Dr. Rebecca Davis “Becky” Thomasson passed away at Select Specialty Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi on Saturday, July 29, 2023, surrounded by family. Visitation will be Friday, August 4, 2023 from 11:00am to 1:00pm at the First Baptist Church Outreach Center in Starkville, with a memorial service to immediately follow at 1:00pm.
Born November 19, 1943 to the late Van and Ophelia Barbee “Ann” Davis, she was raised in Lula, Mississippi and graduated from Lula Rich High School in 1961. She attended the Mississippi State College for Women in Columbus, Mississippi (currently MUW) where she earned her degree in education. She taught home economics to high school students in Coahoma County, Mississippi before moving to Starkville in 1974. She taught third grade students in the Starkville Public School System before taking over the gifted education program (P.E.A.K.) for fourth and fifth grade students. While teaching, she continued her education at Mississippi State University where she earned both masters and doctoral degrees in education. She served as the principal at Henderson Junior High School in Starkville before moving to a central office position with the Pine Bluff School District in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. She later started her own consulting company providing in-service education to other educators and continued that work until her retirement.
After retirement, she found time to pursue her lifetime passion for sewing, often focusing on children’s clothes, especially for her five grandchildren. She enjoyed playing bridge with friends and was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Starkville and the Empty Nesters Sunday School Class. Through her Sunday school class, she started sending birthday, get well and condolence cards to people in the community, and her card project became one of her passions.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 33 years, the late Bob Thomasson. She is survived by a daughter, Ann Marie Neave (Stuart) of Kinross, Scotland, two sons, Davis Kelly (Shelly) of Starkville and Bryan Thomasson (Jenna) of Chattanooga, Tennessee, a grandson, Douglas Kelly of Florence, Alabama, three granddaughters, Madeline and Jillian Kelly of Starkville and Zoë Neave of Kinross, Scotland, a niece, Cynthia Bush of Laurel, Mississippi, and five nephews, Gray Davis of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, Michael Davis of Indianapolis, Indiana, Ashley Davis of Bernardsville, New Jersey, Steven Davis of Jackson, Mississippi, and Benji Davis of Nashville, Tennessee.
She was also preceded in death by her youngest granddaughter, Eilidh Neave of Kinross, Scotland and her brothers Dr. L.L. “Van” Davis of Brandon, Mississippi and the Reverend Robert G. Davis of Kings Mountain, North Carolina.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Meningitis Now (meningitisnow.org) in Eilidh’s memory or alternatively, to a charity of your choice.
