George G. Randolph

George G. Randolph, age 94, passed away Friday evening, March 20, 2020, at Providence Assisted Living Home in Batesville, MS.

Due to the current health concerns surrounding our community, the funeral services will be attended by the immediate family of Mr. Randolph. The services are scheduled for 11:00 A.M. Monday, March 23, 2020, at Independence Presbyterian Church with interment to follow at Antioch Cemetery in Courtland, MS. For those wanting to be in attendance, a live stream will be made available and will be posted here, on this page, Monday morning prior to the service.

Once the health situation returns to normal, the family will be having a gathering for all friends who would like to pay their respect and condolences at Wells Funeral Home. This time will be announced by the family at a later date.

George Randolph was born to Richard Montague and Mary Gibson Randolph on February 15, 1926, on an Independence Community Cotton Farm Southwest of Batesville, MS. He and brother Malcolm Montague (Monty) attended elementary school at Independence, and high school at Pope High School. His college days began and ended at Mississippi State University, with stents at Northwestern University, Princeton University, and Tulane University while serving in the U.S. Navy's Midshipmen School for Naval Officer Training. Upon graduating at M.S.U. in 1945 with a degree in Agricultural Engineering, he served as Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy stationed in Tacoma, Washington in the aftermath of World War II.

Returning home from Washington, he acted on the advice of his father to defer working on his father's farm waiting for more favorable economic farming conditions. He also passed up employment with farm equipment companies which, though potentially more lucrative, would have required that he move away from the community he loved. His first and only gainful employment was at Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association in Batesville, beginning in 1948. Mr. Randolph was initially employed to recruit rural Panola County residents to sign up for electrical service in their homes and on their farms. He was eventually promoted to the highest position of the Association, serving as Manager for approximately 20 years before his retirement in 1992. He continued to serve on the Board of the Association for a number of years thereafter.

He met his wife of 54 years, the late Nell Clement Randolph originally from Black Hawk, Mississippi, Carroll County, while calling on the Home Extension Service Office in Charleston, MS, early in his career at TVEPA. The two built a home about 1/4 mile from his childhood home (where he lived until 2019), after staying with his parents for their first two years of their marriage. He, wife Nell, and their three children were members of Independence Presbyterian Church where he served in a number of capacities, including Elder and Church Treasurer for over 30 years.

A community and Panola County leader, Mr. Randolph served in many capacities, including the Board of Trustees of South Panola Community Hospital, President of Batesville Chamber of Commerce, and President of the North Mississippi Industrial Development Association. He was a member of the The Civitans, the Batesville area American Legion, and Batesville Rotary Club, where he served as President and was a Paul Harris Fellow. He remained active in the Rotary Club throughout his adult life, including his retirement years.

Those who have known him will remember him to be one uniquely gifted with keen intellect and attention to detail, while also appreciating and enjoying the company of those around him. His affable and gentle spirit, and his impeccable integrity were a reflection of his Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, who Mr. Randolph was eager to promote and identify with. From humble beginnings, he could easily identify with those less fortunate around him; his benevolent attitude made him quick to help those in need. His work ethic and self sacrifice were admired and appreciated by many. Those who've known him most intimately have appreciated him the greatest, and can attest to his goodness, his kindness, and the love and encouragement that he spread among them.

Along with his parents, Mr. Randolph was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Nell Clement Randolph of Black Hawk and his younger brother, Malcolm Montague (Monty) Randolph of Batesville. He is survived by his three children who are forever grateful to have called him their daddy: Debbie Holland (and husband Greg) of Carriere, Richard Randolph (and wife Rae Anne) of Brandon, and Susan Lewis (and husband Cooper) of Batesville; six grandchildren, Leigh Ann Holland of Athens, GA, Megan Cook (and husband Dustin) of Madison, MS, along with their children, Ethan, Laurel and Cade; Jonathan Randolph (and wife Lacy) of Oxford, MS, along with their children, Boyd and Georgia; Miriam Shufelt (and husband Josh) of Brandon, MS, along with their children Reid and Gibson; Mary Lynn Howell (and husband Hunt) of Sardis, MS, and Russ Lewis of Batesville, MS.

Anyone wishing to make a memorial contribution may forward those to Independence Presbyterian Church, c/o Stan Sullivant, 861-A Sullivant Rd., Batesville, MS 38606 or North Delta School, c/o Ashley Johnson, 330 Green Wave Lane, Batesville, MS 38606.

Posted below are two remembrances of Mr. Randolph:

A Tribute to Our Parents

On the Occasion of Their

Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary

August 19, 2001

Where did the time go?

WHEN life begins to speed up, it seems to go faster and faster. New commitments, new responsibilities and new opportunities seem to tear away at old ways of life. Change is necessary and is often good. For our family, change stole us (your children) away from a life we cherished, characterized by so much that was dear to all of us. For the moment, however, allow us to hold time still and reflect.

When did the Randolph family begin?

IN keeping with God's perfect plan, George Gibson Randolph and Miriam Nell Clement became one in a small Methodist church in Black Hawk. Two people were sent out from families of their own, to seize the opportunities that the winds of change were bringing into their own lives. Soon, we came to be. Innumerable events followed, and countless lessons were learned, all of which shaped us and created in us our own unique signatures. Then one day we were launched into the world, having enjoyed the benefits of the healthiest of human incubators one could hope for.

How did you influence us?

IN your tolerance you taught us patience. With your encouragement and approval, you gave us confidence and healthy self-esteems. You praised us and thus we learned to appreciate those around us. You treated us equitably, and therefore we learned justice. We lived in a household filled with acceptance and friendship and from that we learned to reach out and love those around us. In a world of compromise, you taught us there is such a thing as absolute truth. Through your unwavering commitment to each other and to us, we learned about making and keeping promises with our spouses, children, and friends, and in our workplaces. You taught us to work, to persist, and how to set and achieve worthy goals.

How can we thank you?

HOW can we express the appreciation we have for your devotion to us over the years?  In a world where the family unit readily falls apart, especially in the name of convenience and selfishness, we are eternally grateful to you for demonstrating the enduring principle of promises made and kept to one another and to us. We choose to thank you with words, but more importantly we choose to continue to commit ourselves to you now and in the years to come. We will thank you by our ongoing commitment to our own spouses, children, and grandchildren.

What is life all about?

IN our days of busyness said clutter, it often seems we're trapped in the endless pursuit of comfort and wealth that our culture would direct us to seek. May it never be said, however, that we've forgotten that real meaning in life begins and ends with relationships - first with our God and then with family and those around us. For the five (now fourteen) of us, life goes on as an exciting journey that began with precious relationships on a country road in Panola County, continuing down many new and now often trodden roads - roads which will always lead us back home to you.

                                                                     We love and cherish you both!

                                          Your children

(A post on a Mississippi State blog from a student/MSU employee involved in fundraising August 2016)

I cried at work today...

I work as a student fundraiser for the MSU Foundation at Mississippi State University. We call alumni and update contact information and let them know about things going on around campus. Lately we've been calling alumni and personally thanking them for donating to the university. Today, I cried for the first time at work.. Not because I was sad or upset, not because someone said something that hurt my feelings, not because I was stressed or overwhelmed. I cried at work today because God decided to place one particular Mississippi State University alumnus in my life, and it was a very unexpected blessing.

Usually, a thank you call lasts under a minute. We say thank you for your donation and tell them how much it has helped and wish them well; and they say thank you for calling, say goodbye and hang up. That wasn't the case with my very first call today. We spoke for forty-five minutes. And God knows I needed every single second of that phone call.

It's no secret that my life has hit a few rough patches recently. And lately I've really been second guessing myself as far as my career choice goes - medical school for anesthesiology. Am I smart enough? Can I do this? Will I actually get into medical school? And as far as my future with a significant other - Is there someone out there for me? Will I ever be good enough for anyone? Are all men going to treat me the same? I've prayed about it, I've talked to God and put all of my questions and concerns into His hands. And I believe today He was giving me a little bit of insight.

My first thank you call today was a 90 year old man from Batesville, MS. After telling me how much he appreciated my call, this particular alumnus asked where I was from. As always, I replied Greenwood, MS. As it turns out, his wife happened to be from Blackhawk, MS. He went on talking about her for about 10 minutes. I just listened. You could really tell he loved her. She passed away a little while ago. He still attends HER high school reunions because he said seeing her sister and her high school best friend makes him feel closer to her and it makes him happy. He then said something that really stuck out - "Now I'm 90 years old, about to be 91, and I'm just waiting on my reunion with her. One day you'll find someone too." I immediately teared up, he had no idea how much I needed to hear that.

Next, we got into a discussion about his time here at Mississippi State. How much he loved it, how connected he felt to the university, his first day here. We talked about his two children who went to school here and what career paths they chose. Just the works. He then asked what my major was. I replied "Biological Sciences with a Pre-Med concentration." His response, again, was exactly what I needed - "Whatever you decide to do in the medical field, Kaela, you will be a blessing to mankind." More tears.

We talked a bit about his time in the war. I sat and listened in awe while he reminisced. He was throwing out exact dates and names of people, some things that I had never learned in history class. He talked about Hitler, Germany, his time in the navy, the Japanese emperor, the Vietnam War, their refusal to surrender, the atomic bombs. He cried a little bit, I cried a little bit, we were both crying as he talked about just how many lives were saved (and how many lives were lost) because of the nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

After forty-five minutes of speaking with this kind elderly man with such a big heart, who had unknowingly been a blessing to me, he apologized for taking up so much of my time. I told him he in no way was a burden to me, and I did not mind speaking with him, rather that I enjoyed it and it had brightened my day. Before he got off of the phone he said to me "Kaela, you will be a blessing to mankind whatever you decide to do. Thank you for being so patient with me and visiting with me today. You are a wonderful person, one of God's very own creations. He intended for you to be a blessing. I appreciate your goal of being a doctor and know that God will lead you there because God always helps His people. I will include you in my prayers tonight. And Kaela, God and I love you."

Wow... The only words I could get out at that point were "Thank you Mr. Randolf..." I was choking back tears at this point, lots of tears. I had to leave my desk and go sit in the hall for a second to get myself back together. God knew exactly what I needed to hear today, and He placed the right person at the right moment to speak through. Isn't it funny how God can use a complete stranger to turn your whole entire outlook on life completely around?

We shine brightest when we allow God to shine through us. What an awesome God we serve❤️