Mary Christine LaRoe Weeks died Tuesday, May 24, 2021 at Tupelo Nursing & Rehab. She was 93 years, 1 month and 4 days old. Christine was born in Corning, Arkansas to I.B. and Monette Essie Hughes LaRoe.
It was in Corning, in the spring of 1948, that she met and married a roving, Massachusetts born, rodeo cowboy, Carl James “Jim” Weeks, Jr. For 69 years they shared life, roving from Texas to Massachusetts, and points in between, eventually making Baldwyn the home where they raised their children, continuing their shared life until his passing in 2017.
For years to come, Christine’s influence will live in the many lives she has touched. She loved working with youngsters as a Cub Scout den mother and Girl Scout leader. She provided child care services in her’s and Jim’s home. She frequently recalled that the youngsters lovingly called them “Daddy Jim” and “Miss Tine”. An accomplished pianist who played regularly for her home church, Baldwyn First Christian Church. She especially enjoyed being a member of the High Five gospel group along with Jim, Howard Heddings, Lunelle Miller and Jeanette Shackelford. After Jim’s ordination into the ministry, Christine became a pastor’s wife, working with him in church ministries in Mississippi, Florida and Georgia and serving as visiting missionaries in Mexico on numerous occasions. After returning again to Baldwyn in their later years she worked in Baldwyn’s senior ministry.
She is survived by her children; Sheila Ann Hancock (Billy) of Baldwyn, Carl James “Sonny” Weeks, III (Mary) of Baldwyn and Melanie Ruth Welch (Scott), of Pensacola, FL; grandchildren Molly Simpson (Joey) of Olive Branch, MS, Wes Hancock (Cheyenne) of Ft. Meyers, FL, John Hancock (Jenny) of Oxford, MS, Dawn Moore (Joey) of Baldwyn and Jason Weeks of Baldwyn; 4 great grand children and 5 great great grandchildren; sisters Eloise Kimble of St. Louis, MO, Aline Magee of Doniphan, MO and Corrine Hudson of Nappende, IN
Preceding her in death was her husband, her parents and grandparents, a sister Melina Mobley and a much loved daughter-in-law Kay Walker Weeks (Sonny).
The family wishes to express the greatest appreciation to the staff of Tupelo Nursing and Rehab for their care of our loved one, to her nursing home room mates Mary Sandifer and Jessie Echols for the friendship they shared and to the loving and tender care provided by the staff of Encompass Health – Hospice.
Christine’s life will be celebrated on Friday, May 28, 2021 at Waters Funeral Home. The family will visit with friends from 9:00AM until the service hour @ 11:00 a.m. Conducting the service will be First Christian Church Pastor Kelly Carmichael. Pall bearers will be Wes Hancock, John Hancock, J.T. Hancock, Joey Simpson, Brady Simpson and Joey Moore. Honorary pall bearers will be Robert Palmer and Kevin Cole.
