Margaret Ann Gurley Hart, 86, of Holly Springs, passed away on March 8, 2023, at home surrounded by her family. She was under hospice care for a rare bone marrow (blood) disease. She was born at home on October 11, 1936, to Harvey Uel Gurley and Mary Lois Nelson Gurley in Potts Camp, and was the oldest of eleven children.
Maternal grandparents were George Whitfield Nelson and Margaret Elizabeth (Maggie) Taylor Nelson. Paternal grandparents were Joel Francis Gurley and Cornelia Ann Lewis Gurley.
Margaret grew up in Potts Camp and completed her education there and this is where she met and married her high school sweetheart, Jimmie, in 1956. After marriage they lived in Holly Springs for several years before moving to their forever home at Lake Center in 1962. In the 1980’s Jimmie’s job transferred them to Batesville where they lived until his retirement.
Margaret raised five children, helped with nine grandchildren and loved on her four great-grandchildren as much as possible.
She worked as an office manager at Coated Abrasive for two years until the children came along. She was a homemaker and accomplished seamstress making many beautiful Pilgrimage dresses and formal attire for the ladies of Holly Springs.
She was a member of Holly Springs First Baptist Church and the Faithful Workers Sunday School Class whose members she dearly loved.
She was also a member of the Marshall County Genealogical and Historical Society, +a former member of the Friends of Marshall County Libraries, a former member of the Marshall and Panola County Extension Service Homemakers Clubs, Batesville Garden Club, 4-H Leader, Community news reporter for The South Reporter for many years, Potts Camp School P.T.A. and homeroom mother for her children’s classes for many years.
Margaret enjoyed vacations with family and after Jimmie’s retirement they enjoyed traveling and camping. She also enjoyed watching her dogs and cats play, gardening, canning, working crossroad puzzles, reading and making cards for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital patients, Sunday School class members, family and friends. She and her sisters enjoyed day trips and adventures where they always found interesting people to talk to and fun things to do.
Margaret is survived by her son, Joey Hart of Grand Junction, Colorado, three daughters, Cindy Passons, Sherry Colhoun (Garrie) and Jackie Wilson (Billy Rex), all of Holly Springs, and a son-in-law, John Forester also of Holly Springs. She also leaves a brother, Mitchell Gurley (Judy) of Potts Camp; six sisters, Mary Minor, Joan Gurley, Doris Poole (Arthur), Jeanette Stone (Mitch), and Nancy Green (Harold), all of Potts Camp, and Pam Gurley of Memphis; two sisters-in- law, Carol Lynn Gurley of Potts Camp, and Jean Gurley of Oxford; a brother-in-law, Bill Rowland of Potts Camp; nine grandchildren, four great grandchildren and a fifth great grandchild on the way.
Margaret was preceded in death by her husband, Jimmie Hart, a daughter, Judy Hart Forester, her parents, two brothers, Edward Gurley and Charles Gurley, a sister, Sue Rowland, and a son-in-law, Leland Passons.
Services will be held in the Chapel of the Holly Springs Funeral Home on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. A vivitation for family and friends will begin at 10:00 a.m. and continue until service time. Burial will be at Chewalla Primitive Baptist Cemetery.
Donations may be made in her memory to the Chewalla Primitive Baptist Church cemetery fund, c/o Potts Camp Bank, P. O. 367, Potts Camp, MS 38659.