Maxie Ruth (Walters) Fant

Maxie Ruth Fant, 85 of Wiggins, passed away Tuesday at Bedford Care Center in Petal. She was born October 10, 1935 in Jeff Davis County, the daughter of Artur and Betty (Garner) Walters, growing up mostly in rural Lamar County. The country life was her roots, with farming, gardening, cooking and more defining her childhood. In a time where dresses were expected of young ladies, Maxie picked cotton to earn money so she could buy her some jeans, partly because she wanted to slide down the bannisters at school. She married at 17 and moved around a bit, living in Louisiana, Texas, North Dakota and beyond over the years, but has been back in South MS for 15 years or so. She is remembered as a proud and dignified woman that carried herself very well, in spite of life's ups and downs. She had a green thumb and loved gardening, with roses, Christmas cactuses and peace lilies among her favorite plants to grow. Maxie also had a passion for fishing and was happy anywhere she could "wet a hook". More than anything, she loved her family and spending time with them. A visit from any of her numerous grandchildren...well that just made her day. In her spare time, Maxie could be found watching Gunsmoke, a John Wayne movie or Walker, Texas Ranger. She was a great, loving mother and grandmother, who was even referred to as a good mother-in-law. Maxie will no doubt be sadly missed by all whose life she touched. She was preceded by her parents, Artur & Betty Walters and all of her siblings: sister Myrtle Cook and brothers Estus, Joe, Eddie and Winston Walters; her first husband, Jessie Richardson and her second husband, Sanford Fant, and two grandsons, Joseph Richardson and Bobby Carden. Left to cherish her memories are her children: Dannie (Linda) Richardson of Lumberton, Billy (Lorraine) Richardson of Wiggins, David Richardson of Houston, TX, Iris (Larry) Bates of the Sunrise community, Dianne (Keith) Ford of Lumberton, Wesley (Rachel) Richardson of Saucier, Jamie (Rochelle) Fant of Montana and J. Lee Fant of New Hampshire. She leaves a long legacy of ninety-four (yes, 94 of them) grandchildren, which includes 25 confirmed grands, forty-two great-grands and twenty-seven great-great-grands, all of whom Maxie was so proud of and loved dearly. That's not to mention the many nieces, nephews, extended family, friends and neighbors she has known, down through the years. Funeral services are set for Saturday, April 24th at Trinity Funeral Services' McHenry location. Visitation will begin at 10:00 AM, followed by a chapel service at 11:00 AM, with Bro. Lamar Burkholder officiating. Afterward, Maxie will be laid to rest in Wiggins City Cemetery. Trinity Funeral Services is honored to serve Ms. Maxie's family in their time of need, asking everyone to keep them in your thoughts and prayers through this difficult time.

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