Funeral services for Mrs. Grace Virginia Dyess were conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, at Greens Creek Baptist Church in Carson, with interment following in the Greens Creek Cemetery.  Mrs. Dyess, age 79, entered into the eternal rest of her Lord early Monday morning, February 13, 2023, in Florence.

The family received friends Wednesday, beginning at 11 a.m. until the hour of service at 1 p.m. at Greens Creek Baptist Church.

Serving as pallbearers were Joe Allen Dyess, Brandon Dyess, Phillip Coates, Michael Bass, Alton Bass and Chris Robbins.

Grace Virginia Dyess was born on Aug. 25, 1943, in Jefferson Davis County, to T. W. Jr. and Ida Kate Dyess Bass.  Mrs. Dyess graduated from Bassfield High School and after a short time as a factory worker, began her career as a bookkeeper at the Piggly Wiggly Grocery Store in Prentiss.  It was here that she spent many fulfilling years at Piggly Wiggly making friends, waiting on her customers, cashing checks and performing other clerical services.  Known as a fixture at the grocery store, many people fondly remember that she basically ran the store and kept everything operating there.

Her family has warm memories of their mother and grandmother being the “glue” that held the family together.  These memories have now become treasures and will linger on for generations to come.  Sunday dinners were a very special time at Mrs. Dyess’ home.  As the family would gather in, they would enjoy home cooked specialties, prepared with love, such as her fried chicken and chicken and dumplings and spend the afternoon enjoying each other’s company.   In addition, Thanksgiving was a day that the entire family looked forward to. This was an especially important time of the year because it was tradition that after the Thanksgiving feast, all the family members pitched in and helped decorate her home and yard for the Christmas season.  Mrs. Dyess got a great deal of joy sharing the Christmas season with her friends and neighbors as they rode by to see the glistening lights and the many festive wooden cut-outs that adorned her homeplace.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Dyess was preceded in death by her husband, Joe Terrell Dyess in 2018 and also her brother, James Bass.

Her memory will forever be cherished by her daughter, Pamela Mann (Bobby) of Seminary; her son, Joe Randall Dyess (Donna) of Prentiss; a sister, Lorraine Barr of Prentiss and a brother, Roger Dale Bass of Mt. Olive.  The legacy of their Mawmaw will also live on through her grandchildren, Morgan Robbins (Chris), Destiny Nicole Mann, Joe Allen Dyess (Heather), Brandon Dyess (Courtney) and Phillip Coats, as well as her 8 great-grandchildren.

Online condolences and a guest registry are available at www.saultersmoorefuneralhome.com