Agnes Sorrells Bourdette

Agnes Sorrells Bourdette, 92, of Poagville, MS passed away peacefully at Sardis Nursing Home on August 21, 2018 after several years of declining health.

Mrs Bourdette was born on July 9, 1926 in Lake Carrier, Batesville, MS to the Late Buran and Frances Hopper Sorrells . She grew up in Curtis where she graduated from Curtis School in the eighth grade. She then attended Batesville High School where she was a guard on the girls basketball team. She graduated in 1945 and moved to Memphis, TN where she attended Draughon’s Business College. After completing her coursework there, she began her clerical career with Kimco Auto Products. She spoke often of her memories of working there and of her employers, the Chafetz family.
She and her husband, Howard (from Long Island, NY) met while they were employed there. They married in 1955 and began attending Kensington Baptist Church where they both were saved and baptized. They then moved to the country, Capleville, TN and their daughter, Frances was born. There they joined Capleville Baptist Church where Agnes taught Sunday School.

In 1962, Agnes and Howard bought a little 40 acre “farm” east of Coldwater, MS in the Poagville community. There they began making new friends and joined Hickory Grove Baptist Church.

In 1963, Agnes suffered a brain aneurysm that ended her professional career. After her recovery and retirement, she had more time to become involved in her community and her church.

Agnes was a faithful member for over 50 years, where she served as a Sunday School teacher and choir member. She organized the first preschool children’s program at the church and faithfully taught the younger children for a number of years. She was actively involved in the mission programs of the church as a member of WMU and taught Mission Friends and GA’s. In her late 70’s, she traveled twice to Oklahoma for mission work.

Agnes was an accomplished cook and especially loved to bake. She will always be remembered for her wonderful glazed pecan recipe and her cookies. Adults who first enjoyed her pecan cookies as preschoolers at church still asked for them today.

Mrs. Bourdette always loved visiting her family and childhood home(Curtis), down in the delta but loved going back home to “the hills” as she would say of Poagville. She cherished her years in Poagville and all of her precious friends, those who preceded her in death and those remaining still.

Mrs Bourdette is survived by her daughter Frances Bourdette May (James) of Como , MS; grandchildren and their spouses, Gary May (Anne) of Senatobia, MS, Cindy Morehead (Brian) of Hot Springs, AR, Melissa Bateman (Matt) of Watkinsville, GA and Mary Margaret Panduro (Salvador) of Como, MS; ten great-grandchildren; one sister, Mary Evelyn Sorrells Keating (Ralph) of Batesville, MS and a sister in law, Helen Faye Sorrells of Batesville, MS.

Mrs Bourdette was preceded in death by her husband, Howard C. Bourdette; one brother, James W. (Brother) Sorrells; one sister, Jane Evans and her parents.

Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, August 24, 2018 in the Chapel of Pate-Jones Funeral Home with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. Burial will follow in Curtis Union Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to The Grove Church, Poagville, MS or a charity/organization of the donor’s preference.

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