HATTIESBURG — Miriam Worrell Vance passed away on April 2, 2023. She was the seventh child of Frederick and Johanna Worrell, born a few minutes after her twin brother Malcolm at their home in Tchula on Dec. 22, 1929. 

She thrived in school, loving her work on the Tchula High School annual and her time playing basketball there. She was thrilled to attend the Mississippi State College for Women, where she was known to be a serious student and a serious prankster. While in college, Miriam spent a summer in Laurel working for The Laurel Leader-Call. She lived with her sister Mary Frances Whitman and her husband Whit, whom she adored. That summer, she met a dashing young man, Fred Vance, who swept her off her feet. They married and moved to Hattiesburg to complete their teaching degrees at the University of Southern Mississippi. Their first child, Martha, soon joined the family. 

Fred was called into service and they moved to Fort Sill, Okla., for his Army training, where their son Fred Jr. was born. Miriam moved with her two young children to the Lucedale area to teach while Fred was serving overseas. Upon his return, they took advantage of his G.I. Bill to go to Bowling Green State University Business School for an accounting degree. Miriam taught in Bowling Green during this time and their third child, Rebecca, was born in Kentucky. 

They moved back to Mississippi and Miriam went on to do what she was called to do — teach, first in Meridian, then Petal and finally in Hattiesburg. It was there that their fourth child, Sarah, completed their family. Miriam loved teaching! In more than five decades, she taught more than 5,000 students English and literature in the public schools. She served in many professional associations and on the SACS Commission. She took the greatest pride in the success of her many students and loved hearing from them as they pursued careers and had families of their own. 

Miriam's legacy will continue with her four children Martha Vance Sims (Larry), Fred Lee Vance Jr. (Susan), Rebecca Vance Cowart (Dick) and Sarah Vance Beets (Danny). She adored her 10 grandchildren, Tara Rouse (Scott), Katherine Taylor (William), Claire Haltom (James), Christine French (Jacob), Laura Sellers (Chris), Nicki Vance, Alan Vance (Jesse), Carrie Johnson (Dylan), Vance Williamson and Maggie Williamson. She was blessed with five great-grandchildren, Cale French, Dallas French, Jonathan Rayner, Presley Rayner and Houston Haltom. 

Miriam is survived by sister Emmaline Ware of Jackson. 

A Celebration of Life will be Saturday, April 15, at 11:30 a.m. at Moore Funeral Home in Hattiesburg. Visitation will be Friday from 5-7 p.m. and Saturday before the service from 9:30-11:15 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Laurel Jones County Animal Rescue League.

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