Mollie Jane Welborn Blackledge, 88, of Laurel passed away Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022 at Picayune Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Picayune. She was born Thursday, May 24, 1934, in Laurel.

She graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor of Business Education and a master’s in gifted education. She retired from teaching at the age of 72, having taught at Pineville, Stringer, USM and Southeastern Baptist College. Mollie loved teaching and loved her students even more. She was a devoted mother to her two children. She loved reading and living in the country.

Visitation will be Tuesday, Dec. 27, from 9:30-11 a.m. at Colonial Chapel Funeral Home in Laurel. A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. at the funeral home and burial will be in Union Line Cemetery in Soso.Brother Joey Harris will officiate. Colonial Chapel Funeral Home of Laurel is in charge of arrangements.

She was preceded in death by her husband Clayton “Pete” Blackledge; father Almond Edison Welborn; mother Ruby Gilbert Welborn; brother Herman Welborn; and sister-in-law Martha Doris Welborn.

Survivors include her son Joel Blackledge (Shelly) of Gulfport; daughter Jane Brockway (David); grandchildren Benjamin Brockway, Mollie Brockway and Joelly Blackledge; brother Joe Welborn (Barbara); and a host of nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Benjamin Brockway, David Fiveash, Mel Fiveash, Chris Blackledge, Douglas Gray and David Welborn.  

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Diabetes Association, the Alzheimer’s Association or Southeastern Baptist College.

An online guestbook may be signed at www.colonialchapellaurel.com.

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