NATCHEZ
PUBLISHER
Stacy Graning
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Justin Clarkston
COMMUNITY EDITOR
Jan Griffey
CONTRIBUTORS
Stacy Graning
Jan Griffey
Ben Hillyer
Mary Alice Higgs
Sabrina Robertson
CONTACT INFORMATION
Natchez the Magazine P.O. Box 1447
Natchez, MS 39121 info@natchezthemagazine.com
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601-445-3623
SUBSCRIPTIONS & CHANGE OF ADDRESS
601-442-9101
Natchez the Magazine is published six times a year by Natchez Newspapers Inc.
A one-year subscription to Natchez the Magazine is $18. Single copies are available at select locations throughout the Natchez area. www.natchezthemagazine.com
Copyright 2025 by Natchez Newspapers, Inc.
SSpring in Natchez is just downright colorful.
From the bright blue skies over the Mississippi River to the azaleas spilling their masses of blooms in every shade of pink (and some white) imaginable, color seems to be everywhere we look.
It’s as if we’ve opened our eyes after a long winter’s rest and are experiencing again the beauty of nature and our hometown. What a wonderful experience each year.
And we’re celebrating with a nod to spring in this edition of Natchez Magazine. Inside these pages you’ll meet the LeMays, a couple whose passion brought renewal to the beauty that is Oakland Plantation through their extensive collection of antiques and décor. Their vision and efforts have returned opulence and beauty to Oakland.
Passion is also evident in Charlotte Book, the young Natchez woman who is representing her hometown as Miss Hospitality. You may have seen her around town and at various events as she prepares for the state competition, and you can learn more about her inside this edition.
And while we’re on the theme of passion, wait to you see what a Ferriday, Louisiana-based artist is creating. Grantham Molnar, who moved to the MissLou nearly a decade ago, has brought the history of Ferriday – from Jerry Lee Lewis to Haney’s Big House – alive in vibrant murals that are worth the drive just to see them. He’s an emerging talent and his murals have awed and impressed those who see them.
Finally, Mary Alice Higgs shares her first-person experiences from a deeply personal marathon march completed in memory of the men who suffered the infamous Bataan Death March. It’s a fascinating event that gives us all the opportunity to pause and consider the bravery and tenacity of so many of our forefathers.
So grab a glass of something to drink and head to your porch to enjoy this weather and this edition of Natchez Magazine.
Good Season A Berry
Spring and early summer bring the brightest of fresh treats to the gardens as berries abound.
From strawberries in April and May to blueberries and blackberries in the weeks the follow, simple recipes help showcase all the season has to offer.
SPRING
SALAD WITH BERRIES AND BACON (From Southern Living) INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. finely chopped shallot (from 1 shallot)
1 1/2 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
3 cups sliced strawberries (from 1 lb. fresh strawberries), divided 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 cups baby spring mix (from 2 [5-oz.] pkg.)
1 (4-oz.) feta cheese block, crumbled
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes,
halved
8 bacon slices, cooked and coarsely chopped
DIRECTIONS
Place red wine vinegar, finely chopped shallot, honey, Dijon mustard, 1 cup of the strawberries, and 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt in a blender. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds. With blender running, gradually drizzle in oil, processing until mixture is smooth and combined, about 30 seconds.
Arrange spring mix on a large platter. Top with feta, sliced shallot, tomatoes, bacon, and remaining 2 cups strawberries and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad, and serve immediately.
BLUEBERRY CRUMB CAKE
(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)
INGREDIENTS
Topping:
5 tablespoons (40 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup, 2 ounces or 55 grams) unsalted butter, cold is fine
Pinch of salt
Cake:
2 cups minus 1 tablespoon (i.e. 1 3/4 cups + 3 tablespoons or 240 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup, 2 ounces or 55 grams) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pint (2 to 2 2/3 cups, 12 to 16 ounces, or 340 to 455 grams; see Note) fresh blueberries, clean and dry
1/2 cup milk, whole is ideal, any kind should work
1/2 cup (55 grams) walnuts, chopped medium fine (optional)
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9-inch round baking pan (with at least 2” sides) and dust it lightly with flour; line it with a round of parchment paper.
Prepare the topping by mixing the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt, then cutting the butter in with a pastry blender, fork or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until combined. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and zest together until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Beat in 1/3 of the dry ingredient mixture until just combined, followed by 1/2 the milk; repeat with remaining dry ingredients and milk, finishing with the dry mixture. The batter will be very stiff, but don’t fret. Fold blueberries into cake batter until evenly distributed.
Scoop cake batter into prepared pan and smooth so that it is flat. If using walnuts, scatter them on top. Sprinkle with prepared streusel. Bake in heated oven for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out batter-free. You can let the cake cool complete in the pan on a rack, or just cool it in the pan for 20 minutes before flipping it out onto a cooling rack, removing the parchment paper lining, and flipping it back onto a plate. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if using.
Do ahead: Cake keeps covered with plastic or foil at room temperature for three days. If longer, it might be best to keep it in the fridge. It gets more moist each day
CHEESECAKE BARS WITH ALL THE BERRIES
(From Smitten Kitchen, adapted from Gourmet Magazine)
INGREDIENTS
Crust
2 cups (220 grams) graham or digestive cracker crumbs
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
6 tablespoons (85 grams) salted or unsalted butter, melted, browned if you wish
A pinch or two of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
Cheesecake
1 1/2 pounds (3 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
Topping
2 cups (455 grams) sour cream
2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla
3 to 4 cups mixed berries, dry
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line bottom and sides of an 9×13-inch rectangular baking pan with 2 sheets of foil (crisscrossed), leaving a 2-inch over-
STRAWBERRY SNACKING CAKE
(Adapted from Martha Stewart)
INGREDIENTS
11/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
11/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pan
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk (low-fat is fine)
About 3/4 pound strawberries, hulled and halved
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a 9-inch deep dish pie pan (or 9-inch round cake pan).
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and
hang on all sides.
Make crust: Combine crumbs, sugar, butter, salt and vanilla in a bowl with a fork until evenly mixed. Press firmly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
Make cheesecake: While crust is baking, beat cream cheese until fluffy with sugar, then beat in eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly mixed, scraping down the sides and bottom of your bowl between each addition. Beat in vanilla. Pour over prepared crust (still hot is fine) and bake for 25 minutes, until puffed but still jiggly like Jell-O when shimmied. Let cool on rack for 5 minutes, and while it does…
Make topping: Whisk together sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Drop spoonfuls of topping all over bars and spread gently in one thin layer. Bake bars with topping for 10 minutes.
Set pan on a cooling rack and let cool; refrigerate at least 2 hours or ideally overnight.
To serve: Use foil sling to carefully lift bars out of pan and transfer them to a cutting board. If you can, carefully slide them off their foil — this should be doable, but I did manage to crack my whole slab of bars while doing so, so proceed at your own risk. Scatter berries all over cake. Cut gently into 2×2-ishinch squares with a serrated knife. Keep leftovers in fridge. Repeat again next weekend.
1 cup of the sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, and beat on low speed until smooth. (Note: the batter will be thick.)
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula. Arrange the strawberries on top, cut side down, so that they completely cover the batter (the recipe calls for approximately 3/4 pound of strawberries; use more or less if necessary). Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the strawberries. Bake for ten minutes, then reduce the heat to 325°F and bake until the cake is lightly golden and a tester comes out clean, about an hour. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack. Serve with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Cake can be stored at room temperature for several days, loosely covered.
Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, cover it tightly with aluminum foil or freezer wrap. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
This strapless dress by Here Comes the Sun pairs perfect with gold wedge sandals and Dress, $68; shoes, $99; earrings, $25 all at Soiree Boutique.
SOUL-SOOTHING
This soothing canvas adds color to any décor.
$48 Darby’s
Spring
BEADED BEAUTY.
This colorful beaded necklace by Marli Vaughan is perfect for all your spring and summer outfits.
$42.99 at Rise N Shine.
Spring has sprung and we couldn’t be happier. From sweet florals to fresh décor, our thoughts are turning to new beginnings and the celebration of our favorite season.
NATURE’S BEST GIFT
What’s better than a bright pink geranium for bringing color to a porch or a tabletop?
$21 at Gamberi’s Feed & Farm Supply.
SOMETHING TO HUM ABOUT
This stunning hummingbird pillow is a treat for inside or out. $46 at Silver Street
from RRuss nails the look with a puff-sleeve dress trimmed in velvet, woven sandals adorned with pearls and pearl drop earrings.. Dress, $68; Necklace, $58; Shoes, $56; Earrings, $45 at RRuss and Co.
COLORFUL GETAWAYS
This fanciful tote makes the perfect weekend bag. One of a Kind, $94.
BLUE AND WHITE BEAUTY
This blue and white vase is timeless in design. $65 at Shops at Kress.
bash A beautiful
Anyone who finds joy in setting a table found plenty of inspiration at the Beautiful Table Settings Bash in Vicksburg.
This annual event draws hundreds of participants for a weekend of speakers, workshops and vendor events, highlight everything from florals to china to antiques, linens and more.
John Grady Burns, designer and owner of Nest in Natchez, was on hand for the event, saying it was an excellent opportunity for inspiration and fellowship among others who love and appreciate the art of setting a table.
“It was really wonderful,” Burns said.
The event featured May Eason, founder of Beautiful
Table Settings, a Facebook group wth thousands of members who share a passion, well, beautiful tables.
The weekend included session on setting seasonal tablescapes; renewing, refreshing and reviving silver with a representative of Replacements, LTD; new trends in tablescaping; and how to store and grow a table collection.
Additional programs dove deep into niche areas, including 52 ways to style a vase and how to identify early American pattern glass.
“The event also included antiques appraisals and vendor shopping,” Burns said.
The gathering grew from the Facebook group and has been held twice in Vicksburg.
STORY BY STACY GRANING PHOTOS BY JOHN GRADY BURNS
What to read next?
These new adult fiction mysteries and thrillers are page-turners. These titles were recommended by Evangeline Cessna, librarian in Warren County.
DEATH OF A SMUGGLER
Hamish Macbeth
The latest Hamish Macbeth title from M.C. Beaton is titled “Death of a Smuggler.”
It seems that Hamish will never get the quiet life and peaceful home he desires. When his newly assigned constable arrives, he presents Hamish with a surprise and a secret. Getting to the bottom of this secret gets put on the back burner, however, when a menacing man disappears under mysterious circumstances. On top of that, a woman is found murdered, and Hamish finds that she and the missing man are linked. He is also surprised to learn that the despicable Detective Chief Inspector Blair has been assigned to the murder case under curious circumstances. The growing list of suspects, increasingly bewildering circumstances, and his sworn enemy Blair hindering the investigation have Hamish eager to find the murderer before anyone else falls victim.
THE MEDICI RETURN
Cotton Malone
The latest Cotton Malone novel by Steve Berry is called “The Medici Return.”
Cotton
Malone is on the hunt for a forgotten 16th century Pledge of Christ—a sworn promise made by Pope Julius II. This Pledge is evidence of a monetary debt owed by the Vatican that is still active and worth trillions of dollars. Collecting the debt, however, centers around what happened to the famous Medici of Florence—a family whose line died without heirs centuries ago. Cotton’s search also has connections to who will be the next prime minister of Italy, and who will be the next pope. Cotton is stalled in finding answers until he realizes that everything depends on when, and if, the Medici return.
BURIED SECRETS
Christopher Farnsworth
Christopher Farnsworth continues Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone series with “Buried Secrets.”
Police Chief Jesse Stone must find out who killed a man who was found lying on top of two million dollars in cash with photos of murder victims strewn about before a mob of hit men descend on Paradise.
Jesse finds the elderly resident dead while conducting a welfare check inside a home packed with junk and trash. Jesse follows the trail to an aging mobster who will do whatever it takes to keep the past from coming to light. It doesn’t take long for Jesse to have a price on his head and hit men converging on the wealthy seaside town of Paradise. The real danger, however, may be coming from inside his own department.
BATTLE MOUNTAIN
C.J. Box
In “Battle Mountain” by C.J. Box, outlaw falconer Nate Romanowski is off the grid and out for revenge. Axel Soledad and Dallas Crates wreaked havoc on both Joe Pickett and Nate Romanowski, especially Nate who lost almost everything. Nate wonders if living a civilized life left him vulnerable to attack, so he drops off grid with his falcons to prepare his vengeance. Meanwhile, the governor has asked Joe to help find his son-in-law who has gone missing in the Sierra Madre mountains and Joe asks rookie game warden Susan Kany to assist him in the search. The nearly cold trail they are following leads to Warm Springs, but little do Joe and Susan know that their paths are about to converge with Nate and his fellow falconer Geronimo Jones at Battle Mountain. Will Nate get his vengeance, or will Joe be able to talk his friend down?
PARANOIA
James Patterson
James Perennial best seller James Patterson’s latest novel featuring NYPD detective Michael Bennett is titled “Paranoia.” Michael Bennett has seen an increase in the number of his fellow officers who have died in the line of duty. When NYPD Inspector Celeste Cantor tells Michael to investigate these latest deaths, she also tells him to report only to her. Celeste thinks that she may be the next target for the deranged killer. Little does Michael know that this investigation is going to put everyone he loves in danger. The investigation takes him to Florida where he finds that, not only is Cantor’s team targeted, but that the killer seems to be a hitman for hire who’s only looking for his next pile of cash. Michael decides to elicit the aid of new NYPD hire, Rob Trilling—a former military officer with skills and energy that Michael hasn’t seen in a while. Michael and Rob will need to combine their knowledge and skill to find this hitman before more cops—and Michael—wind up dead.
HOME AND GARDEN
The sunroom features a Renaissance revival cabinet, probably by Pottier & Stymus in the last quarter of 19th century, and a Painting of His Imperial Majesty Tsar Alexander III, below the staircase is a painting of Russian Field Marshal Suvorov from the period of Tsar Nicholas I.
passion A couple’s
Lemays restore historic Oakland and fill it with a lifetime’s collection of antiques
STORY BY JAN GRIFFEY
PHOTOS BY SABRINA ROBERTSON
NATCHEZ — Although Dr. Brad Lemay grew up in North Little Rock, Arkansas, his roots run deep in nearby Louisiana. His family at one time had a home in St. Francisville, Louisiana, but left in 1873, after not being able
HOME AND GARDEN
to continue to plant there, he said.
“Our house in St. Francisville was gone, so we came to Natchez. I have been coming to Natchez since I was a child, and Dorie was born here,” Lemay said, referring to his wife, Dorie Lemay.
“I just love Natchez. It’s my passion, you might say,” he said.
Having previously renovated several properties in Natchez, the Lemays were in the market to purchase a historic house in 2021.
“We narrowed it down to two — Oakland and Gloucester. I asked Dorie which she wanted, and she chose Oakland,” he said.
Lemay purchased Oakland, located off Liberty Road near Seargent S. Prentiss, and presented it to his wife as a gift.
Mrs. Lemay then oversaw a three-year restoration of the home.
“We took the thing all the way down to the joists,” Lemay said. “It may have looked like it was OK on the surface. It was not … It had all low-voltage wiring like houses had in the 1950s and ’60s. Rotten wood. The porches had to be rebuilt. Everything.”
The renovation and restoration were completed in 2024.
ABOVE: This downstairs Blue Bedroom features a mahogany full tester bed. All house draperies and bedding were done by Les Wisinger of Natchez. BELOW: An unusual clock called “the astronomy lesson” by Claude Galle, Empire period around 1810, representing two young women seated in Etruscan gondolas and studying a map placed on a draped table on which rests an armillary sphere. RIGHT: A portrait of Brad Lemay and his wife Dorie.
RIGHT: Giltwood Russian empire parlor set covered in green Scalamandre silk.
HISTORY
Oakland was built on 22.5 acres of land in Natchez. That land was purchased by Henry Choptard and given as a wedding gift to his daughter, Katherine and her husband, Horatio Sprague Eustis in 1838, Brad Lemay said. Katherine was the granddaughter of the last Spanish governor Stephen Minor, who lived at the nearby Concord estate.
Choptard was Aide de camp to General Andrew Jackson during the Battle of New Orleans and was owner of the neighboring Somerset Plantation.
Eustis built Oakland for his new wife in 1840. Described as a Greek revival urban villa, the main house and two outbuildings formed a “U” shape. Oakland is only one of which survives.
The house was sold to John Minor (Katherine’s first cousin and grandson of Stephen Minor) after Eustis’s death in 1858. John’s wife was Katherine Surget, whose family was one of the wealthiest planters in the Natchez region.
Minor was opposed to succession during the Civil War and during the occupation of Natchez, Oakland was used as a residence and de facto officers’ club for Union troopers between 1863 and 1864.
The home remained in the Minor family until it was sold to Al Graning Sr. in 1949. It was then sold to Lawrence and Kate Don Adams in 1960.
The home remained with the Adams until Lemay purchased it in 2021.
TOP: The dining room features a Rosewood Empire dining table by John Burt (Boston circa 1820 – 1830). ABOVE: The textured wallpaper in this bedroom and throughout the house is by the English manufacturer Cole & Sons, who holds a royal warrant to the English court and have supplied wall coverings for Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.
HOME AND GARDEN
RIGHT: The entry hall features a mahogany Grecian sofa with black horsehair fabric (New York 1820 – 1825), a pair of large Russian neoclassical gilt and patinated bronze candelabras on marble pedestals, a large overmantel gilt wood mirror original to the house and a large Russian painting of a military parade in the courtyard of the Winter Palace (Hermitage museum) from the period of Tsar Alexander II. Either side of the painting is a pair of 18th century English “Chinese Chippendale” gilt wood mirrors. The chandelier is a superb bronze and gilt casting from the reign of French king Charles X.
FURNISHINGS
As much as they love old homes, the Lemays love collecting antique furniture.
The stunning collection of furniture and decorative arts in the house are all from the Lemays’ personal collection of French, Russian and American neoclassical pieces.
“Dorie and I have collected two homes filled with antiques and have two storage buildings full,” he said. “We need a third house to put our furniture in,” he said. “We have lots of French furniture.”
Oakland is the fourth renovation project the Lemays have undertaken. They renovated the town house on Franklin Street located next to The Guest House, as well as The Dixon Building on Main Street, both of which they have sold. They also renovated Arrighi, located at the corner of Oakland and South Rankin. They split their time between Arrighi and Oakland.
The couple credited many artists and craftsmen for their work including:
• Draperies and bedding by Les Wisinger of Natchez.
• Carpentry and millwork by Dwane and Charlie Hawkins of Natchez.
• Ornate plaster work by Tommy Lachine of New Orleans.
• Painting and general plaster repair by Don and Dale Butler of Natchez.
• Flowers by John Grady Burns of Natchez.
• Stonework by Reeve Gibson’s Rock Shop Natchez.
• Plumbing by James Schuchs of Natchez.
• Yard grooming and landscaping by David Escamilla of Natchez.
• Furniture restoration by Steve Huber and Dai Vu of Natchez.
ABOVE RIGHT: A front view of Oakland, seated on 22.5 acres at 9 Oakhurst Drive in Natchez, circa 1840. It’s described as a Greek revival urban villa with a Main House and two outbuildings forming a “U” shape, only one of which survives.
ABOVE: Amid the antique-style home is a semi-modern-style lavender bathroom, color selected by Dorie Lemay.
What is it like being Natchez’s Miss Hospitality?
“It doesn’t really have anything to do with beauty. It’s more about brains,” said 2025 Miss Natchez Hospitality Charlotte Book.
The Miss Hospitality pageant is sponsored by Pretty Girls with Brains, a non-profit aimed at empowering young women and helping them reach their full potential.
The group has hosted the Miss Hospitality Pageant since 2019. Though this year there was not a pageant per se, PGWB chose to crown Book, a Cathedral senior, from among a number of candidates for Miss Hospitality for displaying what it takes to be a true Natchez ambassador.
Book is the daughter of Kelly Graning Gray and Shane Gray of Natchez and David and Jessie Book of Madisonville, Louisiana.
“I’m so honored to be named this year’s Miss Hospitality and I want to thank Pretty Girls with Brains for sponsoring me and for this award,” Book said as she received the crown on Feb. 8. “I’m so excited for the journey ahead.”
In July, Book will represent Natchez at the Miss Hospitality state competition in Hattiesburg. Until then, she is actively involved in many community activities, including the ribbon cutting for the Bridges Hotel and participating in PGWB Legacy Gala in February.
Book plans to attend the University of Mississippi in the fall and prepare for nursing school with the goal of becoming a nurse
like her mother, Kelly
FEATURE
Graning Gray. In particular, Book said she is interested in pediatrics.
NTM: What are your hobbies?
BOOK: I like babysitting, I love being around kids, and in the summer time I like helping my grandma with swim lessons. I really like being outside — anything to do outside. I used to be really into gardening. I don’t really have time for it anymore, but I love it. I also do ballet and have done that since I was three years old.
NTM: Why are you interested in a nursing career?
BOOK: I’ve been around it my whole life with my mom and other family members. Especially with pediatrics. We had a career day a while back and I talked to a lady that works with babies and I fell in love with it. So that’s what I plan to do.
NTM: What else should people know about you?
BOOK: I’m very goaloriented. So, when I set a goal, I’m very determined to get to that point no matter what life throws at me.
NTM: What does it mean to be Miss Hospitality?
BOOK: A few girls have been picked to represent Mississippi in the statewide pageant and represent tourism and be an economic ambassador. My specific role for Natchez is just to be welcoming to the community,
“I’m so honored to be named this year’s Miss Hospitality and I want to thank Pretty Girls with Brains for sponsoring me and for this award. I’m so excited for the journey ahead.”
help tourists and support businesses.
NTM: What do you have on your agenda as Miss Hospitality?
BOOK: We’re still making a calendar, but I’ll just be showing up and supporting small businesses, shouting them out and I’ll be doing a lot of ribbon cuttings with the mayor. It doesn’t really have anything to do with beauty. It’s more about brains and what you know about your town and Mississippi as a whole. It’s a lot of interviews and public speaking.
NTM: What are you excited or nervous about in particular about being Miss Hospitality?
BOOK: I’m really nervous about public speaking but I’m really excited to meet all the girls and make new friends and about this opportunity in general.
NTM: What is it you love most about Natchez?
BOOK: I love the southern hospitality, how everybody’s welcoming to each other. It’s beautiful here. I’ve lived in Monroe for a few years and Natchez is the only place that’s ever felt like home to me. I think that people should check out all of the antebellum homes. They’re so beautiful and there’s so much history to them. I love walking the Trace, enjoying the scenery and visiting the stands that
tell you about Natchez.
NTM: What church or volunteer organizations are you part of?
BOOK: I attend St. Mary Basilica … and any time that there’s a hurricane or the animal shelter is in need I am always there to donate and to help.
NTM: How does it feel to be Natchez’s Miss Hospitality?
BOOK: I’m overwhelmed with joy and excitement. I’m so thankful for my friends and family who have supported me and the Pretty Girls with Brains organization that is going to help me reach the next step in the state pageant.
A Writer’s
Journey
LHow ‘The Majestic Leo Marble’ came to be STORY & PHOTOS BY SABRINA ROBERTSON
eo Marble is Robert Kuehnle — almost.
Under his pen name R.J. Lee, Kuehnle has just released his next novel, “The Majestic Leo Marble,” — a story about Leo in the fictional town of Beau Pre, which everyone knows by Kuehnle’s previous work is really Natchez. Leo would face many of the same
coming out struggles that Kuehnle faced, and some that he didn’t face but many real people have.
“I wrote it, so I can do whatever I want,” noted Kuehnle when he discussed the novel at a Y’all Means All Natchez book signing event at The Big Muddy Inn on April 12.
Y’all Means All Natchez is a non-
profit organization to help mental health causes and suicide prevention after a young gay man in Natchez took his own life.
While his experience is not exactly the same as Kuehnle’s, Leo’s experience is one that relates to many people who can identify with him. “Because that is what a good writer does,” Kuehnle said.
Speaking of good writers, at the book signing event, Kuehnle named winners from the top five finalists of the inaugural Literary Natchez Writers event. In first place is Forrest “Al” Johnson, second place Virginia de la Vergne, third place Michael Gray, and the two other finalists are Kerry Rose Dicks and Mary Alice Higgs.
Each received a free, signed copy of the book and a certificate. Others in attendance could purchase the book and get it signed for $20, with event proceeds benefitting Y’all Means All Natchez.
More copies are available at Silver Street Gallery & Gifts.
The Majestic Leo Marble describes Kuehnle’s childhood and coming-out journey, which he finally did at the ripe age of 26. But Kuehnle said he knew from a young age that he was attracted to the same sex. His parents would tell him that it was just a phase he would grow out of, but Kuehnle knew that wasn’t true. Later in life, he dated girls, but only the ones who were not so quick to “put out” and wouldn’t try to be physical, he said. He enjoyed their company and shared a friendly connection with them.
LEFT: Robert Kuehnle, pen name R.J. Lee, tells book signing his attendees about The Majestic Leo Marble, a semiautobiographical story about Kuehnle’s coming out experience.
As a young adult, he watched society’s acknowledgement of people like him, writing “sexual orientation” into anti-discrimination laws. Then Kuehnle spoke about how some would reverse those laws like Anita Bryant, a singer and activist against gay rights. She also was the brand ambassador for the Florida Citrus Commission.
This led many gay activist groups to boycott Florida oranges. Some chose to buy only California oranges or imported oranges instead. Kuehnle said that though he liked orange juice, he stopped drinking it altogether and took vitamin C supplements instead.
Part of Bryant’s reason for opposing gay rights was she didn’t want gay teachers “molesting and corrupting” school children, Kuehnle said. “Anyone who has ever been a teacher knows that there is a clear boundary that should never be crossed with students.” But for some reason, being gay is the equivalent of being a pedophile in the eyes of some — one of the many reasons Kuehnle kept quiet about his gayness for so long, he said. “I thought, is that really how people see me?”
Kuehnle did a first reading aloud an excerpt from the novel — a romanticized version of how he met his
now husband. The pair of them connected through a mutual love for music and spent a lovely evening together singing duets.
“It didn’t happen like that,” Kuehnle said, but there are many true parts of the story.
For example, Kuehnle has always had an affinity for music, he said. Kuehnle and Leo starred in many plays, including his leading role as Billy Bigelow in Carousel. His mother always told him the first time she’d felt him kicking in her womb was to the music of a Broadway show. This became the beginning of Kuehnle’s book.
From left are writing contest finalists Forrest “Al” Johnson, Michael Gray, Virginia de la Vergne, Kerry Rose Dicks and Mary Alice Higgs. Seated is author Robert Kuehnle of Natchez.
ART
Inspired Artist’s imagination flows with museum murals
STORY BY SABRINA ROBERTSON
PHOTOS BY SABRINA ROBERTSON AND SUBMITTED
Everyone who enters the Delta Music Museum Arcade Theater is greeted by a mural that depicts a timeless scene of downtown Ferriday. Each person entering the lobby let out either a “wow” or an “oh my” as they are welcomed by a massive wall of color, said Museum Director Shaun Davis.
The mural remarkably transcends both the time of day and the decade, with warm brown streets,
sidewalks and buildings that could be dirt or concrete against a deep blue sky in what could be either day or night.
The artist, Grantham Molnar, moved from just outside of Shreveport to Ferriday, Louisiana, in 2015 and considers Ferriday home.
“I’ve been painting since I was just a young squirt. My first memory is about artwork, watching my cousin draw a wolverine,” Molnar said. “I remember sitting there looking at him. He was sitting at a drafting table and had all his little pencils in these little slots and everything looked so magnificent. He glanced down at me, and I was like, on the ground. It was like something left out of his eye and
descended slowly into me and it was like I woke up. This is why I’m here.”
Davis happened to meet Molnar while he was painting the downtown Ferriday cityscape on canvas in January 2024.
“I saw him painting outside my window with his easel all set up and I said I had to see what this guy was up to,” Davis said. “I said ‘How are you getting all that color from this little drab downtown?’ He said ‘You don’t see all the purple in the streets?’”
Molnar added, “Purple is like an underlying color. There’s purple in everything.”
It just happens that Davis was looking for another set of hands to help out around the museum with mowing the grass and
things of that nature and Molnar was ready to work.
Molnar wears many caps as a landscaper, a sculptor and a bartender, “but my beret is the one I like to wear the most,” he said. Since that chance meeting, Molnar has painted the flower pots outside of the museum and arcade theater, the giant mural in the lobby of the theater, and four large-scale paintings on the sound panels inside the theater. He also painted the walls inside the theater with yellow striping and a textured gray color. Before that, there was no color, he said. “You couldn’t spend too much time in here or you’d get depressed it was so dull,” he said. He finished the projects around
Thanksgiving 2024.
“I miss painting them. I wish I would’ve taken more time doing it,” he said.
The mural inside the theater lobby is his largest painting yet and now everything else seems “too confining,” he said.
Just as fascinating as Molnar’s massive paintings is the technique he used to paint them, Davis said. Feeling too restricted by a scaffold, Molnar built an elaborate ladder with a palette stand that extends into the air and used brushes zip-tied to the end of a broomstick to extend his reach. The palette, Molnar explained, was actually a music stand on wheels that he found in storage that could be raised and lowered to his desired reach.
Molnar said he usually doesn’t like to name his paintings. However, Davis insisted on small information panels by each painting describing their content and how they relate to the musical history in Ferriday. The first painting, located to the right as one enters the theater, represents the earliest part of that musical history.
Molnar said his past work has been inspired by people, places and things he sees, “nothing really invented, not like this painting here that came out of my noggin skull.”
It depicts a man tucked into the shadows of his front porch after work on a hot summer day, his female counterpart looking out at him through the screen door.
“We think he must be miserable; it’s so hot, and now we have air conditioning, but he didn’t know any different,” he said. “He takes his last little bit of tobacco, puts it in his pipe and then pulls the fiddle out and starts plucking a tune.”
Then there’s the historic club, Haney’s Big House, a juke joint frequented by notable black singers like BB King.
What few pictures exist of William Haney are incorporated into one big painting, with Haney sitting in one corner as a bar bouncer, behind the counter of Haney’s when it was a diner, and Haney’s
WWI photo on a wall to the right of the painting.
“Though he was only like five foot four inches tall, he had a larger-than-life kind of personality,” Molnar said of Haney. “He drove a pink Cadillac. He was something else.”
Every detail holds meaning, including the colors in the floor of the painting — made to look like flames because Haney’s burned in a fire. A dark spot in the center of the floor is intentional as well, as if the viewers’ own shadow were there.
“It’s almost like we’re opening the door into their world,” Molnar said. “(It’s) just a glimpse into their world forever immortalized in a painting.”
The legendary joint probably inspired the famous cousins of Ferriday, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart and Mickey Gilley. In Molnar’s recreation of a photograph of Lewis tickling the ivory keys, he imagines Swaggart gazing down from the pearly gates, as one might expect a preacher to gaze down at his congregation from the pulpit of a church. Lewis looks up to those same gates as though he’s still pondering which direction he’s headed. Behind him, great balls of fire represent Lewis’s
iconic song.
Then there’s “D-Man’s Dream,” a dreamlike portrait of a former Ferriday High School band director, the late Carl “D-Man” Russell Dangerfield. The horn players descend from a football field in the background to a field of flowers in the foreground.
In the painting, Dangerfield has sprouted wings and has a single flame above his head, “because he’s inspired,”
Molnar said.
Dangerfield was a Grambling State University alumnus. After the painting was finished, a sorority group met inside the theater. Dangerfield’s widow and Nikole Roebuck, the first woman to lead as Director of Bands at Grambling State, were there.
Molnar said he got to see his painting come to life in their eyes.
“Woah, was that powerful when they
saw it,” Davis said.
Molnar and Davis have more plans for the Delta Music Museum, including a wire sculpture garden in the courtyard and photographs of Ferriday moments in history blown up to a large scale on the walls in the lobby. Two photographs by Brett Powell, one of Downtown Ferriday and another of the Arcade theater, are there now, along with quotes about Ferriday.
A March to
Remember
A tribute to the soldiers who lived through Bataan
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARY ALICE HIGGS
Bataan (pronounced either “buhtawn” or “buh-tan”) is a peninsula in the Philippines, and during World War II, General Douglas MacArthur, his U.S. Army division, and 10 divisions of the Philippine army, comprised of approximately 78,000 soldiers (12,000 US and 66,000 Philippine) held this land, trying to defend it from the invading Japanese forces.
Unfortunately, in March of 1942, MacArthur was ordered to escape capture by relocating to Australia, saying, “I shall return,” but his escape left thousands of American and Philippine soldiers overwhelmed and forced to surrender and to endure the merciless torture and horrific killings at the hands of the Japanese army. These battle-worn men were forced to
march through jungle heat and humidity, trudging no less than 65 miles during a nine-day period to Camp O’Donnell, a prisoner of war camp where some of the men remained. Others were jammed into boxcars that acted like ovens heating up from the sun’s blazing rays before being transported to other POW camps like Cabanatuan.
During the march, the men faced things like starvation, exhaustion, dehydration, diseases such as malaria and dysentery, and bloody, blistered feet. Soldiers unable to continue walking were beaten or killed – sometimes shot or at other times bayoneted or beheaded. More than 30% of these soldiers died in a foreign land. Despite MacArthur’s pledge of returning, these men were all but forgotten.
From April 10, 1942, until January 1945 the endured three long, brutal years of “No mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam. No aunts, no uncles, no nephews, no nieces. No pills, no planes, no artillery pieces and nobody gives a damn.”
For many years, “The Death March of Bataan, a story of woe and of soldiers suffering, in the sun’s harsh glow” was forgotten. But the people of New Mexico did not forget those soldiers, because many of those battling men came largely from units of The Land of Enchantment’s National Guard. And in 1989 in Las Cruces, New Mexico, on the White Sands Missile Range, a memorial march was initiated as a way for people to honor these brave soldiers: people could choose to march either a 14.2 mile or a 26.2 mile
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(full marathon) course on terrain that is challenging with steep hills and desert terrain (about 25 of the 26 miles being in sand).
When my oldest son Zeb was a senior in high school, he did a research paper on the Bataan Death March and came across information about this memorial event where people could walk or run. He and I agreed that could be something we could do together one day to show our honor to the military members in our family. At the time, Zeb was getting ready to join the Marines.
Well, years strolled on, and the march became a distant memory on our bucket list of things to do, that is until summer of 2024 when I was in north Louisiana researching some material pertaining to the disappearance or death of one of my childhood friends. I wanted to write a book so she wouldn’t be forgotten and to honor her youth and innocence. Officials at The Union Parish Courthouse directed us to speak to a couple who had lived in the area most all of their lives: Jerry and Annette Daniels. After speaking with this kind couple and explaining my mission, Annette announced, “My cousin wrote a book; would you like a copy?” I said sure, totally unaware of what the book was about. Annette brought out Telling His Story: POW #1000 (The Bataan Death March and Japanese POW Camps) by J.C. Pardue and his daughter Janis Pardue Hill, PhD.
I looked at my husband Chris and I told him, “That’s my sign,”
“I looked at my husband Chris and I told him, ‘That’s my sign,’ meaning my sign to get off my duff, quit kicking the bucket list idea around, and sign up for the memorial marathon.”
meaning my sign to get off my duff, quit kicking the bucket list idea around, and sign up for the memorial marathon.
I read the book about J.C. who, through God’s grace, was one of the few to make it back home. He made it through all those years of torture by staying strong in his faith in the Lord and by considering his small Bible, that also made it through the war, his greatest weapon. His story compelled me even more to remain true to my commitment. I asked Zeb if he still wanted to do it, but he said no; he would cheer me on from our home front. When registering for the run, I had a couple of options: I could choose either the “short” or the “full” distance, and I could choose “light” (meaning body-weight) or “heavy” (carrying a rucksack that maintained a weight of no less than 35 pounds). As someone who has been a life-long runner and who has already run three marathons, the distance was a sure thing – I was going long. To decide on the weight, I thought about my initial reason for wanting to do this marathon. I wanted to have some understanding/some resemblance of what these men had to endure, and running “free” wasn’t going to do that for me, so I signed up for the heavy. My training consisted of months of running with my longest distance being seventeen miles, and on many of my runs I wore a 30-pound weighted vest which I thought would get me close to being ready because it was “only 5
pounds lighter than what I would be carrying.”
I got in contact with Janis Pardue Hill asking her about her father, telling her I would like to run in memory of him, since he had passed peacefully away on June 25, 2012, back in Louisiana, far from the lands of Bataan. Janis sent me a copy of some of her father’s pictures, another copy of her book, and a copy of some her father’s favorite Bible verses that she found underlined in his Bible. And she said she felt her daddy would be so happy and humbled.
On Thursday, March 20, 2025, Chris and I left our home in southwest Mississippi for the 17-and-a-half hour drive. On Friday, March 2, I picked up my registration packet and Chris and I went sight-seeing before heading back to the hotel to rest before the run, lay out all the things I would need for my run: shorts, t-shirt, socks, gaiters to prevent sand from entering my shoes, boonie hat, bib number, Chapstick, food/ hydration supplies, Aquaphor to prevent chafing, and my backpack filled with bags of rice, beans, oatmeal packs, muffin mix packs, cat food, two baby blankets, a stuffed turtle, a wooden hand cross, a bag of miniature Jesuses to hand out to people, a small Bible, and the two copies of Janis’ book along with the pictures and Bible verses of her daddy. I was nervous but ready to go.
On Saturday, March 22, we awakened at 3:30, got ready, and headed to the missile range where we, along with a long
line of other vehicles, were checked and waved through security. About 6:30 a.m. opening ceremonies commenced with a welcome, the Philippine and U.S. national anthems, and a prayer, and then at 7 a.m., the race began. Ther were close to 5,800 participants consisting largely of active or retired service members, ROTC and JROTC students, and a smaller group of civilians, at the starting line. My plan was to run/walk with the pack on my back for the entire 26.2 miles, but the large crowd made running near impossible at times and I was having to hop from the road to the sidewalk, only to have to hop back down again when the sidewalk conditions got too rough. After a short time on pavement, we encountered our path of sand. I alternated walking and running when I could, and I maintained a pretty good system of doing so for about eight miles at which point I was encountering steeper hills. My feet felt swollen, my shoes felt too small, my pack felt like it weighed a ton, making my lower back ache. Despite being surrounded by thousands of people and making small talk with a few of them, I felt alone as people continued to pass me by, hardly ever saying a word when I was hunched over in pain because they were focused on their own agonies.
I pondered why I’d signed up for this. I wanted so badly to be done as I continued hunched over with my eyes looking down on the ground while putting
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one foot in front of the other, sometimes having delusional thoughts that I was almost done walking on sand and that pavement would soon be under my feet, and praying that my feet were not forming blisters.
I constantly thought of J.C. and the other men, and I knew they had had it so much worse than I; my small march was a walk in the park in comparison to theirs. After all, I had supplies and I had aid stations. I had people cheering me on – not cursing me, beating me, or threatening to kill me.
I finished my race with a time of 9 hours and 15 minutes carrying my heavy load before making it to the always supportive arms of Chris who helped me take off my pack to find out it weighed not 35 pounds but 38.2. And yes, I had developed a sizable blister on the ball of my left foot.
My battle was not days or years on end of pain, loss, and wondering if anyone was back home worrying and supporting what I stood for and not wondering if my blister would soon turn gangrenous.
I had it easy; they did not.
So, I continued thanking God for my small burden, reciting Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
I marched for J.C. and men like Magnor Peterson (a survivor from Havre, Montana) who “fought the good fight,” and I marched for a time I will never let be forgotten. I, for one, will always remember my march. I will remember Bataan.
DAR DEFENSE LUNCHEON
The Daughters of the American Revolution celebrated their Annual Joint Defense Luncheon at Magnolia Hall on Feb.10, 2025. This year the William Dunbar Chapter hosted the Natchez Chapter for a morning talk by Brigadier General John B. Dunlap III, U.S. Army Retired, followed by luncheon in the dining rooms of the beautiful museum home.
1. Caroline Cole speaks to gathered members and guests.
2. Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson, Brigadier General John B. Dunlap III and Caroline Cole
3. Brigadier General John B. Dunlap III and Caroline Cole
4. Kathleen Mackey King, Valerie Bergeron, Cindy Mangum and Janet Whittington
5. Juliette Cassagne, Susan Cassagne, Mayor Dan Gibson, Caroline Cole, General John Dunlap and Kathleen Mackey King.
6. Mayor Dan Gibson brings greetings to the groups. From left, Juliette Cassagne, Susan Cassagne, General Dunlap, Caroline Cole and Kathleen Mackey King
7. Janet Whittington, Cindy Magnum and Caroline Cole
WINE DOWNTOWN MARCH 21
7.
1. Colin Kemp, Angel Conde and Derric Crous from Zimbabwe
2. Jennifer Slover, Sara Carer-Smith and Emily Maxwell
3. Lauren Richard, Bailey New, Kenzie Sims, Taylor Goddard, Taylor Weeks and Mallory Meng
4. Debbie Hudson Germany and Forrest Germany
5. Paige Motter, Diane DuPont and Marla Gibson
6. Leslie and James Vidrine celebrating their anniversary
Ana Conde and son Andre Conde
8. Steve Tonroe with Marilyn and Joe Kuhn
9. Sarah Lindsey Laukhuff and Marli Vaughn
10. Teresa Gadberry, Johnette Mintz, Susan Ouchley and Donna Luse
11. Lindsey and Corey Leftwich with Caylen Caldwell at Wishes Sweets & Eats
12. Joey Thompson holding fresh pizza
PHOTOS BY Sabrina Robertson
SAVE THE HALL BALL
Photographer Józefina Gocman Dicks of From Yonder Productions was on hand at the Pilgrimage Garden Club 2025 Save the Hall Ball to create stylized portraits for attendees.
Photos by Jozefina Gocman Dicks.
1. Lisa Wood Smith, Stephen Forman, Katie Wood Freiberger
2. Bradley Watson and Cherish King
3. Hannah Moore, Sasha Jackson, Margaret Reynolds
4. Marli Stewart and Melissa Vaughan
5. Jeanie Lanneau, Bazile Lanneau, Claudia Stowers, Jim Stowers
6. Elizabeth and Matthew Hall
7. Daye Dearing and Elodie Pritchett
8. Mayor Dan Gibson and Marla Gibson
9. Jane Graning Weems, Tom Graning, Kathy Graning and Dana Dupre
10. Beau DesHotel, Katelee Laid, Beau Lutz, Kerry Rose Graning
11. Renee and David Skinner
12. Edward Mazurek and Maux Gitto
13. Whitney Knapik and Monique Renee
MURDER MYSTERY PARTY
Sunnyside was the location for a Gotham Downs Gala Derby Mystery Party honoring 2025 Cathedral senior Liza Gregg on March 30. The event was hosted by Gregg’s grandmother, Dianna Martello, and included other members of the senior class.
1. Diana Martello, host of senior party, Liza Gregg, Honoree, and Robyn Gregg
2. Allie Grace McGhee, Madeline Fielder and Sally Hudson Linton
3. CHS Senior Girls, front row from left, Allie Grace McGhee, Madeline Fielder, Lily Crum, and Kolemyn Grace Fisher; back row from left, Lauren Lambuth, Lacy Welch, Kinslee Young, Liza Gregg, Sally Hudson Linton, Lizzie Verruchi, Ella Samrow and Lillie Kay Floyd
4. Participants gather at Sunnyside.
5. The scene of the crime
6. Participants note clues as part of the game.
7. The victim Lacy Welch and the murderer Kinslee Young
8. The best hat was voted on by the Sunnyside staff.
9. Lacy Welch, Lillie Kay Floyd, Ella Samrow and Liza Gregg
10. Ella Samrow, Lacy Welch and Lauren Lambuth
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