Mary M. Sneed

Mary McGuffee Sneed, 99 and nine months, formerly of Gulfport, passed away on October 16, 2018 in Atlanta, GA, where she had moved in 2012 to be near her daughter. Mrs. Sneed was born in New Hebron, MS on January 28, 1919. She was a graduate of New Hebron High School where she was valedictorian of the Class of 1936. She took additional courses at Jackson Commercial Business College in 1937. After working a few years in Jackson, MS, she came to the Coast in 1941 with the Mississippi State Employment Service, where she was employed until 1945, with the exception of 53 days in the U.S. Navy during World War II. In addition to raising three children, she worked briefly as a secretary at St. Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church and as a Clerk Typist at the U.S. Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport. However, it was in school management that she found her calling. She was the first School Secretary for three years at Bayou View Junior High in Gulfport, and then was fortunate enough to have a similar job when she and her family moved to Panama in 1963. She became the Office Supervisor at Curundu Junior High in Balboa, Canal Zone in 1965. When she retired in 1981, the School named a hall in her honor. She and her husband returned to the Coast from Panama in 1981, but after building their retirement home and Center Stage of Biloxi, she became bored. At the age most people would retire, 65, she began a new career in insurance at Stewart Sneed Hewes where she handled Special Projects and Surplus Lines Taxes, until her second and final retirement in 2011 at the age of 92. Mary was preceded in death by the love of her life, Torrence H. Sneed of Gulfport, who died in 1996. She was also preceded by her mother and father, Myra Weathersby McGuffee and J.C. McGuffee of New Hebron, MS; her brothers Earl McGuffee of New Hebron and Robert McGuffee of Olive Branch, MS; her sister, Bess Irwin of Dallas TX, formerly of Vicksburg, MS; her step-daughter, Nancy S. Whitmore of Surry, ME, and her granddaughter, Lori Sneed of Gulfport. Survivors include her sister, Ina Ruth Ratchford of Pensacola, FL; her son John B. “Shorty” Sneed and wife Patti, of Gulfport, MS; her daughter, Mary S. Hinkel and husband Dan of Atlanta, GA; her son Torrence H. “Tim” Sneed of Augusta, GA; and a step-son, Harry M. Sneed and wife, Baerbel of Munich, Germany. She is also survived by five grandchildren, Johnny Sneed and wife, Cristina, Los Angeles, CA ; John Henry Hinkel, Los Angeles, CA; Jeffrey Sneed and wife, Natalie, Lexington, SC; Stephen Sneed, and wife, Petra, Munich, Germany; and Torrence Sneed, Denver, CO; and by one great-grandchild, Henry Wilder Sneed, Los Angeles, CA. She was a member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Gulfport, and a former member of the Gulfport Junior Auxiliary, Merry Maskers, Revelers, Gulfport Yacht Club, and the Great Southern Club. A memorial service will be held at St. Mark’s, 11322 West Taylor Road, Gulfport, MS 39503 on Saturday, November 24, with a visitation from 9:00 AM-11:00 AM, with the service to follow at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to St. Mark’s at the above address. Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street, Gulfport is in charge of arrangements. View and sign register book at www.bradfordokeefe.com