Merrilyn Mitchell Anthony

Merrilyn Mitchell Anthony died the evening of Thursday March 19, 2009, at her home in Vicksburg. She was 65.

She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She was born in Birmingham, AL, and was the daughter of the late Frank Mitchell and Louis Mitchell of Jackson.

Mrs. Anthony was a 1961 graduate of Provine High School in Jackson. She attended Hinds Junior College and Mississippi College, where she majored in elementary education and minored in English. She was a member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society, was a Hinds Hi-Stepper and was a member of the Jackson Jaycettes.

After moving to Vicksburg in 1975, she worked for Jerry Derivaux State Farm Insurance beginning in 1977 and, most recently, Diane Kemp's State Farm Agency.

Mrs. Anthony was a member of Bowmar Baptist Church, where she had taught Sunday school. She was a member of the Pi Alpha Kappa Vicksburg chapter. She served as president, secretary and on local and national committees. She was also a member and patron the the Vicksburg Art Association.

Mrs. Anthony is survived by her husband, Harris; a daughter, Adrienne Cowgill and husband George Cowgill of Atlanta; a son, Clay Anthony of Vicksburg; a brother, Bill Mitchell of Jackson; three grandchildren, Finley Cowgill, Caleb Anthony and Madisyn Anthony; a daughter-in-law, Teresa Saldana; mother-in-law, Lola Anthony of Vicksburg; a sister-in-law, Barbara Grant of Richland; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at Glenwood Funeral Home at noon Tuesday, Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. Tuesday until the service.

The family requests memorials be made to the American Cancer Society, 1380 Livingston Lane, Jackson, MS 39213

From National President

I am sorry to let you know that Merrilyn Anthony passed away last night. Visitation will start at 10:00 AM Tuesday morning at Glenwood, followed by the service (at Glenwood) at noon.

Please lift Harris and the family up in your prayers and please pass the word to the sisters in your chapter.

Pam Gee
National President, PAK

Our April 1st Meeting

Our next Omega Chapter, PAK meeting will be held at the Senior Center on the corner of South and Walnut Streets. I will be the host for our meeting and June Emerson, Joan Donovan and Pam Melsheimer will be the co-hostesses. We will also have a silent auction. Our philanthropic will be for Good Shepard Community Center. We need to bring snack foods, school supplies, etc.

Omega Chapter Meeting

We had our chapter meeting last night at Frances Miller's lovely home on Laura Lake Road. She and her co-hostesses served a vegetable tray and for the main course, two lasagnas (vegetable and meat) rolls and choice of wine and soft drinks. A delicious lemon cake was served and was decorated with twigs rosemary and flowered lemon rinds. After we ate we held our meeting and talked about the upcoming convention, etc. After the meeting gifts were handed out to the secret sisters. The next meeting will be held at the Senior Center, downtown Vicksburg, and will be hosted by myself, Marian Love Phillips and co-host, Pam Melsheimer and June Emerson.

From National President

Dear PAK Sisters,

Please continue to keep Merrilyn Anthony in your prayers. She is at the Promise unit at River Region West.

Also lift up Helene Benson who will be having gallbladder surgery next Tuesday. They had planned surgery for this Tuesday (the 17th), but she got the flu.

Thank you for sharing these concerns with your sisters.

Please mark your calendars for June 5 & 6 and our national convention. Great plans are underway and we want to have a great turnout and lots of fun!

Pam Gee

Sorority Valentine Party/Meeting

Our beautiful Happy Valentine's Day Cake!

A pretty Valentine tree!

Left to right, Ina Lott Whittington, co-host, myself, Marian Love Phillips and Joan Donovan hanging out before the party begins.

Hostess, Pat Stamm

Left to right, Katherine Meyer Turcotte, President, Andrea Kelly Hughes, Cindy Calais, Connie Greer and Frances Miller.

Jane Lobada and Shanon Curro enjoying the evening at the party.

Left to right, Connie Greer, Pam Melsheimer and Joan Donovan.

Chris Patin, our Secretary.

Nancy Luchessi on our Calling Committee.

Olivia Lee

Left to right, June Emerson, Cathy Lee, Janie Seabergh and Anita Zorn Hossley.

Left to right, Olivia Lee, Cindy Calais, Frances Miller, Nancy Luchessi and Joan Donovan.

Pat Stamm seated with her sister, Dorothy Neill, standing who lives in Tallulah, LA, and joined us in the celebration.

Pat Stamm, with Vera Marshall Brown and Ina Lott Whittington, hosted our Valentine's Day Party/Meeting last night at Pat's (Cannon Gates Apartment Club House) and everyone really enjoyed being there. Not everyone could attend but they really missed a good time. We had our meeting first and then enjoyed our Valentine treats. Afterwards, we handed out our secret sisters gifts. Our philanthropic was Haven House Family Shelter of personal care items, gift cards, dishes, etc.

Love is in the air...

Our Pi Alpha Kappa's 3rd annual Valentine-themed musical event, To Vicksburg with Love, will be at noon today at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center, formally St. Francis Xavier Academy, the school I graduated from in the Class of 1959. Our chapter, Omega, will serve as hostesses. The lunchtime concert theme is Melodies and Memories and will feature the music of Vicksburg natives, Norman and Jane Joseph of Clinton, MS. The pair will entertain while guest eat food prepared by our sorority.

As an addition to this year's festivities, Regina Gailani, owner of Art & Soul on Washington Street, designed a necklace, made of Swarovski crystal and nuggets of carnelian stone, that will be raffled at the event. Proceeds will benefit our PAK's scholarship fun.

Gailani designed jewelry worn by Miss Mississippi Christine Kozlowski during the Miss American pageant last month.