Mary Alice Smith Pavlov

Mrs. Mary Alice Smith Pavlov, 89, of Ocean Springs, was called home by Our Lord on Saturday afternoon, February 7, 2015. She was at peace and surrounded by her family. Mary Alice, as she is known by her brothers and sisters, was born March 9, 1925 in Jonestown, MS, and raised on her family’s farm in Philipp, MS. Employed at the Biloxi U. S. Army Air Corps Base, now Keesler Field, during World War II, she met her husband when he returned from the Pacific after the war. Mary and Peter were married in 1947 at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Biloxi. They remained inseparable for the next 65 years and raised seven children. At the time of her passing she was a member of St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church in Ocean Springs where the family has lived since 1968. Living on Point Cadet in Biloxi for the first 20 years of her marriage, she learned the art of Croatian cookery from her husband’s sisters. When her mother, Minnie, visited the Coast for her wedding and met the entire Pavlov family for the first time, her mother said to her, “Mary Alice, what have you gotten yourself into?” What it was, Minnie soon found out, was a family who loved God, loved life, and loved Mary Alice. Mary was the steady support of her husband throughout his life and loved each of her children unconditionally. Mary was a member of the St. Michael’s Church Choir, the Legion of Mary, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society, where she was one of the earliest female members on the Coast. She worked with her husband daily during the last 15 years of his dental practice. Mary and Peter shared their retirement for the next 23 years. Mary Alice is preceded in death by her loving husband, Dr. Peter “Doc” Pavlov, Jr.; her parents, Abner Kirby Smith and Minnie Jane Caldwell Smith; her brothers, Lowell Smith, Zowell Smith, Robert Smith and Roy Smith; and her sisters, Lodess Grammer, Johnnie Shull and Jean Graninger. She is survived by her seven children, Peter Pavlov, Michael Pavlov, PhD, Paul Pavlov, M.D. (Theresa), Mary Ann Vogelbein (Wolfgang), Joseph Pavlov, John Pavlov, M.D. (Mary), and Francis Pavlov; fourteen grandchildren, Amber Pavlov, Aimee Pavlov Vance (Steven), Matthew Pavlov (Amanda), Anna Pavlov, Anthony Pavlov, Leigh Ann Vogelbein, Kristen Vogelbein, Mollie Pavlov Rosenbohm (Elimar), Monica Pavlov Flowers (Paul), Christina Pavlov, John Paul Pavlov, Alexander Pavlov and Jonathan Pavlov, and Brittany Nicolas Phillips (Brandon); two great-grandchildren, Sophie Rosenbohm and Parker Phillips; her sister, Evelyn Goode; and many beloved nieces and nephews. The Pavlov family would like to thank Mrs. Virginia Bigelow for her dedicated care of her friend Mary. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, 4900 Riley Rd, Ocean Springs on Wednesday, February 11, 2015 at 11:30am. Friends may visit two hours prior to Mass time. Interment will follow in the Biloxi National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial offerings to The St. Vincent de Paul Community Pharmacy, PO Box 1228, Biloxi, MS 39533. Funeral arrangements are directed by the Howard Avenue Chapel of Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home.