Funeral services were held Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at Mt. Zion Baptist Church for Mrs. Olivia Gwyndetta Jones Edwards Magee, 94, who died Saturday, March 30, 2024, at her residence. Rev. Ozell White officiated with Dr. Hickman Johnson as eulogist. Interment followed at Griffith Cemetery in Prentiss.  Johnson Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Gwyndetta Magee was born to the late Calvin Valie Jones and the late Olivia Griffith Jones in Jefferson Davis County. After completing high school at Prentiss Institute she attended Tougaloo College graduating in Class of 1949.  She earned a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education. While at Tougaloo, she pledged on the inaugural line of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.  Upon graduation from Tougaloo, her career began as a teacher in Jackson Public School System. She was a member at Farish Steet Baptist Church. She met and married the late George Herman Edwards in 1953, to this union, a cousin, Edward Earl Edwards was adopted.

Mrs. Magee later received a Master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling from Mississippi College. She moved from the classroom to the office as a guidance counselor at Brinkley Junior High School in Jackson.  She later married her childhood friend, the late Isaac Earl Magee. He became pastor at Mt. Zion Baptist Church.  She became the guidance counselor at Prentiss High School and after retirement became a tutor, English instructor and reading instructor at Prentiss Institute.

She was an active member of Mt. Zion Baptist church, she formed the children’s choir, was pianist, and choir director of Senior choir, involved in Sunday School, senior mission, junior mission, Vacation Bible School, seasonal programs, Prayer Band and Bible study groups. She was also active in the NAACP, the Ministers Wives/Widows Auxiliary of the South Mississippi State Convention, the Mississippi State Federation of Colored Women’s Club, serving as president of Eureka Arts Club, the Women’s Mission Institute and the Zion Spring Leaf Association and Congress. Mrs. Magee served as a volunteer in schools and other organizations.

Mrs. Magee became involved in foreign mission work; traveling to Kingston, Jamaica with a fellow missionary, Henrietta Herron, working in the Christian Brethren Churches. She also went to Liberia, Africa.

She was preceded in death by her sister, Wilhelmina Jones Carter, son, Edward Earl Jones; nice, Pamela Carter; daughter-in-law, Gwendolyn Edwards Allen

Mrs. Magee is survived by three nieces who were like daughters, Wanda E. Carter of Tallahassee, Florida; Carol (Melvin) Thigpen and Allia (Michael) Jackson both of Jackson; step-son, Leonard Magee of Jackson; step-daughter, Cassandra Magee Reese of Merrillville, Indiana; 11 grandchildren; two great-nieces, three great-nephews; five dear cousins; seven close friends, Helen Hamilton, Edna White, Howard White, Shirley Laird, Rose Powell, Lela Rayburn and Ray Barnes; six caregivers, Rosetta Williams, Linda Hall, A’lisa Lampton, Lafarrah Gholar, Mary Lou Cooper and Mary Floyd; two special sons, Bobby Knight and Lavell Williams; companion, Sugah the Cat and many other relatives and friends.