Clare Sekul Hornsby

Clare Sekul Hornsby, 95, of Biloxi, MS passed away on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 in Biloxi. Clare was born August 16, 1921 in Biloxi, MS to Steve M. and Elena T. Sekul. She was a 1938 graduate of Biloxi High School and a graduate of Perkinston Junior College. Clare earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Mississippi, School of Law. She was admitted to practice in all State and Federal Courts, including the United States Supreme Court in 1956, the Internal Revenue Service, U. S. Treasury Department and the United States Department of Justice. Clare was in the private practice of Law in the city of Biloxi continuously since 1945 and was President of the Law Firm of Sekul, Hornsby & Tisdale in Biloxi, Mississippi at the time of her death. Clare served as a Master in the Chancery Court of the Second Judicial District of Harrison County, Mississippi; Mississippi Women’s Cabinet on Public Affairs; President of Advisory Committee; Harrison County Family Court and Referee in Family Court. In the past 20 years Clare presented Final Judgments which facilitated the Adoptions of over 1,200 Mississippi children for the Department of Human Services. Clare was also a member of the following: American Bar Association Mississippi State Bar Association Harrison County Bar Association (first woman President) Biloxi Bar Association (President for 16 years) National Association of Women Lawyers American Trial Lawyers Association Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association American Judicature Society International Federation of Women Lawyers American Association of University Women She received the following awards: Biloxi’s Outstanding Citizen - 1990 Lions Club Mother of the Year - 1960 Inductee Perkinston Hall of Fame Fellow - Mississippi Bar Foundation - 1993 Life Patron and Honorary Commander, of the 81st Training Wing of the John C. Stennis Chapter of the Air Force Association (first Woman to serve as President) Air War College - National Forum 1971 Gayfers Career Woman in 1990 RSVP Advisory Council Volunteer Sam Owen Trophy for distinguished service to Perkinston Junior College - 1959 1999 Nominee for Outstanding Woman Lawyer, Mississippi Women Lawyers Association; Recipient of Power of One by the Mississippi Woman ‘99 Conference; 1999 Recipient of the Susie Blue Buchanan Award; Recipient of the “Iron Magnolia” Award sponsored by WLOX Television; 2007 Women in the Law Profession Honoree 2009 Coast Young Professionals “4 Ever Young” award 2011 Biloxi First Honoree 2016 Inducted into the University of Mississippi School of Law Hall of Fame She was a member of the following Civic Organizations: Biloxi Chamber of Commerce Biloxi Lions Club (First female President, Past President and present Program Director) Lions International Altrusa Club MGCJC Foundation (Past President) American Cancer Society (Past President) United Fund March of Dimes Heart Fund Biloxi Business and Professional Women’s Club Gulf Coast Women’s Association Lighthouse Business & Professional Woman’s Club 1968 Woman of the Year Award. She was preceded in death by her husband, Warren Haywood Hornsby, Sr.; her son, Warren Haywood “Bo” Hornsby, Jr.; and her siblings, Alena Cerenich, Judge John Sekul, Jacobina Gilich, Vetsie Gabrich and Josephine Schaaf. Clare’s survivors include her children, W. Fred (Linda) Hornsby, II, Susie Hornsby (Mike) Bass and Yasna Peckens Yenewine; her grandchildren, W. Fred “Dub” Hornsby, III, Alexandra Hornsby (Scot) Smith, Gregory Sekul (Krystle) Hornsby, Sister Clare Bass, Michele Bass (Brett) Mitchell, Nicki Hornsby, Alyssa Hornsby, Shannon Peckens (Leonard) Cooper and Sherry Jo Peckens; her great-grandchildren, Jane Claire Hornsby and W. Fred “Hayes” Hornsby, IV, Kaylin Eve Smith and Hannah Rose Smith, Dylan, Mia and Elena Mitchell, Kyle Chandler, Hunter and Chloe Cooper and Lilith and Tallulah Peckens; her sister-in-law, Donna Hornsby Montgomery; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. In lieu of flowers the family prefers donations be made to the Clare S. Hornsby Scholarship Fund, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The family wishes to express a special thank you to Greenbriar Rehabilitation Center, Dr. Allison Wall and Dr. Peterson. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Nativity B.V.M. Cathedral on Saturday, January 28, 2017 at 12:00 pm. Friends may visit from 9:00 am until mass time. Interment will follow at Southern Memorial Park. The Howard Avenue Chapel of Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.