Obit – Mrs. Agnes Ballou Givens

Mrs. Agnes Ballou Givens of Hartsville and a longtime resident of the Maces Hill Community, was pronounced deceased at 10:05 a.m. Monday morning October 9, 2023 at the Smith County Health and Rehabilitation Center in Carthage where she was admitted for respite care on October 5th. Mrs. Givens was 95.

Funeral services from the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home were conducted on Thursday morning October 12th at 11 a.m. Eld. Donald Taylor officiated and Mrs. Given’s sister-in-law, Wilma Ballou delivered the eulogy. Interment was beside her husband in the Amonette-Taylor section at the Dixon Springs Cemetery.

Mrs. Givens was the fifth of six children, five daughters and one son, born to the late Robert Lee “Dick” Ballou who died December 29, 1958 at the age of 60 and Hailey Alice Shoulders Ballou who died September 28, 1992 at the age of 80 and was born Kate Agnes Ballou in the Maces Hill Community on May 22, 1928.

She was preceded in death by a son, Travis Lane Givens, who died at the age of 54 of a heart attack on March 27, 2008.

Also preceding her in death were four sisters, Bertha K. Ballou Durham who died January 27, 1997 at the age of 78, Mattie Ruth Ballou Givens who died December 4, 2010 at the age of 86, Sally Marie Ballou Vaughn who died November 30, 1978 at the age of 55 and Ruby Ballou Gregory who died December 7, 1999 at the age of 80.

 At the Trousdale County Courthouse in Hartsville on August 19, 1945, she was united in marriage to Jackson County native, Edward Pearl Givens who died February 14, 1983 at the age of 61 following only thirty seven years of marriage.

Mrs. Givens was saved at the age of 16 in 1944 and was baptized into the full fellowship of the Maces Hill Missionary Baptist Church by then pastor Eld. Calvin (Cal) Gregory.

Mrs. Givens was retired from the former Carthage Shirt Corporation where she was a seamstress for over thirty years.

Surviving is her son, Ronnie Givens and wife Terry of Hartsville, with whom she had made her home the last seven years, brother, Billy Ballou and wife Wilma of the Green Grove Community in Trousdale County; six grandchildren, Philip Givens and wife Brandy of Hartsville, Teresa Justice Dennis and husband Chris of the Difficult Community, LeAnn McIntosh and husband Joe, Terry Givens and companion, Kelsey Dansby, Holly Stallings all of Hartsville, and Jason Marshall of the Green Grove Community; nine great-grandchildren, Taylor McIntosh, Justin Givens, Maleigh Lamb, Briley Stallings, Jasper Stallings, Hannah Justice, Dakota Dennis, Hailey Givens, and Case Givens.

The Givens family has requested memorials to the Dixon Springs Cemetery, Amonette-Taylor Section.

SANDERSON of CARTHAGE