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Alona Ruth Blakeney
(February 7, 1935 – December 4, 2021)
Alona Ruth Blakeney, 86 of Taylorsville, Mississippi passed away from her earthly home to her heavenly home on Saturday, December 04, 2021, at Magnolia Place Retirement Home in Sumrall, Mississippi. She was born on Thursday, February 07, 1935, in Taylorsville, Mississippi.
Visitation will be held on December 5, 2021, from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at Taylorsville United Methodist Church in Taylorsville, Mississippi.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, December 6, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. at Taylorsville United Methodist Church. The burial will follow in Fellowship Cemetery in Taylorsville, Mississippi. Brother Timothy Beard will officiate. Colonial Chapel Funeral Home of Taylorsville is in charge of arrangements. 601-785-6564
Alona was born in Center Ridge, MS and attended Center Ridge School prior to moving with her parents to Taylorsville. She graduated from Taylorsville one year early in 1952. After receiving her Business Degree, she lived and worked in Jackson, MS until her marriage to Billy Merle Blakeney in 1953. They moved to Biloxi, MS where Billy was stationed at Keesler Air Force Base. Alona worked in civil service in Headquarters as secretary/stenographer. This was the highlight of her career where she received many awards for her outstanding work excellence. In her eyes, no one was better than a veteran. She understood the sacrifices veterans made for this country. Working and raising her family in Biloxi was her most treasured memory and she spoke of it often. After departing Keesler, she moved to Taylorsville and continued her professional working career with Georgia Pacific, the Veterans Administration, the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and Ingalls Shipbuilding for the Navy.
The Bible commands us to “make a joyful noise unto the Lord” and that is exactly what Alona Ruth did. She was a faithful member of the Taylorsville United Methodist Church where she played the piano for over 50 years. She also made a joyful noise for the congregation of the Bethel United Methodist Church as their pianist for over 20 years. She held a special place in her heart for her beloved Methodist Church families. Alona was a former member of the First Baptist Church of Raleigh ‘Happiness Is’ Choir and enjoyed traveling with this group. She was an active member of the Covington County Homemakers Club for 20 years.
She loved her family, and her house was always filled with joy and laughter when the family gathered for holidays, birthdays, and Sunday dinners. She was a loving parent whose children could always seek advice and guidance for any problems they may be facing. She was loyal to her husband Billy Merle and they were married for 56 “blissful” years which gave her family plenty of topics to discuss and laugh about around the dinner table. She spent most of her life in service to others. She enjoyed life and simple things such as hearing her grandchildren laugh or an unexpected visit by a friend or relative. This would bring a huge smile to her face and everything would be right in her world. She taught her children to be honest, hardworking, upright citizens. She believed that one’s reputation was the most important characteristic anybody could have. She could be stern with her family when the occasion arose. She was a forgiving person but could be a formidable force to deal with if she felt she was in the right. She stood up for what she believed in and wasn’t afraid of anything or anyone if they violated that belief. She believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, life ever after, and the Bible. She didn’t just believe, it she lived and practiced what the Bible says every day.
She was cherished and her family is proud to call her mother. She will be greatly missed by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who affectionally knew her as “Granny”.
As you leave here today, we ask that you make a joyful noise unto the Lord knowing that our mother has entered the gates of Heaven and will dwell with the Lord forever. Amen
She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill Merle Blakeney; father, Alon Willis Blakeney; mother, Effie Mae Pardue Blakeney; and sister, Emma Jean James.
Survivors include her sons, Nicky Blakeney (Marie) of Taylorsville, MS, Gary Blakeney (Lynette) of Taylorsville, MS, and Stanley Keith Blakeney (Lisa) of Taylorsville, MS; daughter, Billie Ruth Blakeney Rawls (Dewayne) of Taylorsville, MS; grandchildren, Nickie Shannon McDonald (Jason) of Hattiesburg, MS, Gary Alon Blakeney (Josie) of Corvallis, OR, Ethan Aaron Blakeney of Taylorsville, MS, Alexis McKenzie Blakeney (Tucker) of Cleveland, MS, Effie Allyse Rawls Klein (Justin) of Taylorsville, MS. and Hunter Keith Blakeney of D’Iberville, MS; great-grandchildren, Jaxon Kale McDonald, Dakota Blake McDonald, Samuel Alon Augustus Blakeney, Rawls Parker Klein and Ruthie Callaway Klein; sisters, Rachel Matilda Wilson and Lucy Allen Parker; aunt, Bobbie Lou Speir; and a host of other family members and friends.
Pallbearers will be Jaxon McDonald, Kenny James, Kandy James, Ronald Wilson, Anthony Wilson, Jeff Parker, Jerry Dale Wilson, and Tim Wilson.
An online guestbook may be signed at
www.colonialchapelmageemendenhall.com
