
"She worked for the for the best interest of the students and the community," Malley said. "We've lost a very important person, a good woman."
A native of Utica, Miss., McGill was a member of Merrill Chapel United Methodist Church, a member of The United Methodist Women, and a member of Merrill Chapel Choir. She was a retired School Teacher from Todd Memorial High School, where she taught for 30 years, a retired School Board President, founder of the Raine Street Community Center, Director of Head Start, and worked for the Department of Human Services until she retired in 1998.
She was recognized with the 2006 Humanitarian Award from the Stennis Space Center chapter of Blacks in Government (BIG) for outstanding service to the community. BIG is a national organization of African-American government workers.
She is survived by: her husband, the Rev. James McGill of Poplarville; one son, Ronald McGill of Hattiesburg, Miss., two sisters, Namoi Dehman of Kansas City, Kansas; Christine McLenner of Utica; one brother, George Smith of New Orleans, La.; one granddaughter, Maria McGill; and two grandsons, Alex and Phillip McGill.
Funeral services are noon, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010, at Harts Chapel Baptist Church in Poplarville. Visitation is 10 a.m. until service time at the church. Burial follows in Rose Park Cemetery in Poplarville.
By BUTCH WEIR
Picayune Item Tue Jan 12, 2010, 01:43 PM CST
POPLARVILLE — The Poplarville area has lost a tireless worker for its youth and their educational well-being with the death of Helen McGill, 71, last Thursday, Jan. 7, at Regency Hospital in Hattiesburg.
McGill, a teacher of 30 years who taught at the former Todd Memorial High School, is perhaps best remembered for her work with the Raine Street Save the Children Center and her 15 years on the Poplarville Special Municipal Separate School District board from January 1987 until Dec. 2001. She was the first African-American to serve on that board and also served as its president from March 1990 until June 1999.
Pearl River County District 1 Supervisor Anthony Hales said he first met McGill when she taught him in third grade and remembers that she was always very encouraging to the children.
Later Hales, when he served as a Poplarville City Alderman, presented her for appointment to the school board.
"She was a tireless worker," Hales said. "Any idle time she had was spent trying to think of ways to help people. She wouldn't accept no for an answer and will be sorely missed."
He said the Raine Street center was started on the site of the old Pearl River Training Center and had become dilapidated over the years. McGill and others spent of their time and money to make the center into the useful community activity center that it is today. He said even after her health began to decline she continued to work with the center and with people.
"The work she did needs to be continued," Hales said. "She was an asset to the community."
Former District Superintendent Gylde Fitzpatrick said McGill was very involved with the school district, the community and with improving the educational opportunities of the children.
"She was a champion of the children of the school district and of all the children," Fitzpatrick said.
Former Poplarville Lower Elementary School Principal Glenda Malley said the death of McGill "has been a shock to all of us and she is really going to be missed."
"She worked for the for the best interest of the students and the community," Malley said. "We've lost a very important person, a good woman."
A native of Utica, Miss., McGill was a member of Merrill Chapel United Methodist Church, a member of The United Methodist Women, and a member of Merrill Chapel Choir. She was a retired School Teacher from Todd Memorial High School, where she taught for 30 years, a retired School Board President, founder of the Raine Street Community Center, Director of Head Start, and worked for the Department of Human Services until she retired in 1998.
She was recognized with the 2006 Humanitarian Award from the Stennis Space Center chapter of Blacks in Government (BIG) for outstanding service to the community. BIG is a national organization of African-American government workers.
She is survived by: her husband, the Rev. James McGill of Poplarville; one son, Ronald McGill of Hattiesburg, Miss., two sisters, Namoi Dehman of Kansas City, Kansas; Christine McLenner of Utica; one brother, George Smith of New Orleans, La.; one granddaughter, Maria McGill; and two grandsons, Alex and Phillip McGill.
Funeral services are noon, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010, at Harts Chapel Baptist Church in Poplarville. Visitation is 10 a.m. until service time at the church. Burial follows in Rose Park Cemetery in Poplarville.
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