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Kate Cherry | Meridian Museum Of Art
Museum Director Strengthens Arts Legacy
Written and photographed by Coleman Warner
This might be called a Sweet Sixteen year for Meridian Museum of Art Executive Director Kate Cherry, as the quietly determined arts enthusiast and accountant works to strengthen an institution that has served the area for more than a half century.
A Kemper County native with longtime Meridian ties, Cherry became executive director – and virtual around-the-clock caretaker – of the beloved downtown institution in September 2008, after serving nine years on the museum’s board.
Among her priorities is highlighting painters and other artists whose works explore personal themes, including one Mississippi-reared artist now featured, James Conner. “I like for an artist to have their own story and tell about their life,” she said.
As Cherry, at 69, contemplates retirement in coming years, she has persevered in her push to streamline operations, enhance the historic museum building adjacent to City Hall, refine exhibitions, build public support, and offer art classes to various age groups. Her 16th’ year in the executive role is proving to be busy and inspiring.
“She likes having arts groups, she likes doing things that nobody else does,” said museum board member Marsha Iverson, a veteran art educator. “She’s a woman of conviction, a woman of faith, and if she believes in it, she’ll make it happen.”
Collaboration among Meridian nonprofits – to avoid duplication and maximize impact in use of limited funds -- has often posed challenges in the past. On that front, Cherry’s mix of diplomacy and concern for the larger community seems to be paying dividends. She embraced partnerships with the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience (The MAX), Children’s Museum, Meridian Symphony, Boys & Girls Clubs of East Mississippi and Meridian Housing Authority, as well as with supportive foundations.
“The under-resourced people of our community need to be encouraged
by art,” Cherry said. “It’s not always easy, because everybody has their own agenda. So you’ve got to kind of mold it together.”
One recent partnership between The MAX and the Museum of Art allowed for high-profile appearances by artist and former Mississippi State professor Brent Funderburk at both institutions. The cross-promotion link was legendary Mississippi coast artist Walter Anderson, a selection of whose works (on loan from the Walter Anderson Museum of Art in Ocean Springs) were exhibited at The MAX, while Anderson-influenced paintings by Funderburk were featured at the Museum of Art. The interplay of the traditional museum and a modern arts attraction (The MAX opened in 2018) was impressive.
“I look forward to strengthening the MAX and MMA partnerships and collaboration,” said MAX Executive Director Penny Kemp. “We want the same things – a better community, enhanced educational opportunities and improved quality of life for all through the arts.”
The multi-floor art museum at 628 25th Avenue has been housed in the Carnegie Library building since 1970, following the nearby construc-
MMA Director at a Glance
• Kate Cherry Executive Director September 2008
• Oversees half dozen major exhibitions annually
• Museum supported by more than 260 members, with dozens featuring art pieces in member shows
• After-school classes for youths serve ages 6 through 17
• Responsible for landmark Carnegie Library building, built 1912-13
• Annual budget of $250,000 (fiscal 2025), with support from Phil Hardin, Riley, Paul and Sherry Broadhead foundations, Mississippi Arts Commission, and Community Foundation of East Mississippi endowments
• Instrumental in Meridian Museum Art Collective wall mural projects
tion of a new library for Meridian and Lauderdale County. The striking Italianate-style Carnegie building long ago acquired federal and state protected-landmark status.
Since its 1970 opening, the art museum has been the setting for exhibitions big and small – including the Annual Bi-State Competition and Exhibition, now in its 51styear – and has been the setting for countless art classes and receptions.
Cherry and close associates, including her husband, artist and musician Terry Cherry, have carried forward the museum’s traditions, while working to streamline or expand some activities. The daunting tasks that come with managing the museum, fundraising and hosting events have been addressed, since mid-2023, with the help of Caleb Phillips, a communication and programs assistant, who earned an art degree at the University of Mississippi.
As guardian for the unique building, Cherry has advanced improvement projects that included a major renovation and fresh painting of the exterior in 2018. A recent grant of $332,670 from the Mississippi Arts Commission will support a building addition that improves accessibility for the handicapped.
A recently-renovated building across the street from the museum, owned by artist and real estate agent Tim Allred, is providing high-quality space for art classes serving young people. Cherry is especially proud
of the “education building,” saying it will allow for nighttime classes that don’t require opening the museum.
Meanwhile, Cherry has played a lead role in arranging for the museum to serve as the organizational base for the Meridian Museum Art Collective, a widely-admired group that has added giant wall murals to the local landscape.
Kate Cherry grew up in Scooba, in Kemper County, and has always been attracted to the arts. She earned an accounting degree from Mississippi State after her father, a cattleman and farmer, and mother, who worked at a Meridian shirt factory, pushed back on her dream of earning an interior design degree. “My family was very pragmatic,” she said. “They didn’t understand the interior design at that point.” (The accounting expertise, many years later, would prove immensely valuable to her museum efforts.)
Cherry spent 13 years as an auditor with the USF&G insurance company, and devoted other years to traveling with husband Terry, a longtime community college art instructor, when he set aside teaching to market his art pieces at far-flung festivals. In the mid-1990s, both entered art pieces in an “Art in the Park” event in Highland Park, and Kate’s mixed-media offering took Best of Show – this time, besting her husband, the accomplished working artist.
The couple has spent most of their 51-year marriage living in the tiny community of Porterville and they remain connected to Kemper County, devoted members of Scooba Presbyterian Church. In mid-2020, they moved to Meridian, buying an Italian Renaissance-style home and spacious property with a pond on Poplar Springs Drive.
Designed by renowned architect P.J. Krouse, whose other Meridian projects included City Hall and the Post Office building, the home was built in 1924. Not surprisingly, Kate Cherry adores its classic look and construction, musing that she wouldn’t have minded majoring in architecture long ago. “They (older homes) seem to have more character and definition than newer houses,” she said. “And they’re usually made out of better materials.”
Lucy Simmons | U.S. Senate Page
LFrom Hallways to Halls of Power
Written
Not everyone gets a chance to be a part of history, but Meridian’s Lucy Simmons did as she carried a mahogany box of electoral college votes into a joint session of Congress in Washington D.C. The procession happens just once every four years as a new President of the United States is elected and legislators are tasked with certifying the election results.
“That was definitely one of the best days of my life,” she said.
Simmons, a junior, recently completed a semester serving as a page in the U.S. Senate. The program accepts 30 students age 16-17 for each fall and spring semester, as well as summer, who are sponsored by Senators representing their state. Pages are expected to have a minimum 3.0 grade point average, be covered by health insurance, pass a heath assessment and provide a certificate of immunizations and other requirements specific to each Senator’s office.
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Tupelo, sponsored Simmons, who said she learned about the program from one of her father’s colleagues, who had been a page himself in the 1970s. After researching the program, she said it seemed right up
by Thomas Howard Photographs provided by Lucy Simmons
U.S. Senate Page Program
•Who: High school juniors (age 16–17), U.S. citizens with strong academics.
• What: Serve as messengers for the U.S. Senate; assist with daily operations.
•Where: U.S. Capitol, live in the supervised Page Residence in D.C.
•When: Fall (Sept–Jan), Spring (Jan–June), Summer (two 3–4 week sessions).
•School: Pages attend classes at the Senate Page School (academic year only).
• Pay: Yes, pages receive a stipend.
•Apply: Must be sponsored by a U.S. Senator.
her alley.
“One day, we were just on the way back to my tennis match, and we were talking about my future, and my dad was like, ‘We should look this up. I wonder if it’s still around,’ and somebody looked it up and I was like, ‘Oh, this is my dream,’ because I’ve always been interested in politics and things like that.
With 30 page slot open and 100 Senators, getting into the Senate Page Program isn’t easy no feat regardless of grades. Simmons, however, was selected and moved to Washington D.C.
While in the program, pages live in the Daniel Webster Senate Page Residence, located on Capitol Hill. Pages share rooms with several roommates and use laundry and kitchen facilities located in the building. Simmons said she shared a room with five other girls during her time at the residence. If the application process wasn’t rigorous enough, the Senate Page Program itself is a challenge as well. Still technically in school, Simmons and her fellow pages attended classes in the morning before heading to the Senate to assist with the day’s work. A day may start at 5 a.m., she said, and end when
the Senate adjourns at 9 or 10 p.m. Add on top of that a lot of homework and that all of the classes are considered honors level courses, and it makes for a challenge to stay on top of the work.
“It was definitely something I’d never experienced before because the classes are just like anything I’d ever done in the early mornings, and then working 50 hours a week is just like insane for a teenager to do,” she said. “But I did it, and it was amazing. It was a really good experience for me.”
Once classes ended, usually by late morning, pages would go to the Senate to get ready for the day. Page duties varied from day to day, Simmons said, but included things like distributing amendments and going on roll call runs. Republican pages and Democrat pages traded duties each hour, with one group on the floor and the other in the back lobby tackling homework.
While on the floor, Simmons said her favorite moments were listening to Senators debate, especially when there was a hot button issue that they felt strongly about. Early in the semester, she said there was a strong debate about in vitro fertilization and near the end she was able to hear some of the early debate about President Donald Trump’s appointment of Pete Hegseth as U.S. Secretary of Defense.
On the weekends, pages were allowed to explore the city, and Simmons enjoyed visiting the multitude of museums, restaurants and other offerings in the nation’s Capitol. The highlight of the experience, however, took place on Jan. 6, when Congress gathered to certify the 2024 election results. She and other pages were tasked with carrying the boxes of electoral votes from the Senate chambers to the House of Representatives chambers for certification.
Walking in, Simmons said, members of congress were all assembled and applauding as the pages carried the boxes to the dais where then Vice President Kamala Harris presided over the joint session.
Madison Carr | United Way Resource Development Coordinator
M
Fueled by Passion, Powered by Purpose
Written
What began as a summer internship, quickly turned into a full-time position for Madison Carr of Meridian. Through a partnership with the Riley Foundation, Carr was selected to serve as the 2024 summer intern for the United Way of East Mississippi where she worked closely with the Stuff the Bus program. Stuff the Bus helps provide school supplies and uniforms to local students in need.
In the midst of feverishly hot temperatures, Carr pounded the pavement and partnered with various media outlets and local businesses to solicit donations for this important program. By the time the campaign concluded, United Way officials knew they met with success, as all four counties they serve — Clarke, Neshoba, Kemper and Lauderdale — tripled in the donation collected so that local kids could have a great start for the new school year.
United Way officials also knew they could not imagine saying goodbye to Carr, with her high energy, positive attitude and genuine love for all things United. In August 2024, she was named Resource Development Coordinator for the United Way and became a full-time employee of the organization
by Lela Tisdale
Photos by Thomas Howard
which helps fund 20 partner agencies as well as 10 community impact programs.
“Bringing Carr on board as a full-time employee, was one of the best decisions I could have made,” Kym Parnell, executive director of the United Way of East Mississippi said. “She’s not afraid to ask for donations, and she also does an incredible job of connecting with Gen Z, or young people between 9 and 24 years old. That generation represents our leaders of tomorrow,” Parnell added.
When asked about her day-to-day responsibilities, Carr said, “What I love most is the opportunity to connect with new people and be part of such a generous community. It’s inspiring to see how individuals and businesses come together to make a difference.
“That’s one of the main reasons why I always try and shop local every chance I get,” she said.
On the weekends, you will often find Carr working at Over the Moon Children’s Boutique. She and her family also enjoy attending Oak Grove Baptist Church in Meridian.
In September 2024, Carr spearheaded the annual Pacesetter campaign, a precursor to the full-fledged annual fundraising campaign, which continued through February, and she organized no less than 70 local campaign meetings.
“I’m so proud of teams like Structural Steel who had five different workplace campaign meetings and greatly increased their giving this year, and they are just one of our many local success stories,” she said.
In December, she also had the privilege of helping play an instrumental role in the WTOK/United Way Toython which made Christmas brighter for countless children.
March 2025 was also a busy month and a time to celebrate the organization’s accomplishments, as she helped to plan the United Way’s Annual Meeting.
“I was thrilled with the turnout, with about 80 people attending. It was a wonderful opportunity to recognize our volunteers and the businesses that help make a lasting impact at United Way,” she said.
A 2022 graduate of Southeast Lauderdale High School, Carr continued her education in the Business and Marketing Management Technology Program at Meridian Community College, where she was named The Outstanding Business and Marketing Management Technology Student of The Year in her division for the 2023-2024 year. While at MCC, she also enjoyed serving as a statistician for the MCC Baseball Team as well as an officer of Phi Theta Kappa. While she had plans to continue her studies in Clinton to become a licensed aesthetician, those plans have been put on hold for now as she is currently drawn to the beauty of people helping people. With so many positive things happening at the United
Way, there is still no danger of Carr easing up on the throttle anytime soon even in her free time. She is currently looking forward to the Circle of the Dragon 12-hour endurance race which will be held in May at Bonita Lakes Park. Participants will navigate a challenging 4.6-mile loop course, with the goal of completing as many laps as possible within the time limit. Runners can earn milestone awards for various distances, culminating in the prestigious Dragon level for those who complete 64.4 miles. In 2024, Carr finished the course, by walking and running a total of 41.4 miles. One thing’s for sure. Wherever you find Carr, she is running the race with flying colors!
Get to Know United Way
• Founded: 1887 in Denver, Colorado.
• Glocal Reach: Active in 1,800+ communities across 40+
• countries.
• Focus Areas: Education, financial stability, and health
• Funding: Donations support local programs; decisions often led by community volunteers.
• Ways to Help: Donate, volunteer, advocate, or join workplace campaigns.
• Impact: Millions helped annually through long-term, community-driven solutions.
Robert Evans | Musician and Artist
RThe Art of Giving Back
Written and photographed by Coleman Warner
In the eyes of more than a few, Robert Evans qualifies as Meridian’s version of the Renaissance Man.
Evans is worldly in the influences he seeks. He is a dedicated visual artist, appreciates old architecture, and embraces various music genres as he sings and plays the piano. He’s community-minded too.
“I try to be well-rounded,” the 52-year-old Evans, a Navy veteran and Newton County native, says with a smile. In the realm of music tastes, he noted, “I’m a fusion of everything. I love classical, I love jazz, I love rock, I love country. I’ve never done (Louisiana) zydeco, but who knows? I may wind up with a washboard.”
A staff member for the Hope Village for Children on 23rd Avenue, Evans moved to Meridian in 2014, living in a downtown apartment until his recent purchase of a distinctive home on Poplar Springs Drive. The spacious house is part of a scenic residential corridor that Evans’ family visited during Christmas seasons when he was a child, driving over from Newton to admire elaborate holiday light displays.
At Hope Village, Evans divides his time between managing
the nonprofit’s busy thrift shop on Eighth Street and serving as a “developmental coach” for young people.
“Robert works closely and respectfully with Hope Village residents who choose to gain work experience at the Thrift Store,” the organization’s executive leadership said in a statement. “For many, it’s their first job, and Robert’s patience, guidance and encouragement help create a supportive environment where they can grow in confidence and skill.”
Beyond his devotion to service through Hope Village, Evans works part-time at the recently-opened Hallie Ward Interiors shop on 22nd Avenue, hires out for singing or piano gigs, and sells his own art pieces, fashioned in his home studio.
It would be an understatement to say Evans is an engaging figure in the community.
Irrepressibly friendly, fast with a joke, he might be found providing background music at a museum reception, singing with the Symphony Chorus, displaying his art in a downtown gallery or participating in a church event.
“He’s an amazing person, keeps you laughing,” said Shari Gaston, a regular thrift shop customer. “If you’re down, he’ll bring you up.”
Hallie Ward, who markets some of Evans’ art pieces in her Queen City Art Gallery, said “he brings a lot to the party,” exceptional talent combined with a warm personality. “He makes people feel good about themselves, and he brings people in with his energy.”
Evans doesn’t separate his affection for music from his daily work life. At the thrift store or Ward’s upscale shop, he might be found at a piano near the front door, performing his take on Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World,” or another tune. He turns to music to relax and entertain others, in all sorts of settings.
During one recent visit to First Christian Church to enjoy the congregation’s Kentucky Ham meal, a slight nudge prompted Evans to sing, sans instrumental backup, “Amazing Grace,” adding a potent musical element to the fellowship hall gathering.
Raised in Newton and ultimately graduating from Newton County High, Evans differed from most relatives in his early fascination with music and art. His mother, an English teacher in Newton, played piano and was sensitive to his creative ways, he said, and an aunt who lived out in the county allowed him to use keys to a nearby Presbyterian church the family attended. He went there alone, at odd times, recalling: “I would go and practice the piano, sing in the church.”
With little access to museums, Evans nurtured an interest in fine art through library books and horticulture studies. He
studied the look of vines and flowers, and experimented with drawing them. He liked the idea of conveying a story line, or feeling, through art. Evans’ skill in a wide range of music genres and art styles – including abstract and mixed-media–was shaped in part by selected classes in college. (He attended several institutions, never earning a degree.) There were also powerful influences stemming from cultural travels he relished during a decade spent in the Navy, in administrative roles, living in Spain, Japan, Washington state and Florida.
His military career ended after his mother suffered a stroke, and he returned to Mississippi to be near her.
Since his arrival in Meridian, Evans has gained visibility through art exhibitions at Meridian Community College and the Meridian Museum of Art, and through performances with the Symphony Chorus.
“He’s kind of a Renaissance Man, and the way he crafts a song can be absolutely stunning,” said one close associate in music, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church organist and choir director David Benson. “Music plays a very special role in his life.”
To Evans, the personal drive to produce great art and music is simply part of a broader ambition to connect with others.
“I don’t have to be big and famous,” he said. “I want to help somebody. That’s where the joy is.”
H
A Method to Her Magic
Written
I recently traveled to Meridian, Mississippi to meet and interview Hallie Ward, a local interior design maven, art dealer and trend setter. It had been a lifetime since I was last in Meridian, and fifty years of memories washed over me as I left Oxford and drove south for the interview.
My dear college roommate from my Ole Miss years, Sara Newton Sikes, hails from this east Mississippi town. Back in the ’70s, our college trips to Meridian were mostly about Sara’s family gatherings and weekend college partying. I paid little mind to the city’s history then—a once-thriving railroad town struggling to redefine itself as a burgeoning highway system replaced the rail.
Years later, politics led me back to Meridian to visit with the Lauderdale County voters and help raise money for the next campaign. Even then, my focus was political—not on the livelihood of the town.
With the success of Meridian native Hartley Peavey, through his home-grown Peavey Electronics, a fresh wave of economic energy began to course through the town in the 1980s. A decade later, groups of spirited Meridianites
by Julie Maybus
Photos by Thomas Howard
channeled that momentum, and a revitalization of the historic downtown landscape began to take shape.
Hallie was too young to be part of that early wave, but when I met her, her energy was undeniable—almost electric. She was injecting new life into the renaissance, driving it forward like a locomotive on fire.”
In the lead-up to our meeting, my research revealed Hallie began dabbling in interior design when she decorated her daughters’ college dorm rooms in the mid-2010s. That experience rekindled a long-held passion and led her to start Hallie Ward Interiors in 2019. And in September 2024, she moved into her current location and cut the ribbon for her new interior design and antique shop and Queen City Art Gallery at 816 22nd Avenue in downtown Meridian. The road to that moment was not overnight, nor was it direct. In her own inimitable way, Hallie would fill in the pieces for me once we met.
When I entered her shop, housed in a hundred-year-old building, everything was unexpected. Antiques and gift items punctuated the first floor, and nothing felt routine or mundane. These were special pieces—many large, dramatic and begging to find the right home.
As we climbed the rambling and open staircase, Hallie kept talking about her art gallery. When we reached the second floor, the setting shifted. Suddenly, colors, textures and southern stories oozed from the paint on oversized canvases. We had entered the Queen City Art Gallery where vivid and whimsical paintings by Mississippi artists lined the walls. Hallie was beaming.
Her story is as authentic as the light in her eyes. A Meridian native, Hallie was just a baby when I made my first trip to her hometown. She’s married to another local, Berry Ward. The story of their romance, as she tells it, is both hilarious and unapologetically honest. The long and the short of it—in 1977, when Hallie was a first grader, the two met at the Sammy Davidson Sports Complex where she was a “dusty bat girl” for the older girls’ softball team, and Berry was a “dusty little brother,” helping coach the girls on the field. Hallie, added, “I remember him on third base yelling at the girls on the bases to run home. We met right there at home plate.”
Fourteen years later, in 1991, the two were reintroduced by a mutual friend at Art’s Shed House, a famous music venue in town. Hallie continued her story. “He looked at me and asked, ‘Were you that little girl at the Dusty softball games?’” Hallie’s response was priceless and so true to her totally transparent nature, “I’m whoever you want me to be.” Hallie added, “It was love at first sight…actually second sight. I immediately knew he was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.” They were married a year later. For the first ten years of their marriage, Hallie was a
homemaker, focused on raising her family. In 1995, Savannah was their first born, followed by Anne Tyler, and Berry IV. At the time, through hard work and smart moves, Berry was cutting a successful swath through the ever-changing cable industry, starting with east Mississippi and eventually focusing on the rural Alabama market.
The success of Berry’s efforts created inevitable growing pains. “We were like the mom-and-pop store competing against the big boys.” They eventually brought in a business consultant to make recommendations on keeping up with the growth.” The consultant made one very significant recommendation that upended Hallie’s life. “The consultant looked at me and said, “Hallie, you need to take charge of the day-to-day management of the Meridian office, the collections and sales, while Berry focuses on overseeing growth and expansion efforts in Alabama.”
In 2009, Hallie stepped in full-time alongside her husband. It was a fast-paced, unfamiliar world, and she had to quickly learn new skills, take on responsibilities she’d never faced before, and stretch far beyond her comfort zone. She calls those her “grooming years.”
Hallie was in her late thirties, and without formal training in the field, Hallie took on the challenge. “It was God’s plan,” she says. What started as a leap of necessity became a period of deep personal growth—one that gave her the confidence, resilience, and wisdom to launch Hallie Ward Interiors a
decade later.
“I became known as Hallie, the cable lady. I would make cold calls, sometimes in tough neighborhoods. Prospective clients would invite me into their homes. I would help feed their babies and they would braid my hair.” Hallie’s stories painted an unadulterated picture of a woman driven to do
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the right thing for the people around her, whether for her husband and family or the customers whom they served.
Ten years later, Berry sold his cable company and Hallie’s life took another major turn.
Hallie’s close friends began asking for her help on small design jobs. At first blush, it seems Hallie was in the right place at the right time. But it was so much more than that. She’s a magnet. People just want to be around her. And she exudes creativity and originality, and with the successful completion of numerous projects, she was proving she had the skills to bring beautiful spaces to life.
“It all just began to line up for me,” she said. In 2019, Hallie made it official by starting Hallie Ward Interiors. “And, when I saw that hundred-year-old building on 22nd Avenue, I knew it was the right space for my company. I didn’t have a playbook. I didn’t have a business plan. I knew nothing about retail or running an art gallery. But I had a vision for the space. And when my name was on the door and my eighty-hour week
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began, I knew it was right. I wanted to be part of the burgeoning arts and culture scene that is transforming downtown Meridian. I wanted to channel the esteemed people who came before me—who built the “Queen City.
Hallie paused, then smiled. “And my husband Berry gave me the wings to fly and the legs to chase my dreams.”
At first, Hallie’s focus was on antiques and gifts, along with her design services. “But, Kate Cherry came into my life,” she said. “She encouraged me to include the art gallery upstairs.”
Kate Cherry is a well-known figure in Meridian, serving as the Executive Director of the Meridian Museum of Art.
And more than a venue for antiques and great Mississippi art, Hallie has created a destination space in her hundred-year-old building. She expressed the sentiment, her passion for her hometown when she said, “I encourage people to pick up their car keys instead of their laptops and get out of the house. Go to a local store and touch, feel, smell, share the experience. Create a memory. Support the local merchants who are investing in our city.”
That spirit of local investment is taking root across downtown Meridian—especially among women. In addition to Hallie Ward Interiors is the MAX (the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience), run by a non-profit whose board is chaired by Dianne Walton, with day-to-day operations overseen by President and CEO Penny Kemp. Next door to Hallie’s shop is Jean’s Restaurant, established by Jean Bullock in the 1960s and now lovingly owned and operated by the Purvis family.
Hallie represents the next generational wave of those preserving the historic importance of the city. And, the list of significant architecture in downtown Meridian rivals any area in the state. Among those structures, the Threefoot Building on 22nd Avenue, built in 1929, is the tallest building in Meridian and one of only three Art Deco-style buildings in Mississippi. It now functions as a hotel. The Riley Center, a Victorian structure originally constructed in 1889 as the Grand Opera House was shuttered in 1927 and lay dormant for 80 years until the Riley Foundation and Mississippi State University worked to refurbish and repurpose the complex into a performing arts venue.
Hallie’s heart extends to the children in Meridian, children whose lives have been interrupted, children in foster care through no fault of their own, children whose security has been affected often by unfortunate choices made by other people.
In 2000, Berry’s sister, Sela Ward and her husband, Howard Sherman, bought the vacant, 1908 Masonic Children’s Home, a 30-acres campus within the city limits of Meridian. They named their project Hope Village and repurposed the 4000 square-foot-facility into a series of residential homes and an emergency shelter for children from birth to age 20.
In 2019, as the world sheltered from COVID, Sela and Hallie took on Sela’s passion project of renovating cottage 1 at Hope Village.
With Hallie and Sela’s combined heart and talent, Hope Village continues evolving into something very special. Adding color, vibrancy, and comfort create in the cottages a true sense of home. Together they have renovated two of the cottages giving the children not only dignity and pride in their environment and lives but also, HOPE. What greater gift can one human give another?
Community | Shiloh Farmer’s Market
Shiloh Farmer’s Market offers homemade staples – and yummy surprises
By Angela H. Cutrer
Market surprises
Got a minute?
We’ll bet you’ll take more than one when you find out what’s possible at a country store just southeast of Meridian near the Alabama line.
Perhaps you might be interested in any of the following:
• Fresh shrimp delivered every Friday
• Lunch and supper plate orders, including burgers and fries, as well as crawfish and alligator tails and buffalo wings, all available every week, Monday through Saturday
• Plenty of propane and ice to meet a campers’ needs
• Homemade canned fruits, jellies, pickles, spaghetti sauce, veggies, ketchup and other delights, in addition to onsite offerings of one-ofa-kind pies and cakes
• Homemade ice cream in vanilla, strawberry and chocolate, but also in fun flavors like banana pudding and watermelon
Ah! Caught you looking, right?
Those are just a few delights awaiting customers at Shiloh Farmer’s Market in the Whynot community, a homemade business offering homemade and homegrown items to a willing hometown customer base.
Owned by the Randy Mars family, Shiloh Farmer’s Market started life as a roadside shop offering vegetables and foodstuffs. The business moved into Mars’ former mobile home factory building in 2022 and the rest, as they say, is history.
Shoppers now wade in and out of the front door like reeds in a creek, appreciative of the opportunity to relive the good old days when everyone knew how to cook, tend a garden, make household items, can veggies and provide services a big box store simply can’t.
Customers are what make this business work. They also make what’s offered a reality.
Take the latest news – diners can now enjoy $14.99 plate lunches on Wednesdays. The first offering in mid-March included hamburger steak, mashed potatoes, cabbage and peach cobbler. They sold out.
The second offering included fried or baked pork chops, purple hull peas, homemade mac and cheese, rice and gravy, regular or jalapeño cheese cornbread, tea and a slice of yellow cake with chocolate icing. It sold out, too.
Most Wednesdays they’ll probably sell out again and again. And again.
Let’s put it this way: Since that March soft opening of serving lunch plates, Shiloh Farmer’s Market meals have sold out every time.
“We even have people who call ahead to reserve themselves a plate because they can’t get here during lunch time,” said Kim Henson, the business manager who also cooks up the food. “So they call to reserve so we don’t run out before they can get here.”
The menu revolves around a few other favorites. Pot roast? Yes, please. Barbecue? I’ll take one of those. Hamburger steak? Yep. Henson said the last few Wednesdays they offered desserts such as apple crumble cobbler and chocolate cobbler. Homemade goodness for everyone, made by a hometown girl who also sells cakes, pies and other desserts baked right in her own kitchen.
“We’re always trying to come up with new ideas.
This Wednesday plate lunch idea may turn into a two-a-week situation, so make sure you offer your own suggestions on the Shiloh Farmer’s Market Facebook page. (And always call early to reserve your own plate.)
“We’re always trying to come up with new ideas,” Henson said. She herself also does a majority of all the cooking. “Customers come up with things for us to consider all the time. In fact, a customer suggested that hamburger steak and another the pork chops.”
If you are wanting to bring home some good staples to make your own suppers, Shiloh has that, too. A lot of that. Shiloh Farmer’s Market is all about local, and that includes offering local produce
and products in its store.
There’s honey locally sourced by a honey farmer. Seasonal plants grown by Rivers Nursery around these parts are ready to join you at your own home. There are many different vegetable vendors Shiloh buys from. A local artisan makes glasses, cups and tags sold at the market. Fresh eggs – and we know how expensive eggs are these days – come to Shiloh from local folks. And no, they won’t break the bank.
“We get our peas and squash from Mark Kidd of Pachuta,” said Randy Mars. “We get squash and okra from Stevie Smith in Causeyville, and okra and other vegetables from my brother Ricky Mars
ideas.” - Kim Henson
in Whynot. We get honey from Lyle Meadows and pecans from Monroeville. We have Amish soaps from Johnny Smith, as well as cane syrup. From Sarah Smith in Monroeville we get peas and butterbeans.”
Mars added that a Sunday plate is also now available. That meal includes two whole or two filet fish, french fries, homemade coleslaw, baked beans, homemade dessert such as peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream, hushpuppies and sweet or unsweet tea.
“We also now have catfish plates on Sundays,” he said. “We wanted to offer something for people leaving church and not wanting to go home and cook.”
Henson specializes in the baked goods, which can accommodate any taste, such as less sugar or additional ingredients.
“I started off here part time, baking and canning,” she said. “We do most of all the canning, but use regional providers as well. But almost all the baked goods are my own recipes.”
In addition to the kiwi jam, chunky chowchow and fresh produce offerings, Henson bakes the best stuff. (She is probably the one who canned that produce, too.) There’s peach crumble pie and lemon ice box pie, buttermilk and blueberry cream pie, strawberry chocolate marble cake with cream cheese icing, caramel cake and banana brownies.
Henson prides herself on her cooking, which she takes very seriously. “I learned from ‘old people,’” she said with a laugh. “They knew how to cook! So, I listened and learned. In fact, one simple thing I learned that has made all the difference is to cook your potatoes in chicken broth. Broth, not water. It’s so good!”
Though Shiloh Farmer’s Market is open year round, fresh produce is not always around, of course. But the market still has many offerings for any given day. The shop has frozen vegetables and seafood as well as canned items on its shelves. And if you don’t see exactly what you might need, talk to Mars or Henson about it. If Henson can’t make it, she probably knows someone who can.
That’s all part of being homegrown and working with hometown sensibilities: You know just about everybody’s business and then some. In a good way, of course.
Shiloh Farmer’s Market is located at 4018 Highway 19 S. Call them at 601-409-0369 or email ShilohFarmersMarket@gmail.com.
Community | Fudge Etc
From DivinitytoDecadence
By Angela H. Cutrer
Fudge is as old as the twisted turns of North Hills, but how it’s made – and enjoyed – have changed through the decades, maybe even the centuries.
At Fudge Etc. in those North Hills of Meridian, there is a new way to consume fudge: a tiny little bite at a time.
“People think you can only enjoy fudge by getting a huge slice of it, but there’s another way,” said Wallace Heggie, who opened his businesses with his wife, Janet. “All you need for our fudge is a tiny spoon for a tiny taste. That’s it. You will be satisfied the rest of the day. That’s how our fudge works –it’s a perfect, rich spoonful.”
The Heggies became co-owners of The Country Loft in Meridian back in 1984. They later became sole owners and started making and selling fudge in 1986. As well as offering the tasty treat at The Country Loft, they later did so at Serendipity in June 1987.
As told on the company’s website at www.fudgeloversfudge.com, Janet’s parents had a lot to do with this endeavor.
“My mother, Ms. Ruby, was known for her delicious Divinity, which she lovingly concocted from sugar, milk and butter,” said Janet. “She delighted in sharing this rich confec-
tion with family, friends, and neighbors until the age of 89.
“In 1985, as a gift from my late father Jack, my mother gifted Wallace and me the equipment needed to make larger quantities of candy, so we started our company Fudge Etc. At first, we offered only five flavors of fudge, but we soon began testing and perfecting additional flavors. Now we offer 30 plus flavors, all starting with those first essential ingredients: sugar, milk, and butter.”
Wallace added that “we handcraft our fudge onsite in our industrial kitchen located in our store in Meridian. …We continue to grow our small family business, testing new flavors and offering our candy through our online market; at numerous craft fairs, festivals, markets and shows; and in our brick-and-mortar location here in Meridian.
“Our daughter Jennifer has become an integral part of the process – making and packaging fudge, attending markets and festivals, and selecting products for our store.”
As noted, the company started off with five different fudge flavors, but now has 30, including several reduced-sugar flavors.
“Since I was a little girl, I have always helped in our stores and love working with customers, meeting new people, and engaging with others,” said the couple’s daughter, Jennifer,
who took over many of the business’ tasks. “My parents always said I’ve never met a stranger and will talk to anyone!”
Fudge Etc. ships all over the United States, as well as to other countries. The fudge has been featured at the Atlanta Gift Market’s temporary showrooms, and the group later co-owned and opened the Mississippi Pavilion in 1992, with Janet’s brother, in a permanent showroom.
“In 1995, we expanded the Mississippi Pavilion to Dallas Market Center and the Merchandise Mart, in Chicago. The Mississippi Pavilion showcased some of Mississippi’s finest artists, some who are still in business today.”
After selling Serendipity in 1991, the family had a commercial kitchen installed in their home and continued to sell fudge wholesale.
“In 2017, my parents decided to move the fudge out of our home and into what is now Fudge Etc. on Old Poplar Springs Drive,” Jennifer explained. “Before we opened, my mom said why don’t we open another gift shop, and the rest is history.
We have been at this location since 2017.”
The shop also features gifts and other creations from local artists and artisans. Customers can find handmade items from key chains to wall hangings.
Jennifer said the family loves Meridian and what all it has to offer. “My parents moved to Meridian and raised my brother and me here. Meridian is a small town and small businesses are what make Meridian what it is.
“One of the things we love doing is giving back to our community. We help several churches and schools with fundraisers and have had several different school groups and community clubs come by for a tour and watch us make fudge.
“In the future, we hope our business will continue to grow as we come up with new fudge flavors. We also hope to extend our hours, too! We have limited hours throughout the year and are open more during the holiday season”
The business is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and by appointment.
Wallace, Janet and Jennifer Heggie have been supplying locally made fudge to Meridian since 1986.
Baptist Anderson Bringing advanced care to East Mississippi Innovation | Healthcare Staff report
The roots of Baptist Anderson Regional Medical center run deep in this community, and 2024 saw a year of expanded growth and innovation with Baptist Memorial Health Care, strengthening our commitment to deliver award-winning, exceptional, patient-centered health care. Founded in 1928, Baptist Anderson is a comprehensive health care provider in East Mississippi and West Alabama with two hospitals, a regional cancer center and a network of clinics. Baptist Anderson provides the area’s only radiation oncology program, advanced surgical techniques, inpatient rehabilitation, inpatient pediatrics and cardiovascular services.
Award-winning Cardiac Care
For the sixth consecutive year, Baptist Anderson was honored with the prestigious American College of Cardiology NCDR Chest Pain-MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award. The award is a testament to Baptist Anderson’s unwavering dedication to providing a higher standard of care for heart patients.
Enhanced Patient Experience
Baptist Anderson made significant strides in improving patient accessibility and engagement with an updated patient portal. Through Baptist One Care and “My Chart,” this enhanced online
platform offers a more user-friendly experience, giving patients greater control over their health information, appointment scheduling capability and direct communication with providers.
Advancements in Newborn Care
Baptist Anderson operates the area’s leading newborn intensive care unit, which was recently designated as a level 3a NICU by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It is staffed by an experienced neonatologist and neonatal nurse practitioners who specialize in caring for babies who are premature or have complex health conditions. This skilled team provides high-level care to babies born as early as 26 weeks. Of the 800-plus babies born at Baptist Anderson each year, 20% require specialized care in the NICU.
In addition, Baptist Anderson has maintained its designation as a Baby-Friendly USA facility for seven years and continues to promote breastfeeding and rooming-in for moms and babies during the first few days after birth.
Expanded Primary Care Access
Recognizing the need for more primary care options, Baptist Anderson has increased appointment availability and now has nine primary care physicians available for new patients. This expansion enables more patients to receive care at a Baptist An-
derson location, reduces the time it takes to see a provider and ensures timely, comprehensive care for individuals who have chronic conditions, minor illnesses or injuries.
Top Surgeons and Specialists Meeting Community Needs
Baptist Medical Group- Medical Arts Surgical Group continues to be the area’s leader in providing skilled surgical care. Trained by experts in programs across the country, MASG surgeons specialize in robotic surgical techniques with exceptional outcomes for the breast, colon, hernia and thyroid, as well as general, weight loss and trauma surgery.
Baptist Cancer Center-Anderson has maintained its accreditation by the Commission on Cancer for more than 25 years and offers the same high-level radiation treatments used at the country’s most well-known cancer centers. Each year, more than 700 patients receive cancer treatment at Baptist Cancer Center-Anderson, which has a commitment to providing advanced care close to home.
Baptist Anderson Ear, Nose and Throat clinic opened in August 2024 and has grown rapidly in caring for both pediatric and adult patients. Baptist Anderson’s ENT surgeons address a wide range of ear, nose and throat conditions through in-office treatments and surgical procedures.
Baptist Anderson is proud to provide the area’s only endocrinologist who specializes in helping patients manage diabetes, one of the most prevalent conditions affecting thousands of Mississippians. He also diagnoses and treats hormonal imbalances, as well as osteoporosis.
Looking Ahead
In 2025, Baptist Anderson remains committed to excellence, innovation and compassionate care. One exciting advancement will be the implementation of AI technology to help detect lung
cancer. In addition, Baptist Anderson plans to expand its cardiac rehabilitation services to a more intensive program that infuses exercise and nutrition to promote better outcomes. The intensive cardiac rehab program will be housed in a larger, more convenient space with easier access for patients.
Baptist Anderson is grateful for its dedicated staff, its patients and the community it proudly serves and will continue to advance health care and make a difference — one patient at a time.
Baptist Anderson Key Services
• Cancer care
• Cardiac and vascular services
• Maternity and NICU care
• Orthopedics and surgery
• Pediatrics
• Emergency and trauma care
• Diagnostic imaging
• Sleep disorders center
• Outpatient rehabilitation
• Pain management
• Infusion therapy
• Urology
• Occupational health
• Respiratory therapy
• Weight loss surgery
• Dialysis
In Focus | Alcorn Alumni Gala
Meridian/Lauderdale County Alcorn Alumni Chapter Purple & Gold Gala “Commemorating 50 years of service while embracing the future”
The Meridian/Lauderdale County Chapter was formed in 1975 and has since provided thousands of scholarships to local students looking to attend Alcorn State University. This year’s gala commemorated the 50 year mark for the chapter, as well as awarding the annual scholarship.
Come See What Mississippi Started
Rock ‘n’ roll, country, blues, the Muppets, A Streetcar Named Desire , the voice of Darth Vader — those iconic contributions to American culture and MANY more sprouted in Mississippi. Trace their roots at the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience, known locally as The MAX, in the historic heart of Meridian. Explore Mississippi’s rich culture through interactive exhibits in a museum like no other.
CHECK OUT OUR UPCOMING EVENTS
A Legacy of Care, A Tradition of Trust.
Joe Tew General Manager Katelyn Tomberline Funeral Director Embalmer
Stella McMahan Funeral Director Embalmer
Amanda Carney Funeral Director Embalmer
Billy Hawn Family Service Manager Greg Mangum Family Service Counselor
Kelli Shepperd Funeral Apprentice Lori Joyner Family Service Counselor
Laura Grice Family Service Consultant
Lance Copeland Cemetary Superintendent
Liz Hicks Office Administrator
Tyler Harrell Office Administrator
Nance Hembree Funeral Assistant Philip Creighton Building & Grounds Maintenance/ Funeral Assistant
Tricia Hill Funeral Assistant Chuck Overby Funeral Assistant Jimmy Hoffer Funeral Assistant Pete Magee Funeral Assistant
Benny Harrison Funeral Assistant
Jackie Moore Funeral Assistant
Josh Beckman Funeral Assistant
Tyler Shows Funeral Assistant
