Ella Mae Boyd Pringle

Ella Mae Boyd Pringle, age 91, a longtime resident of Biloxi, MS passed away peacefully on Wed., March 18, 2015 in Biloxi. Ella Mae was born in Clearwater, Fla. on Jan. 30, 1924, the 2nd child of Adele Brown Boyd and Robert James Boyd. She and her older brother and younger sister grew up there and it was there Ella Mae met and married Roland Pringle of Biloxi, MS, who had been stationed near there as a member of the US Army Air Corps during WWII. After the war ended, they moved to Biloxi with their 2 young sons. They completed their family with the birth of a 3rd son and began a lifelong residency in Biloxi. Ella Mae and her family were long time members of First United Methodist Church of Biloxi, regularly attending services there. While raising her family, she also worked for the A&P grocery store, becoming the head cashier. She will be remembered as the head cashier at the store on Beach Blvd, in Biloxi for many years,(until the store closed) then serving in the same position at the Hardy Ct store on Pass Rd in Gulfport. She retired after 30+ years with A&P. Ella Mae will also be remembered for her devotion to her family, friends, and fellow employees as well as her concern for the well-being of them and their families. She regularly hosted Sunday family dinners in her home on Bay Vista Dr. and took part in family events. She regularly visited relatives and friends in nursing homes, frequently helping them with laundry at times and companionship always. Once her own family was grown, she voluntarily took the holiday shifts at work so those with young children could be with them on holidays, especially Christmas. Ella Mae was preceded in death by Roland Ward Pringle, Sr, her loving and beloved husband of 29 years, their youngest son, Wallace Dumont Pringle, her parents and 1 sibling, Johnny Boyd. She is survived by her sister, Juanita Goodlad (Ken) of Hixson, TN; her loving sons and their spouses: Roland Ward Pringle, Jr. and Linda Brown Pringle (of Houston, TX), Russell Boyd Pringle and Mary Ireson Pringle (of Biloxi, MS), and Anita Holland Pringle(of Spring Hill, TN); 4 grandchildren: Jason Trent Pringle (Yumi) of Seattle, WA, Heather Pringle Reece(Jerry) of Spring, TX, Russell Boyd Pringle, Jr. (of Biloxi, MS) and Alex Ward Pringle (Kimberly) of Franklin, TN; and 7 great-grandchildren: Erik Pringle, Samantha, Amanda, Miranda, and Wendy Reece, and Hannah and Evan Pringle as well as a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives , extended families and friends. A memorial service will be held at Bradford O’Keefe Funeral Home’s Pass Road Chapel at 2511 Pass Road, Biloxi, MS at 2:00 PM on Wed., March 25, 2015. Visitation will precede the service starting at 1:00 PM. Internment at Southern Memorial Park will follow the service.