Mary Bet Evans

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Mary Bet Campbell Evans, 87, of Pascagoula, MS, on August 6, 2025. Mary Bet was known by all for her gentle spirit, modesty in her talent and her unwavering optimism, and she will be greatly missed.

Born March 9, 1938 in Yazoo City, MS to Thomas H. Campbell, Jr. and Frances Hasselle Campbell, Mary Bet often described her childhood surrounded by family and friends as idyllic. She attended M.S.C.W and graduated from Ole Miss in 1959 with a degree in Education. In 1960, she married her high school sweetheart Stanley L. Evans and moved to Pascagoula, MS where she lived and raised her family. She spent her career as an English teacher at Pascagoula Jr. High and the 10th grade Annex until her retirement in 2000.

In her retirement, Mary Bet rediscovered her love for painting and began her second career as an artist. She tried her hand at pottery and fell in love with expressing her creativity in clay. She also took an interest in birdwatching and traveled around the country and as far as Italy, Belize and Costa Rica with friends to find special birds.

Mary Bet lived out her faith as an active member of St. John’s Episcopal Church, serving as a member of the Vestry, Altar Guild, Flower Guild, Women’s Ministry and Outreach Ministry, where she helped feed struggling families in our area for more than 25 years. She was the matriarch of the “Bad Girls” Sunday School Class at St. John’s.

She was an active member of the Singing River Art Association with her art displayed at the River Gallery in Pascagoula. Main Street Pascagoula asked Mary Bet to design and paint a large mural for the city, and, at 80 years old, she delivered. Pascagoula Pride honored her with the 2019 Aesthetic Excellence Award for her contributions to the beautification of Pascagoula.  

Mary Bet was preceded in death by her husband of 38 years, Stanley L. Evans, her parents, grandparents, and her brother, Thomas H. (Tommy) Campbell, III.

She is survived by her son, Stanley L. Evans, Jr. (Laurie) of Signal Mountain, TN, her daughters, Liz Evans of Pascagoula, Melissa Davis (Julian) of Hattiesburg, Mary Terrell Brooks (Doug) of Virginia Beach, VA and Catherine Miller of Pascagoula; her grandchildren Sarah Evans, Andrew Evans (Eden), Austin Evans (Iulia), Katelyn Miller (Josh Hendricks), Jared Brooks (Danielle) and Lizzie Brooks. She is also survived by her brother William T. Campbell (Meg), her sister Colleen Hatchett (Richard), her sister-in-law Phyllis Campbell, her in-laws Paul W. Evans (Karen), John Evans (Karen) and Candy Evans, and all her nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She had many special friends including her lifelong “Yazoo Girls,” and friends made through church, teaching, art, pottery and birding.

Visitation will be Monday, August 11, 2025, 9:30 – 11 a.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Pascagoula. Funeral service will follow at St. John’s with the Rev. Elizabeth Graham officiating. Interment will follow at Machpelah Cemetery in Pascagoula. Pallbearers are Andrew Evans, Austin Evans, Julian Davis, Thomas Hatchett, Jared Brooks, Josh Hendricks, Jim Peters, and Rex Jones. Honorary Pallbearers will be Rich Hatchett and Doug Brooks.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. John’s Episcopal Church Outreach Fund, to honor Mary Bet’s decades of service. Donations may be made online or by mail to St. John’s Episcopal Church, 3507 Pine St., Pascagoula, MS 39567.

The family would like to thank Mary Bet's doctors and nurses from Singing River Clinic, Singing River Cancer Center, Singing River Hospital, Singing River Skilled Nursing Facility, and the Hospice of Light for their extraordinary care.

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