Margaret E. Mccann

Funeral services will be held January 30, 2014 for Margaret Elizabeth Ethridge Garramone McCann, 87, of Starkville. She died January 27 at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo.

Mrs. McCann was born in Collinsville, Mississippi July 10, 1926, and graduated from Collinsville High School and Meridian Junior College. Her first job was as an office worker at the Oak Ridge Nuclear Facility during the making of the first atom bomb. Subsequently she worked at Rush Hospital and USF&G in Meridian. In 1947 she married Joseph A. Garramone and moved to Long Island, where she worked as a medical secretary. After Mr. Garramone’s untimely death, she married William McCann in 1951. She was preceded in death by her parents, Mory Bascom and Adele Marie Moore Ethridge, three sisters, Lurlean Ethridge Eshee, Juanice Ethridge Hodgins, and Marilyn Ethridge Ezell, and a brother, M.B. Ethridge. She was also preceded in death by her husband, William Halsell McCann.

Mrs. McCann was an office manager for Prince Lumber Company for over 30 years and was a life member of the Macon Junior Auxiliary since 1971, where she served as Finance Chairman, Projects Chairman, Secretary, Vice-President, and President. As Junior Auxiliary President, she conceived and organized the first JA Charity Ball and at her death was the proud reigning Junior Auxiliary Charity Ball Queen. She organized and participated in many charitable activities with the Junior Auxiliary, including clothing drives, meal assistance, and driving underprivileged children to medical visits. Alongside her husband Bill, Mrs. McCann was a driving force in the founding, construction, and support of Central Academy and Pineview Country Club.

After retiring from Prince Lumber Company, Mrs. McCann indulged in her lifelong desire to travel and was privileged to visit almost every U.S. state and parts of Canada and Europe. Her passions included reading, knitting, and corresponding and visiting with relatives and grandchildren. Her church was also very important to her, and she was a faithful member of Shuqualak Presbyterian Church, Bailey Presbyterian Church, and Grace Presbyterian Church in Starkville.

She is survived by her children, Richard (Dawn) McCann of Shuqualak, Rachel McCann of Starkville, and Bill (Kristi) McCann of Memphis, seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at Macon Presbyterian Church Thursday, January 30, at 11 am , with Rev. Jason Edwards officiating, assisted by Dr. Paul Honomichel. Interment will follow in Shuqualak Cemetery. Visitation will be at Cockrell Funeral Home Wednesday from 6 to 8 pm. Cockrell Funeral Home in charge of the arrangements. Memorials to Palmer Home of Columbus, P. O. Box 746, Columbus MS 39703.

Pallbearers include Rick McCann, Matt McCann, Alex Lewis, Bill McCann, Adrian Lewis, Shane Irvin, Scott Swedenburg, and Keith Winchester. Honorary pallbearers include Bev Normant, Larry Morris, Dan Conner, Ted Skipper, and Bill Thomas.