Lillian Lindsay Sledge Services will be held at the Episcopal Church of the Mediator at 11:00 a.m., Monday, November 18, with The Reverend Dr. Helen Tester officiating and Robert Barham Family Funeral home in charge of arrangements. Visitation will be from 9:00 10:30 prior to the service. Lillian Lindsay Sledge died in her home in the early hours of Friday, November 12, 2013. She was surrounded by her books, her stamp collection, and loving relatives and caregivers. Lil was born in Memphis on September 11, 1925, a daughter of Reuben and Thelma Pigford Sledge. Her early education was accomplished in the public schools of Mississippi. She loved to tell stories of the time she spent at Parchman, failing to inform the listener that her father served as superintendent of the correctional facility for several years. A graduate of Mississippi State College for Women (she had a hard time calling it "MUW"), Lil remained in Columbus after her graduation to work in the office of Alumnae Affairs. In 1948, she moved to St. Louis, MO, to serve as a hostess for the GM&O Railroad, traveling north to Chicago and south to Mobile. Lil had great fun, but did not feel like this was the place she wanted to put down roots. She returned to Mississippi in 1950 and was employed by the Mississippi Agriculture and Industry Board for one year before joining the National Cotton Council in Memphis. In her role with the Council, she traveled with the Maid of Cotton for three years. Although she loved seeing so much of the world in that capacity, she opted for a more stationary post in the New York office where she planned the Maid of Cotton trips and worked on other campaigns promoting cotton in high fashion. In 1956, Lil returned to Meridian for employment with American Can Company's Pulp and Paper Division. She worked in the area of employee relations, benefits administration and equal employment. In 1975, she was made manager of the Human Relations unit for the Naheola and Bellamy, AL, plants. She retired from that position in 1988, but continued to work as a consultant in the human resources field. In recent years, she has been a consultant for Southern Cast Products in Meridian. In retirement, Lil learned neither bridge nor golf. What she did do was travel extensively (she went to all the continents), read and re-read books, and collect stamps from all over the world. Her stamp collection served as the scrapbook' of all the places she visited with the Maid of Cotton, with countless friends, and with complete strangers who became friends. She was a member of the National Philatelic Society. Lil was an active member of the Episcopal Church of the Mediator, where she served on various committees, on the Vestry, and as Parish Administrator. She also participated in the Education for Ministry program. She had friends galore and looked forward each day to the late afternoon when she would gather with several of them to enjoy a glass of wine or, Lil's favorite, a bourbon highball.' Lil is survived by her two sisters, Anna Stinson and Thelma Kieckhaefer, both of Wilmington, NC; her nieces Catherine King of Wrightsville Beach, NC, Mary Ann Stankovsky of Kingwood, TX, and Lillian Rang of Big Bear City, CA; her nephews Fred Stinson of Rockville, MD, Tom Stinson of Huntsville, AL, David Stinson of San Antonio, TX, and Bill Kieckhaefer of Laguna Niguel, CA; and several great nieces, nephews, and devoted cousins several-times-removed (Bob Rea, Chuck Rea, Merry Rea Thomson, Pam Partridge, Dianne Walton, Hazel Harper and her family, among others). Lil's request was that remembrances be made to the Mediator or to the American Cancer Society. Family and friends may sign online guestbook at robertbarhamffh.com
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