Gordon Mitchell "Mitch" Lavinghouze, 95, passed away peacefully on October 10, 2024, at home with his loving family and friends by his side. He was loved, a kind, giving, loving father, husband, granddad, and a friend to so many. He was also known as "Pap" and "Pops".

Mitch was born in Shivers, MS, to Gordon P. and Ruby Lee Lavinghouze. He is preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Johnnie Mitchell Lavinghouze, his son, Robin Carroll Lavinghouze, and his son-in-law, Clifton W. Heard. Also, Hurchell H. and Joyce Lavinghouze of Bogalusa, LA (very dear Uncle and Aunt).

Mitch and Johnnie met and married while serving in the US Army. Johnnie reached the rank of Lieutenant and was a Nurse RN. Mitch was a Sergeant and was offended if he was called anything but a medic, and both were proud of their service to their Country. They were married for 71 years and never parted, raising three children, and he loved his granddaughter Kristina, who called him Pap. Debbie, Steve, and Robin are so blessed to have had a wonderful father, and coach either in playing ball or whatever they did in life. Mitch always put family first. All three children graduated Ole Miss, and Kristina graduated Mississippi College.

Mitch is survived by his daughter, Deborah Lee Heard of Madison MS; and grand-daughter, Kristina Leigh Heard, Madison MS; son, Steven Mitchell Lavinghouze (Laura), Flowood MS; son Robin's loving friend, Sharon Lawless of Houston TX; also, cherished and loved cousin, Ashley Ogden (Christi) of Jackson MS, and children, Brooke Emerson, James Ashley and Ranger Colton; cherished and loved adopted grandson, John Matthew "Matt" McGraw (Caity) (and baby daughter Addie) of Moscow TN.  Matt has always enjoyed "Mr. Mitch" and "Ms. Johnnie" and is a true Ole Miss Rebel that loved them and going to Ole Miss ball games. There is a very special cherished friend and her family, Mrs. Betty May and son, Kevin May (daughter Charlotte), Kevin being Mitch's first adopted Ole Miss Rebel grandson! Mitch loved them like they were his own. Mitch is survived by many cousins that he loved and stayed close to.

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude and love to Mitch's caregivers:

Anita Greene and her sister, Pam Smith, D Terry, Ann Finley, and Karen Stubbs.

Mitch was so blessed to have received their love and care. We will never be able to repay their kindness or their hard work.

A special thanks goes to Encompass Home Health and Hospice Care, their

physical therapists, nurses, and social workers, and a very warm thank you to Cliff Dunlap (the Deputy Coroner) who stayed and prayed a beautiful prayer with the family. Thank you, Nurse Mindy, for coming to take over and guide us through the difficult morning of his death.

Mitch lived in many towns in southern Mississippi, as his dad was a surveyor for Mississippi State Highway Department. They eventually moved to Jackson MS, where he went to Central High School and graduated. ` He attended Millsaps College for two years, then he went to the Korean War before finally graduating from University of Southern Mississippi. He was proud to have been lead trumpet player in the USM band.

Mitch began working with Worthan Bag Corp. in sales after his college days, traveling MS, LA, AR, AL area. After this, he went to work for Langston Bag Company, traveling the same area, and opened a location for them in Jackson, MS. After many years on the road, Mitch decided he wanted to spend more time with family.

Mitch obtained his real estate license, and worked with Wortman & Mann for a few years, until NBC Corporation in Nashville, TN, came calling for him to be manager of Capitol Towers building in Jackson. He managed there until he retired in 2000. One of his joys was lighting the cross on the building during Christmas and Easter. He felt this was a gift to the City of Jackson and its people. After retiring he enjoyed working part time for his cousin Ashley Ogden in his law practice.

Mitch was also involved in coaching baseball in Jackson, MS for many years at Lake Hico. He coached Little League at Lake Hico, along with many All-Star teams. He also coached Legion Baseball with Head Coach, Doug Shanks. Mitch loved many sports, baseball being one of them.

Ole Miss football was his passion, and the "only" college football for Mitch. Especially since his two sons, Steve and Robin, played for Ole Miss. Mitch had gone to 491 straight Ole Miss Rebel football games at the sad time of his son Robin's death. Being in the "grove" at Ole Miss with his wife Johnnie and the rest of us was a delight to him, and he loved getting to see his friends and talking football with them. "And he knew 'everybody". Ole Miss honored Mitch with an award for his loyalty and support all those years. There are so many of Steve, Robin and Debbie's friends who love him and enjoyed being in his life.

Truly a Christian man with a loving heart, he lived and loved. He never met a stranger during his life. Faith, his hard work to keep his family going and "to keep them in church" were the most important things to him. His many friends in the church were very important to him, and he had so many.

Christmastime and Ole Miss football brought him joy, and all the times he spent with Robin out in Houston. Mitch loved to go out to Texas to be with Robin, Sharon and their dogs, Jake and Brinkley.

Mitch is so loved and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. Watching the Ole Miss Rebel ball games will not be the same without him. Our hearts are at Peace knowing he is with our Lord Jesus Christ in Heaven.

Visitation with the family will be held Saturday, October 19, 2024, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home, 114 Burney Drive, Flowood, MS with funeral services in the chapel immediately following the visitation. Burial will be at Lakewood Memorial Park, 6000 Clinton Blvd, Jackson.

The family requests donations in lieu of flowers be made to Highland Colony Baptist Church, 1200 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, MS; or to CARA Community Animal Rescue and Adoption, P.O. Box 231, Clinton, MS 39060.

We would like to honor our pallbearers and honorary pallbearers and thank them for their love and friendship: Ashley Ogden of Jackson, MS, Stan Kynerd of Tuscaloosa, AL, Kevin May of Brandon, MS, Judge Dewayne Thomas of Byram, MS,  Bill Hanks of Vicksburg, MS, Jim Carroll of Arkansas, Charles McGraw of Flowood, MS, Bill Lee of Madison, MS; Honorary Pallbearers, Kerry Walker of Memphis, TN, Randy Cody of Oma, MS, Jacky Burney of Clinton, MS, Richard Flynt of Germantown, TN, Ray Pickering of Madison, MS, Tom Cook of Madison MS, Langston Rogers of Oxford, MS, and Marlin Raines of Madison, MS.