Ethel Mae Fillingame

Our dear mother, Ethel Mae Fillingame, left this world for Paradise on February 20, 2024 at the age of 96. She will be greatly missed by all that survive her, but joyously reunited with those that have preceded her in death, including her loving husband of 56 years, James A. Fillingame II; her parents, Lera and Ike Fortner; her brother, Ike, Jr. (Bubba); and great grandsons River and Reed Skok.

Those that survive her include her children, Sandra Wolf (Denis), Drew (Sherry), Wayne (Lynn), Les (Barbara), and Richard (Tammie); eleven grandchildren; twenty-eight great grand children; and one great-great grandchild.

She lived in Gulfport, MS where she was born in March 1927 until after her high school graduation. She married Jim in 1946 and after four years at Mississippi State University, moved to Bay St, Louis where she lived for the last 73 years, with the exception of 10 years spent in Glenn Allen, Alaska.

Her life was one of complete devotion to serving her Lord and the family that was so blessed to have her as a wife and mother. She believed that you could tell where a person's heart is by seeing where they spent their time; and, true to that belief, she spent most of her life between home and the First Baptist Church where she served in many capacities including church secretary.  She shared a passion for gardening with her husband and enjoyed creating art with the flowers she grew and dried to perfection.  In the years following Jim's death she enjoyed traveling the world with her friends, the Lady Bugs. Spending every possible minute with her extended family was her greatest joy and while our Matriarch has passed, her legacy is the love that will forever live in our hearts.

Family will receive friends 10:00- 11:00 am Saturday February 24, 2024 at First Baptist Church of Bay St. Louis, 141 Main Street, Bay St. Louis, MS 39520. Funeral services will follow the visitation at 11:00 am.  Interment will follow the services at Evergreen Cemetery in Gulfport, MS.   

Riemann Family Funeral Home, Waveland, is serving the family.