Verda Johnson Laws of Columbus, Mississippi

June 1, 1931 - April 28, 2019

Verda Mae Johnson  Laws, age 87, passed away Sunday, April 28, 2019 in Columbus, MS. Visitation will be Tuesday, April 30, 2019 from 5:00 - 7:00 PM at Main Street Presbyterian Church in Columbus, MS. A funeral service is planned for Wednesday, May 1, 2019 at 11:00 AM at Main Street Presbyterian Church with Rev. Todd Matocha officiating with burial to follow at Friendship Cemetery. Memorial Gunter Peel Funeral Home & Crematory,  2nd Ave. North,  is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Laws was born June 1, 1931, in Columbus, MS, to the late Troy Mae and Thomas Johnson. She was a graduate of Lee High School and earned a B.S. degree from M.S.C.W. (MUW) in Columbus, MS; then went on to the University of MS where she obtained a Master's Degree in Home Economics. She was a professor and Assistant Director of Child Development & Laboratory in the Division of Home Economics at MUW for 28 years. Mrs. Laws was a member of the MS Council on Family Relations, where she served as President, and was the MS Delegate to the National Convention of American Home Economics Association.

The First Baptist Church of Columbus was Mrs. Laws' home church while growing up but after her marriage she attended and was active at Main Street Presbyterian Church in Columbus, MS, where she taught Bible School and was a member of the Women of the Church.

Mrs. Laws was a member of the Four Seasons Garden Club where she served as president and vice-president. She was a charter member of the Tombigbee Stump Jumpers Ski Club, and member of The Supper Club for 51 years.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Laws was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, John Dickinson Laws, Jr. and brother, Herbert Johnson. Survivors include her daughters, Elizabeth (Beth) Ferguson and her husband, Vee; Brenda Comer and her husband, Thomas (Bubba), all of Columbus, MS; grandchildren, Harper Ferguson of Seattle, WA and John Laws Ferguson and his wife, Ashlee, of Nashville, TN; niece, Jan (Bill) Mullis of Virginia Beach, VA and nephew, Cpt. Jay (Lisa) Johnson of Vista, CA.

Pallbearers will be Howard Fisackerly, Jr., Stephen Imes, Bobby Keys, Andrew Laws, Stephen Laws, Robert Rhett, Bo Richardson, Clay Richardson, Todd Waldrop, and Lavaris " Punchy" Williams. Honorary pallbearers will be Ben Chilcutt, Billy Swedenburg, Howard Fisackerly, Sr., Sonny Richardson, Albert Laws, Bill Laws, Greg Nayden, Boyce Adams, Dr. Brett Brown, Dr. Jack Reed, Dr. Dan Bennett, William Roberts, Bob Waldrop, and Bill Fromm. Special Thanks to Emma Petty, Shaye Bennett, Gloria Lowery, Meka Young, Cherie Coghlan, and Becky Smith.

The family requests that memorials be made to Main Street Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 26, Columbus, MS 39703 or Columbus-Lowndes Humane Society, P.O. Box 85, Columbus, MS 39703 or Heritage Academy, 625 Magnolia Lane, Columbus, MS 39705.