Johnnie Ruth Breazeale

Johnnie Ruth Breazeale, 88, of Ocean Springs, MS passed away on January 16, 2017. She was born Johnnie Ruth Yancey on September 27, 1928 in Columbia, MS. She married the late Horace (Punch) Breazeale in 1947 and they spent most of their lives together traveling while Horace served 24 years in the Air Force. During that time, Johnnie spent her time raising their 7 children while Horace did his tours of duties. She kept the fires going and, when she could, she gathered us all up to go wherever Horace was at the time. All the while she was earning a Master’s degree with honors in Special Education from the University of South Mississippi. Johnnie then dedicated 30 years to teaching special children at Gautier Junior High where she received many honors including the Women of the Year and Teacher of the Year. She retired in 2004 at the age of 75. After Horace’s death in 1975, she dedicated her life to her children and grandchildren; she raised her 7 then proceeded to help raise the grandchildren. Her house became the haven for all of us. Through rough times and good times, her door was always open to whoever needed or wanted to move in and share what she had. You really never knew who you might run into coming down the hall at her house. She is preceded in death by her parents, Leona and Charles Yancey, her sister, Edna Sumrall, her brothers, James, Paul, and Charles Yancey, Jr. and her husband, Horace Breazeale. Survivors include her sons, Ray Breazeale, Phillip Breazeale, and Rusty (Liza) Breazeale; her daughters, Linda (Dick) Lidgard, Sharon (Ricky) Stanley, Patti (Wilburn) Kirkland, and Debra Griffin. She also is survived by her grandchildren, Donna Pounders, Chris Breazeale, Ralph Hunter, Russell Hunter, Rebecca Hunter, Hollie Goble, Wendy Pickard, Michael Breazeale, Lauren Bumpers, Michael Kirkland, Patrick Kirkland, Haley Singler, Lindsay Welch, Yancey Unequivocally, Destin Griffin, and Ashley Breazeale and her great-grandchildren, Tera, Amelia, Madeline, Zach, Melissa, Nicole, Joshua, Wyatt, Zoe, Bailey, Madison, Natalie, Evelyn, Cole, Reagan, Mirah, Maggie, Griffin, Violet and Gregario and her great-great grandson, Colton and great-great granddaughter, Nora. Johnnie has always been the center of the family; a loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. Through her life, we learned unconditional love, true Christian humility, unquestioning Faith, dedicated hard work, laughter, and love of family and friends. For this, and so much more, we thank her as each of us strives to exhibit the characteristics we so admired in her. She leaves a great hole in the lives of those who loved her. We will truly miss her but know that she is at peace in Heaven still watching over us . Visitation will be on Saturday, January 21, from 1pm until 3pm, with a 3pm chapel service, all at the Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford O'Keefe Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery.