Rev. Howell Galey "Gay" Mims, age 69, died November 19,2009 at his residence in Caledonia. Visitation will be held Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009 at Mt. Zion Cumberland Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 5 - 7 p.m., and will resume on Monday, one hour prior to the 2:00 PM service at the same location on Wolfe Rd. Interment will immediately follow at Vaughn Cemetery on Wright Road in Caledonia. Gunter & Peel Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Mr. Mims, born October 5, 1940 in Carroll County, Miss., was the son of Fred Meek and Melba Barnes Mims. His family moved to Columbus in 1941, and he attended the Columbus Public Schools, graduating from S.D. Lee High in 1958. He earned his B.A. degree from Bethel University in McKenzie, Tenn., where he was a member of Phi Delta Sigma fraternity. His seminary study was at the Cumberland Presbyterian Seminary, now Memphis Theological Seminary. Mr. Mims was ordained in 1962 while pastoring the Hopewell CP Church in Lola, KY. Returning to Columbus to marry his high school sweetheart, Mr. Mims worked at Palmer Home for Children as Assistant to the Director while pastoring the Cedar Bluff CPC. He began his educational career teaching English at Liberty H.S. near Reform, Ala., while he pastored the Antioch CP Church. Mr. Mims earned his MA from Miss. State University while teaching English at Caledonia H.S. He was a 1969-70 Ford Foundation Fellow, traveling the country studying innovations in public education. He served as Coordinator of Federal Programs for the Okolona Public Schools, graduated from the Miss. Institute for Politics, and served as assistant principal and principal at his alma mater, S.D. Lee H.S. During his tenure at Lee High , he coordinated a National Humanities council grant, bringing acclaimed writers, historians, and musicians to work with the students. He spear-headed the establishment of the S.D. Lee High Foundation, and witnessed the publication of a high school literary publication, the Sabre, and the introduction to the school's first show choir, the Front Line. Following his retirement from the Columbus Public Schools in 1993, Mr. Mims served as adjunct faculty for MUW and worked seven years as a training consultant for the Miss. State Dept. of Education. In addition to Hopewell, Cedar Bluff, and Antioch churches, Mr. Mims pastored the Starkville, and Fairview CP Churches before becoming Assistant Pastor at Columbus First CP, and later, Interim Pastor at the Coker, Ala. CPC. He served the Brooksville CPC and Mt. Zion CPC simultaneously for 25 years and served Mt. Zion a total of 35 years. During his ministry, Mr. Mims served on various boards and agencies of New Hope Presbytery (now Grace Presbytery), and he served as moderator twice. He worked in presbyterial and synodical camps as director, teacher, worship leader, and business manager, and served on the staff of the denominational youth conference several years. He served as Stated Clerk/ Treasurer of Grace Presbytery for seven years. He was a member of the General Assembly Council for six years serving as President in 2006. Mr. Mims served his community in many ways. As an active member of the Columbus Rotary Club, he served as a director, Interact chair, and editor of the Rotary Informer. He was a Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary. He served two years as president of the Columbus Civic Arts Council, two terms as a member of the Lowndes County School Board, as Education Chair for United Way, and on the Habitat for Humanity board. Mr. Mims was preceded in death by his father. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Martha Jo Ballard Mims; his mother, Melba B. Mims; his son and daughter-in-law, Wes and Linda Mims; one grandchild, Houston Mims; and one sister, Annette Benson, and brother-in-law Bill Benson. Pallbearers wii be Wes Mims, Joe Mims, Doug Yelverton, John and Don Gilmer, Dwight Colson, and Tim Butler. Honorary pallbearers will be J.D. Bourland, Bobby Gale, Vic Moreno, Don Newman, Ed Prescott, and Tom Randall. Memorials may be made to Mt. Zion CP Church Bldg Fund, c/o Mary Ann Jones, 3396 Wolfe Rd., Columbus, MS 39705; the Howell G. Mims scholarship Fund, Bethel University, 325 Cherry Ave., McKenzie, TN 38201; or the Howell G. & Martha Jo Mims Endowment for Christian Education, Denominational Center, 8207 Traditional Place, Cordova, TN 38016
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