Peggy Hawkins

Peggy Southern Hawkins, age 71, died July 25, 2014, after a brief illness with family by her side. Visitation will be held at Robinson Funeral Home in West Point on Sunday, July 27, 2014 from 4 to 7 p.m. Services will be held at Robinson Chapel on Monday, July 28, 2014 at 10 a.m. with burial to follow at Greenwood Cemetery in West Point. Peggy was born on March 28, 1943 to the late William Vernon Southern and Mary Helen Hollis Southern. She was a 1961 graduate of West Point High School and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Mississippi State College for Women in 1965. After graduation, Peggy taught school in Natchez and then became a commercial illustrator for Mississippi State University. She then pursued her love for plants as proprietor of Pretty Pots in West Point. As a gifted artist, she was well known for her many Kris Kringle Creations. Her hobbies included cooking and gardening, but her true passion was on the tennis courts. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Patricia Southern Gates. Survivors include: her loving husband of 48 years, James M. Hawkins, Jr. of Columbus; daughters Holly Nelsen of Fairhope, AL and Mary Heather (Frank) Gibbs of Hernando; sister Marty Southern Friend of Starkville; and Brother-in-Law Robert Gates of New Albany. Known as Nana, she will forever be missed by her five little grandgirls - Mary Bentley and Sarah Jameson Nelsen; Callaway, Mary Breland, and Burkley Ann Gibbs. Other survivors include: Aunt, Sarah Frances Cordray of Columbus, GA; nieces, Debbie (Mike) Smith of The Highlands, TX; Susan (Don) Griffin of Nashville, TN; Amy (Ray) Carroll of Collierville, TN; and Fleming (John) Rogers of Starkville. Nephew, Will (Carrie) Friend of Athens, GA; and cousin, Velma Caskey of West Point. She also leaves behind many nieces, nephews, and cousins who she loved dearly. Pallbearers will be John Caskey, Paul Caskey, Josh Smith, Rob Smith, Connor Griffin, Hayden Carroll, Jimmy Clark and John Stockton. Honorary Pallbearers include: Billy Caskey, Luther and Jamie Epting, Gerald Vest, Bill Brigham, Jimmy Garton, Eddie Perkins, and Joe Godfrey and her friends on her Old Waverly Tennis Team. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, American Cancer Society, Palmer Home for Children or your local animal shelter.