Frances Winstead Mccraw

Graveside services for Frances Elizabeth Winstead McCraw will be held Thursday, October 12, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. from Mount Olive Church Cemetery in the House Community with Rev. David Perry officiating. Visitation will be held Thursday, October 12, 2023 from 12 noon until departure time from McClain-Hays Funeral Home. McClain-Hays Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Frances Elizabeth Winstead McCraw, 94, died October 5, 2023 at her home in Wiggins, MS. She was born October 14, 1928, to the late Marshall Coleman and Effie Mae Beeson Winstead of Neshoba County, in the home built by her father on the land given to him by his parents, Dempsey and Mary Cedonia Peebles Winstead. She was named for two aunts, Frances Mosley and Elizabeth "Lizzie" Winstead, who were attending her mother at her birth. Frances began school in Bethsaida then attended Longino, House, and Bloomo Schools in Neshoba County. At a revival meeting at Mount Olive Baptist Church, Frances was saved at 16 and in the ensuing years served as Sunday School teacher and church treasurer. Later, she joined the First Baptist Church of Union and was active in the senior women's class and the WMU. During World War II, Frances kept a scrapbook and wrote to the soldiers, especially to her relatives, who were serving. One of the local soldiers to whom she wrote was Johnnie McCraw from the Herbert Community of Neshoba County. When he came back from the war, he invited her to a movie. Johnnie and Frances were married on November 30, 1946. Two daughters soon followed. Frances enjoyed fishing, crocheting, gospel music, sewing and traveling. She was a member of the County Line Home Extension Club and was the recipient of the Neshoba County Homemaker of the Year award. After retiring from work at Laird’s Hospital, she became a member of the Laird’s Volunteer Ladies Auxiliary. She received the Volunteer of the Year award at Laird's. She also served as a poll worker in elections. One of her greatest joys, however, was spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She inspired her granddaughter, Elizabeth, to crochet, just as her namesake, Lizzie Winstead, had taught her. Frances is survived by her daughters, Doris McCraw Matthews (Thomas) of Wiggins and Donna McCraw Bonney (Joseph) of New Orleans; grandchildren, Thomas M. Matthews, III of Perkinston, John M. Matthews (Buffy) of Wiggins, Daniel (Dee) M. Matthews of Oxford and Elizabeth M. Bonney of Denver, CO; great-grandchildren; Katherine Matthews of Perkinston, Meredith Matthews of Wiggins, George and Helen Matthews, of Oxford; brother, Oren T. Winstead of Biloxi; nephews, Larry Rigdon of Goodview, Virginia and Wayne Winstead of Carthage and Phillip Nelson of Philadelphia; nieces, Judy Fryant of Pearl, and Patricia McKinzie of Louisville and Sharon Stokley of Birmingham, AL. Frances was preceded in death by her grandson, Eric Bonney; brother, Waddell Winstead; sisters, Doris Winstead, Juanita Rigdon and Bonnie Nelson. Pallbearers are Willian McKinzie, Jeff McNair, Scott McNair, Wayne Winstead, Phillip Nelson, Tom Matthews, III, John Matthews and Dan Matthews. Honorary pallbearer, James Stokely.