Annie Lou Polk

Funeral services for Mrs. Annie Lou Polk will be conducted at 11:00 AM Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at Saulters Moore Funeral Chapel with the Reverend Ken Roberts officiating.  Interment will follow in the Ebenezer Cemetery.  Mrs. Polk, age 83, entered into the eternal rest of her Lord Friday night, May 12, 2023, at her home in Bassfield, surrounded by her loving family. 

The family will receive friends Tuesday morning, one hour prior to the funeral service, from 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM at the funeral home.

Mrs. Polk will be carried to her rest by her grandsons Benjamin Sinclair, Jacob Sinclair, J.W. Sledge, Joel Polk, Caleb Simms and Jonathan Simms.

 Annie Lou Polk was born on January 20, 1940 in Covington County, MS to William Luther and Cynthia Irene Jenkins Herrin.  After graduating from Prentiss High School, Mrs. Polk began her college education at William Carey College, before transferring to the University of Southern Mississippi, where she graduated with a double major in English and Elementary Education.  Afterward she would also earn her Master's Degree from the University of Southern Mississippi.  Mrs. Polk, a school teacher for 28 years, began her educational career in Gulfport, MS.  At a time when there were no special programs for emotionally handicapped children, she approached the school administration with the groundbreaking proposal of creating a class that would be tailored for children with special needs. Desiring to realize the full potential of this innovative concept, Mrs. Polk would go on to receive further training and become certified in teaching the Emotionally Handicapped.  After many years of teaching on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, she and her family moved from Gulfport back to the old home place in Bassfield in 1982. It was at this time of their relocation that she began serving at the East Marion High School, until her retirement in 2002.  Mrs. Polk had a gift for not only nurturing, but also communicating with children having emotional challenges; her fingerprint remains on many of their lives to this day.

 After moving back to Bassfield, her husband built a beautiful home, complete with its yard full of different flowers, which Mrs. Polk immensely enjoyed.  This home holds many happy memories and fond recollections will be cherished for many years to come of family gatherings, especially Christmas and Easter, where laughter was in great supply and love was abundant.  A great cook, she will also be remembered for her Chicken and Dumplings...which was a request not only at family get togethers, but also church dinners.  Mrs. Polk will be remembered, as one granddaughter described, "the glue that held the family together”. 

In her past time, Mrs. Polk also enjoyed painting and was also a talented seamstress, sewing clothes for family members.  In addition, she also enjoyed a good book and taught Ladies Sunday School at Bassfield Baptist Church, where she was a member for many years.

Mrs. Polk was preceded in death by her parents, William Luther and Cynthia Irene Herrin; her brothers, Arthur Herrin, William Herrin; brother-in-law, Boyd Sullivan and her sisters-in-law, Barbara Herrin and Joyce Herrin.

Her memory will forever be cherished by her husband of 61 years, Joel Wayne Polk of Bassfield; 3 daughters, Donna Joy Polk Sinclair (Ford) of Columbia, Brenda Ruth Polk Sledge (Jim) of Foley, AL, Linda Marie Polk Simms (Calvin) of Bassfield; her son, David Joel Polk (Sheila) of Hattiesburg; her sister, Sarah Sullivan of Bassfield; 3 brothers, Francis Herrin of Hattiesburg, Reverend Archie Herrin of Columbia, Tommy Herrin (Jeanny) of Hattiesburg and  sisters-in-law, Pat Herrin of Petal, Ann Herrin of Richton and her brother-in-law, Jerry Polk (Shirley) of Dawsonville, GA.  The legacy of their Maw-maw will also live on through her 12 grandchildren, Hope Sinclair, Benjamin Sinclair, Jacob Sinclair, Brady Sinclair, J.W. Sledge, Corrie Stuckey, Christina Berry, Kimberly Jasper, Ashley Raynes, Joel Polk, Caleb Simms, Sabrina Robertson, Jonathan Simms and also her 8 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to:

The Baptist Children’s Village
P.O. Box 27
Clinton, MS 39060-0027

Online condolences and a guest registry are available at www.saultersmoorefuneralhome.com.

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