Judy Sledge Gaither

Mrs. Julia Sledge Gaither, 84, formerly of Macon, MS passed away Monday, July 22, 2024, at Hospice of West Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL.  Funeral services will be held Friday, July 26, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church, Macon, MS with Rev. Steve Galloway officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service in the church sanctuary. Interment will be in Oddfellows Cemetery. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Childrens Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN. 38105 or First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 510, Macon, MS  39341.  Cockrell Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with the service arrangements.                                                                                                          Julia Sledge was born on May 18, 1940, in Pontotoc, MS to the late Malcolm Broox and Hazel (nee: May) Sledge. Her family lived in Pontotoc for six years before moving to Macon, MS. She graduated from Macon High School in 1958 and later graduated from Mississippi State College for Women in 1961 with a degree in English. While at MSCW, Julia was a member of the Maskers social club and the Silhouettes social club. In 1961 she married A. Perry Gaither III and they made their home in Memphis for the next three years. They returned to Macon where she taught Latin and English at Noxubee County High School and then, in 1968, Julia went to Central Academy in Macon where she taught until 1986. In addition to teaching the next few years, Julia returned to school at Mississippi State University where she earned her Masters degree in school counseling in 1990. she taught at Reed School in Noxubee County for two years and for several years was at the Lowndes County Vocational Center as a counselor. Later she counselled at New Hope High School in Columbus, again at the Lowndes County Vocational Center and then at West Lowndes High School. Before retiring in 2005, Julia tutored and worked at Central Academy and at East Mississippi Community College, Mayhew Campus. She retired from all teaching and counselling in 2005. Julia was a member of First Baptist Church in Macon as a child, then as an adult was a member of Macon Presbyterian Church and again a member at First Baptist Church until the time of her death. She was active in the Women’s Study Circle, the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Macon Junior Auxiliary. She enjoyed reading, puzzles, and games.

Julia Sledge Gaither is survived by her two daughters: Julia Broox Fox (Gib) of Tuscaloosa, AL and Emily Finley (Geoff) of Birmingham, AL. She also leaves behind her beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Claire Gaither, Jillian Fox, Matthew Fox and Jack Blair and Willow Blair. She was preceded in death by her husband, her son: A. Perry Gaither IV and by her parents.