Elizabeth Bourland Jolly

Elizabeth Bourland “Beth” Jolly died Monday, March 25, 2019, at the age of 66, at her home in West Point, MS. Beth was born on May 18, 1952, in Charleston, SC, to Dr. Walter Lee Bourland and Mrs. Martha Wright “Tommie” Bourland of Tupelo. She is survived by her husband of forty years, David Bernard Jolly; her children, Dr. Anna Jolly Blackstock (Lindsey), Dr. David Bourland “Bo” Jolly and Lee Bernard Jolly; and her grandchildren, Reed Thomas Blackstock and Lane Elizabeth Blackstock. She is also survived by siblings, Dr. Walter Lee Bourland, Jr. (Kim), John Tilden Bourland (Ann) and Amanda Kathleen “Katie” Dalton (Frank). She is preceded in death by her parents.

Beth graduated from Tupelo High School in 1970 and from Vanderbilt University in 1974. She then received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Mississippi in 1976, before moving to Columbus to serve as an attorney for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. She worked briefly at the law firm of Patterson & Patterson and then at the law firm of Jolly & Jolly with her husband, David, before working as a trust officer at First Columbus National Bank for several years. She spent the majority of her career at Microtek Medical, Inc./Ecolab, where she worked for over 25 years and held the title of Vice President of Legal Affairs, among others.

Active in her community, Beth was a member of Junior Auxiliary, served on the board of trustees at the Columbus Library and was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International. She was also a member of the Town and Country Garden Club, where she has served as co-president. Beth loved gardening, playing bridge with her friends, being on the water, going to musicals, spending time with her pets and feeding her wild birds, which she treated like pets. She also found great joy in spoiling her grandchildren. She did not shy away from challenges, maybe because she was used to keeping up with her older brothers. Beth had an adventurous spirit. She enjoyed trying new things and traveling to new places, and she especially loved taking her family and friends along for the ride.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, March 30, 2019, at 1:00 PM at Memorial Gunter Peel Funeral Home, 2nd Avenue North location, with services following at 2:30 PM. Dr. Shawn Parker, First Baptist Columbus, will officiate. Burial will follow at Friendship Cemetery with her nephews serving as pallbearers. Memorial Gunter Peel Funeral Home & Crematory, 2nd Avenue North location, has been entrusted with arrangements.

Donations in Beth’s memory may be given to the Mississippi School of Mathematics and Science Foundation, 1100 College St., MUW Box 1627, Columbus, MS 39701; St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38101;the Columbus-Lowndes Humane Society, P.O.Box 85, Columbus, MS 39703; or to a local charity of your choice.