Mary Eloise (Polly) Harris Hemphill, 97, died peacefully Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at home with family close by. A graveside service will be held Thursday, 1:00 PM, in the Lakewood Memorial Cemetery Pavilion, Jackson, Mississippi.

Polly was born August 29, 1923 and spent most of her young life in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. After high school, she joined her family in Tennessee where her father served as an operations manager for the newly formed Manhattan Project support facility at Oak Ridge. She was employed by Civil Service Administration and worked in postal operations within the facility. Her father's later move to Jackson, Mississippi led to meeting her future husband, James V. (Vic) Hemphill, Jr. Their marriage would, however, be delayed as World War II would see Vic's plane being lost and his spending the next fifteen months as a European Theater prisoner of war.

Upon Vic's liberation and return home, they were married July 23, 1945. Polly's boys were especially fortunate to have their mother work in the home and provide guidance, love and the occasional reprimand during those formative years that were so important then and now. Later, Polly provided office management in support of Vic's residential building business just as successfully as she provided in the raising of her two sons, James V. (Jim), III (Pam) of Starkville, MS and Ryland H. (Ry) (Teresa) of Brandon, MS. She was a member of Alta Woods Baptist Church and, with Vic's help, taught the three-year-old Sunday school class at Alta Woods for, we believe, over fifty years. Vic passed away in 2007 after their sixty-two years of marriage.

Polly also leaves four grandchildren, James V. (Bo) Hemphill, IV of Starkville, MS; Angie R. Hemphill, (Danti Poloni) of Pittsburgh, PA; Katy Hemphill Bentley (Matthew) and Ryland Harris (Harris) Hemphill, Jr. (Mallory) both of Brandon, MS; nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson.

Polly is predeceased by her father, Ryland O. Harris, and mother, Jane Dillard Kearney Harris, both of Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

Our mother taught us to respect others, pray without ceasing, love our children and to seek success through hard work. Her leaving will be hard for us but also for her beloved hummingbirds and backyard turtle, Myrtle.

Special thanks to Cheryl whose visits, commitment and friendship helped to extend Polly's self-reliance for more years than otherwise would have been possible. We would further like to recognize the caring neighbors of Bay Point subdivision (thanks, Frank) who kept close watch on "Miss Polly".

Please know also of our sincere appreciation to the good folks of Compassus Hospice and the daily care given by Lashun, Tina, Nesha of Compassionate Sitters.

If you choose, we know she would appreciate a gift in her memory to Salvation Army or the worthy charity of your choice.