Mary Lou White Eastland

Mary Lou White Eastland was born on July 3, 1939 in McComb, MS, the eldest child of Mary Belle Barnes White and James D. White, Sr., both of McComb. Maternal grandparents were Jeanette Denson Barnes and Benjamin B. Barnes. Paternal grandparents were Mary Alice Reeves White and Cleon B. White. 

She is survived by her son, Charles Lamar Eastland, Jr. and his sons Kyle and Cordell; her son James Denson Eastland and wife Mary and his daughter Cortnie and their daughters Emily and Victoria; and by her daughter Laura Lynett Eastland Windham and husband Kurtis G. Windham and their children Cody and Amy; and by three great grandchildren, Kelsey, Warren and Fischer. She is also survived by her sister, Nancy Ann White Humphrey and her children Bobby and Kelly and by her brother, James D. White, Jr. and his wife Teresa and children Libby and Jay. She was preceded in death by her much loved daughter-in-law, Paula Solman Eastland, wife of Lamar and mother of sons Kyle and Cordell. She was also predeceased by her great grandson, Braxton Lance Eastland, son of Kyle Eastland, at age eighteen months.

Mrs. Eastland grew up in Jackson having attended Davis and Barr elementary schools, Enochs and Hardy Junior High Schools and graduating for Central High School in 1957. In 1961 she received a BSE degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation and Biology from Delta State College. While there she was active in competitive sports, varsity choir and women’s octet, journalism and student government having been elected president of the Women’s Honor Council her senior year.

During her college days she spent summers in Texas and New Mexico in the employment of Tarrant County and El Paso County Girl Scouts. She began her teaching career at El Paso High School in 1961. On Thanksgiving Day of 1961, she became engaged to Charles Lamar Eastland of Jackson and on Christmas Day of 1961, she became his wife. At the end of the school term, she returned to MS to reside in Clinton before moving to Austin, TX where the couple spent five years before returning to Gulfport, MS in January of 1970. Mr. Eastland was employed by Hancock Bank and after owning a retail business and undertaking various other ventures Mrs. Eastland returned to the field of education teaching science at Orange Grove Middle School. In Orange Grove she was active as a volunteer in Girl Scouts and in girls’ softball and basketball coaching as well as helping to organize and facilitate boys’ Little League. She eventually moved into the field of preschool administration. She retired in 2012. Following retirement, she wrote and published six books.

Visitation will be Thursday, January 23, 2025 from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m. at the O’Neal Road location of Bradford O’Keefe Funeral Home, 15452 O’Neal Road, Gulfport, MS. There will be a graveside service on Friday, January 24, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. at Lakewood South Memorial Park, 430 McCluer Road, Jackson, MS 39212.

Bradford O’Keefe Funeral Home, O’Neal Road, is honored to serve the family of Mary Lou Eastland.