TheCelebrationofLifeService foraWomanofPerseverance The Celebration of Life Service for a Woman of Perseverance
TheCelebrationofLifeService foraWomanofPerseverance The Celebration of Life Service for a Woman of Perseverance
SUNRISE FEBRUARY 05, 1955
JUNE 12, 2025
Blessed is he/she who remains steadfast under trial, for when he/she has stood the test, he/she will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him. - James 1:12
FRIDAY,JUNE20,2025|11:00A.M.
IRA DELL PETTIS-BROWN WAS BORN ON THE 5TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 1955 IN THE COLLEGE HILL COMMUNITY OF OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI TO THE LATE MABLE OZELLA PETTIS AND TELDO PETTIS, SR. SHE WAS THEIR SIXTH CHILD SHE WAS BORN INTO A FAMILY WHO APPRECIATED THE VALUE OF FAMILY LOVE, HARD WORK AND THE GOODNESS OF GOD’S LOVE HER PARENTS WERE EDUCATION ADVOCATES WHO INSTILLED IN THEIR CHILDREN THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING SELF-SUFFICIENT AND DOING THEIR BEST WITH THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY WERE GIVEN. ON THE 12TH DAY OF JUNE 2025, IRA DELL PEACEFULLY WENT INTO THE ARMS OF GOD FOR ETERNAL REST
IRA DELL ACCEPTED CHRIST AT AN EARLY AGE AND JOINED TOBBY TUBBY M.B. CHURCH. HER FAMILY LIVED IN THE WEST SPRING COMMUNITY AND SHE ENJOYED HER EARLY CHRISTIAN JOURNEY AT WEST SPRING HILL M B CHURCH SHE WAS DRAWN TO THE USHERING MINISTRY AS A TEENAGER AND SERVED IN THAT CAPACITY AT TOBBY TUBBY M B CHURCH
IRA DELL OBTAINED HER HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA FROM OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL AND SUBSEQUENTLY PURSUED AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE FROM NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI JUNIOR COLLEGE. SHE WAS EMPLOYED WITH EMERSON ELECTRIC UNTIL THEIR CLOSURE SHE ENDED HER EMPLOYMENT AS A CAREGIVER AT THE NORTH MISSISSIPPI REGIONAL CENTER AND THE VETERAN’S HOME
IRA DELL MARRIED THE LOVE OF HER LIFE, THE LATE EARL BROWN. THROUGH THEIR UNION, IRA DELL AND EARL RAISED 3 CHILDREN: ERIC, KERRY AND HER GRANDDAUGHTER, TAMIKA
IRA DELL’S LIFE’S JOURNEY LED HER TO A LIFE OF ADVENTURE AS ONE OF HER FAVORITE PAST-TIMES WAS TO SEARCH FOR VALUABLE FINDS AT SATURDAY MORNING YARD SALES. SHE STARTED HER DAILY JOURNEY WITH A CUP OF COFFEE AT THE CHEVRON GAS STATION AND ENJOYED THE COMPANY OF HER DOGS AND CATS ALTHOUGH SHE WAS FROM A BIG FAMILY, SHE ENJOYED QUIET TIME WITH HER WORDFIND BOOKLETS HER BIGGEST JOY WAS THE LOVE AND SUPPORT SHE DEMONSTRATED TOWARDS HER CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN AND EXTENDED FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
IRA DELL WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY 1 CHILD, TAMALA YVETTE PETTIS SHE LEAVES TO CHERISH HER MEMORY 2 DEVOTED SONS: ERIC SPENCER PETTIS (CHARLETTE) AND KERRY ALLEN PETTIS, AS WELL AS TAMIKA L PETTIS, A GRANDDAUGHTER WHO SHE RAISED AS HER OWN
IRA DELL LEAVES TO CHERISH HER PRECIOUS MEMORY, 4 GRANDCHILDREN, TAMIKA PETTIS, DARIUS J. PETTIS, JADAN PETTIS AND CHLOE PETTIS, AND 2 GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, SHIMURA CAREY AND TIANA POLK
IRA DELL, LIKE MANY WHO TRAVEL LIFE’S JOURNEY, WAS STRICKEN WITH CANCER. HER DETERMINATION AND PERSEVERANCE LEAD HER TO VALIANTLY FIGHT FOR HER LIFE FOR OVER TEN (10) YEARS SHE WAS BLESSED TO HAVE FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO WERE SUPPORTIVE OF HER CARE DURING HER BATTLE WITH CANCER. SHE ALWAYS SPOKE OF HER LOVE FOR MATTIE GOSSETT AND THE LATE CHRIS GOSSETT, JOHNNY WOODALL, BETTY CAROTHERS, NATHANIEL CARTER, QUANZA HERRON, LISA HUDSON, DARREN POLK, AND THOSE SHE AFFECTIONALLY REFERRED AS “MY YARD SALE BUDDIES AND CAREGIVERS ” IRA DELL FOUGHT THE BATTLE OF HER LIFE WITH STRENGTH, PERSEVERANCE AND GRACE BEFORE GOING HOME TO THE LOVING ARMS OF GOD
IRA DELL WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HER PARENTS, TELDO PETTIS, SR. AND MABLE OZELLA (GREEN) PETTIS ALONG WITH FOUR SIBLINGS: SISTERS – LIZA BAILEY AND LILLIE WILLINGHAM; BROTHERS –ARCHIE BLACK, SR AND ARTHUR PETTIS SHE LEAVES 9 SIBLINGS TO CHERISH HER MEMORY: TELDO PETTIS, JR.; JOE PETTIS; GWEN WALKER (PHILLIP); CARNELIA FONDREN (WADE, SR.); EVERLEAN MATHIS (HARVEY); JOHNNY PETTIS (TRINIKA); NELLIE SANDERS (PAUL); BARBARA P. DAVIS; AND DARRYL PETTIS (HELEN).
IF ROSES GROW IN HEAVEN
LORD PLEASE PICK A BUNCH FOR US
PLACE THEM IN OUR GRANDMOTHER’S ARMS AND TELL HER THEY’RE FROM US.
TELL HER WE LOVE HER AND MISS HER AND WHEN SHE TURNS TO SMILE PLACE A KISS UPON HER CHEEK AND HOLD HER FOR AWHILE. BECAUSE REMEMBERING HER IS EASY WE DO IT EVERY DAY BUT THERE’S AN ACHE WITHIN OUR HEARTS THAT WILL NEVER GO
When tomorrow starts without me, And I’m not here to see, your eyes filled, with tears from me.
I wish so much you wouldn’t cry the way you did today, While thinking of the many things, we didn’t get to say.
I know how much you love me, As much as I LOVE YOU, And each time you think of me, I know you’ll miss me too.
When tomorrow starts without me,
Don’t think we ’ re far apart, For every time you think of me, I’m right here in your heart.
DAVID COOK
With sincerest gratitude, the family of the late Ira Dell Pettis-Brown wishes to acknowledge every word, telephone call, thought, prayer and expression of kindness in our time of bereavement. Your actions and deeds have helped us make an inevitable situation bearable. A special thanks to the staff at Baptist Memorial Hospital along with her neighbors and friends that became an extended family. May God continue to bless and keep each of you.
P. ALEXANDER SANDERS
BRANDON PETTIS
NATHANIEL CARTER
WADE FONDREN JR.
DERRICK MATHIS
ERIC PETTIS
TELDO PETTIS, JR.
JOHNNY PETTIS
PHILIP WALKER, SR.
HARVEY MATHIS
LEE BOOKER
EDWIN PETTIS
KERRY PETTIS
JOE PETTIS
DARRYL PETTIS
WADE FONDREN, SR.
PAUL SANDERS
BUFORD CHAPEL CHURCH CEMETERY OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI