Jessie Mae Kirkland

“As I hang my head and cry; Well, I guess this is goodbye;

Sometimes even angels die.” Lucas Wright

Jessie Austin Kirkland, age 77, passed away on Thursday, February 13, 2025, at the Jackson Madison County General Hospital. Funeral Services will be conducted on Monday, February 17, 2025, at 12:00 P.M.in the Chapel of the Brownsville Funeral Home, with Bro. Alan McCall officiating. Burial to follow at the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Monday, February 17, 2025, at the Brownsville Funeral Home from 11:00 A.M. until the service hour at Noon.

Mrs. Jessie was born on August 4, 1947, to the late Robert Marion Austin and the late Etta Mae Lashley Austin McDowell. She attended Morris Chapel of Somerville, TN and Mt. Pleasant Church of Whiteville, TN. Mrs. Jessie was an avid reader and worked as the manager of The Book Store in Lakeland for many years. She loved to sew and crochet and collected all kinds of crystal and glass. She also enjoyed writing in her journals and writing poems, especially for her family. Mrs. Jessie also volunteered for MIFA for over nine years. She was also preceded in death by her husband: Richard “Pap” Kirkland; one daughter: Sharon Denise Kirkland Boullion; one brother: Robert Rickey Austin; three sisters: Linda Faye Cannon, Sandra Nell Goodman, Peggy Jean Austin; and two grandsons: James Michael Kirkland and Jason “Kirk” Boullion.

She is survived by two brothers: Billy E. Austin (Barbara) of Whiteville, TN, Ronnie Ray Austin Southaven, MS; one sister: Caron Shackleford (Johnny) of Memphis, TN; three grandchildren: John Adam Boullion, Jessica Boullion Wright (Ricky), Harry Bates; and five great-grandchildren: James Boullion, Nathan Wright, Steven ‘Scooter’ Boullion, Lucas ‘Gabe’ Wright, Brayden ‘Bray-bray’ Wright. And a host of nieces and nephews.

Serving as pallbearers are James Boullion, Nathan Wright, Steven ‘Scooter’ Boullion, Lucas ‘Gabe’ Wright, Billy Austin, Jr., John Adam Boullion. Honorary Pallbearers are Jimmy McBride and Richard Wright.

In lieu of flowers, Memorial can be made to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.