Hazel Lavelle Potts, age 96, passed away Sunday, February 18, 2018 at Yalobusha Medical Facility in Water Valley, MS. She was born April 20, 1921 to Mack and Lela Dickey Prestage in Calhoun County, MS. She married Edward Potts, and after his death, she worked at the Water Valley Hospital, as a Bruce School cafeteria worker and school bus driver, and at the North Mississippi Mental Health Center where she worked for 17 years before retiring. She was known by most everyone simply as “Miss Lavelle.” She enjoyed every day of work because she could stop on her way home and visit and pray with sick friends, which she continued to do until her passing. Those who knew Miss Lavelle knew that her lifelong love was Mt. Liberty Church and all her relatives and friends who attended there over the years.
Funeral services are planned for Thursday, February 22, 2018 at Mt. Liberty Church with visitation beginning at 12 Noon. The funeral service will begin at 2:00 PM with Rev. Kevin Jackson and Rev. Billy Childs officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery with Gary Potts, Allen Dickey, Buster Potts, Billy Stark, Phillip Dickey, and Jerry Smith serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearer will be Jimmy Pinkerton.
Miss Lavelle is survived by three sons, Kenneth Potts (June) of Memphis, TN, Thomas Potts (Kathleen) of Chicago, IL, and Richard Potts (Annalisa) of Memphis, TN; six grandchildren, April Boleware of Memphis, Geoffrey Potts of Chicago, Beth Alberts of Chicago, Evan Potts of Memphis, Jennifer Slayton of Memphis and Shannon Haynes of Alamo, TN; a brother, Roy Dean Prestage (Rose) of Madison, WI; two nephews, Stephen and Scott Prestage; one niece, Katheryn Milan Brewer; and four great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Potts in 1973, her mother in 1970, her father in 1990, her sister in 2005, and her baby brother in 1931.
She requested in lieu of flowers, please contribute to Mt Liberty Church or the cemetery fund.