Patricia Parnell Strong, 1949–2026

Patricia Gayle Parnell Strong, 76, of Starkville, Mississippi, passed away on Thursday, October 8, 2026, under the care of hospice following a short bout of pneumonia and a period of declining health.

Pat was born November 8, 1949, in Portland, Tennessee, the only child of Dee and Louise Cates Parnell. Soon after, the family settled in New Albany, Mississippi, where Pat grew up and graduated from W.P. Daniels High School in 1967. She sang in the choir, took part in various clubs, worked on the yearbook staff, and discovered in her typing class that she was a force to be reckoned with. The family was active in New Albany Presbyterian Church.

Pat attended Mississippi University for Women, graduating in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science and a teaching certificate. She loved her years at “the W” and the friendships she formed there. It was during that time she met Kenneth Gerald Strong at a “W” social club and MSU fraternity mixer, and it was love at first sight. They were married on June 28, 1970, and moved to Auburn, Alabama, where Ken attended veterinary school. After he graduated, their next adventure took them to Jackson, Mississippi, where their first daughter, Amy Gayle, was born in 1975. Pat embraced motherhood with her whole heart.

An opportunity to open a veterinary clinic brought the family to Cleveland, Mississippi, where they settled for the next decade. They welcomed their second daughter, Emily Elisabeth, in 1980. Pat and her family were active members of Covenant Presbyterian Church, where they grew deep in the Christian faith that became foundational to their life together. When she wasn’t helping at the veterinary clinic, Pat was home with her daughters or finding ways to be creative through sewing and other crafts.

In 1988, the family moved to Forest, Mississippi, where Pat spent the next 33 years. She was an active member of Forest Baptist Church and worked as a secretary in the Forest Municipal School District. Life was full of kids growing and graduating, church involvement, retirements, and friendships that would last the rest of her life. She celebrated 48 years of marriage to Ken before his passing in 2018.

Pat moved to Starkville in 2021 to be close to her daughter, Amy, and they shared nearly five years together before Amy’s passing in April 2026.

Pat was a devoted daughter, wife, mother, family member, and friend. She was genuinely curious about people and quick to encourage others whenever she had the chance. If you knew her, there was a good chance you received a card in the mail at some point, with a newspaper clipping, birthday wishes, or simply a note to let you know she was thinking of you. She was a woman of faith and a prayer warrior who lifted up those she loved. But of all the roles Pat held throughout her life, being a mother brought her the most joy.

Pat was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Gerald Strong; her daughter, Amy Gayle Strong Loggins; her parents, Dee and Louise Parnell; her parents-in-law, Gerald and Maxine Strong; her sister-in-law, Annelle Shelburne; and her brother-in-law, John Hobbs, Sr.

She is survived by her daughter, Emily Strong Rutzky; her sons-in-law, Robert Rutzky and Roy

Loggins; her grandsons, Jacob Hunter Loggins and Boyd Ellis Rutzky; her sister-in-law, Jerolyn Strong Hobbs; and her nieces and nephews, Amanda Shelburne Izard, John Kelly Shelburne, and Matthew Hobbs.

Pat will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and community. Perhaps what we will miss the most are her phone calls, those simple but meaningful moments of connection through which she so generously shared her love. Whether offering a listening ear, a word of advice, a good laugh, or simply a chance to catch up, Pat had a beautiful way of making everyone feel seen and heard.

A visitation will be held at Ott & Lee Funeral Home Chapel in Forest, Mississippi, on Monday, October 12, 2026, beginning at 10:30 a.m., followed by a funeral service at 11:30 a.m. Pat will be laid to rest privately alongside her beloved husband, Ken, at Eastern Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Forest Baptist Church.