Biography: Virginia Marie Keesee Milwee, of Little Rock, passed away Monday, April 25, 2011. She was born June 11, 1939, in Lula, Mississippi. Her parents were Morris and Virginia Thompson Keesee. She grew up with her brother, Johnny. Marie attended school in nearby Clarksdale, graduating from Clarksdale High School. She went to Sophie Newcomb College in New Orleans, before graduating from Ole Miss in 1962. She majored in English, and her sorority was Chi Omega. After college, she taught English in Helena, Arkansas, as well as Gulf Port, Mississippi. Marie was courted by a young clergyman, Richard Milwee. They were married on November 3, 1965. Their daughter, Marion, was born in Benton, their son, John, in Pine Bluff. In 1984, they moved to Little Rock, though Marie continued to return to Pine Bluff for book club meetings, and to see her ophthalmologist and dentist. In Little Rock, she was a missionary (founding) member of St. Margaret?s Episcopal Church. She preferred traditional music and thoughtful sermons, or none at all. She entered the travel business, beginning with Poe Travel in 1985, working as a travel agent from then almost to now. She was at work Monday morning, busy and cheerful as usual, when suddenly she died. Marie was preceded in death by her parents, Morris Johnson Keesee, Jr., and Virginia Thompson Keesee; by the Ven. Richard Franklin Milwee, her husband; and by Marion Milwee Kingdon, her daughter. She is survived by her son, John Bradley Milwee and his wife, Jennifer Butler Milwee; by her son-in-law, James Reynolds Kingdon; by her brother, Johnny Keesee, his wife, Fran, her niece Kathryn Keesee, great-niece, Kenzie, and great-nephew, Benjamin. Her grandchildren are: John Richard Kingdon, Virginia Howell Milwee, and Marion Fletcher Milwee. Marie remained, all her life, a woman in and of the Mississippi Delta. She would have been comfortably at home within the pages of To Kill a Mockingbird, or a Tennessee Williams story. She lived Steel Magnolias, the sorrows with the joys. She was a devoted and loving daughter, sister, mother, grandmother and wife. She was a faithful Christian, and a gracious, stalwart friend. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the St. Margaret?s Episcopal Church Memorial Fund and the Psychiatric Research Institute (PRI) at UAMS. The Service of Christian Burial will be Thursday morning, April 28, at 10:00 o?clock, at St. Margaret?s Episcopal Church, 20900 Chenal Parkway. A reception will follow at St. Margaret?s, in the Virginia Mitchell Welcome Center. Arrangements are under the direction of Ruebel Funeral Home, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com
You have my deepest sympathy on your loss. Marie planned just one trip for me probably just after she started at Poe, but she was excellent and I have never forgotten her. It wasn't the trip or her expertise that made her so memorable, but her smile and her joy that I'm sure came from her faith. God has taken one of his own home. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.