Jessie “Tussy” Pannell, 81

December 14, 1944  –  February 12, 2026

Some men are born into hard soil and still grow a legacy that shelters generations.

Jessie Lee Pannell was one of those men.

He took his “First Breath” on December 14, 1944, born to sharecroppers Johnny and Sally Pannell. From the very beginning, life taught him about work, endurance, and faith. As the third child in a family shaped by the land, Jessie learned that nothing worth having comes without effort. The soil beneath his feet was hard, but it produced strength in him that would carry him through a lifetime.

Those early days in the fields were not just about labor. They were about lessons. Lessons in responsibility. Lessons in humility. Lessons in perseverance. Jessie carried them all with him, and they became the roots of the man he would become.

Then came love.

Jessie met a beautiful, chocolate young lady with big, long legs named Annie Jay Davis. From the moment their paths crossed, something settled in his spirit. On November 17, 1967, she became his wife. It was clear from the beginning; it was him for her and her for him. They always had each other’s backs, vowing to do anything for one another and for each other’s families. Together, they built a home filled with grit, laughter, discipline, and deep love. They raised five children and opened their hearts to several more along the way. Their marriage was not just a union; it was a partnership anchored in loyalty and strength.

Let’s talk about the work behind the man.

A sharecropper by training, an entrepreneur by spirit, and an industrial worker and mechanic by trade, Jessie was never afraid of hard work. He fixed what was broken, built what was needed, and provided for his family with pride and consistency. If something didn’t run right, he would find a way to make it run. If something was torn down, he would rebuild it. His hands told stories; calloused, steady, dependable. His work became the first foundation of a legacy enriched by purpose and power.

Jessie’s siblings were his first friends, and his cousins quickly followed. Jessie was a friendly man, loved by all. He could step into a room and make it warmer simply by being there. He laughed easily, told stories freely, and carried himself in a way that made people feel seen.

But above all else, Jessie Lee Pannell was a family man.

Known as one of the family favorites, his siblings and close family friends called him “Tussie.” He proudly wore the title Uncle Jessie, not only to his nieces and nephews, but to every young person he met. To many, he was guidance. To others, he was protection. To his children, he was everything steady and strong.

When you were looking for Jessie, you could often find him in his garden, hands in the soil, tending life the same way he tended his family, with patience and care. Or he would be sitting along the riverbank fishing, at peace with the land and the water. And when he wasn’t there, he was likely traveling the back roads of Mississippi, rarely missing a blues festival and never missing a chance to enjoy life. Family favorites don’t earn that title by sitting still.

Jessie was often the life of any gathering, bringing laughter, stories, and presence wherever he went. Yet his joy never outweighed his devotion. He seldom missed a Sunday supporting his son in ministry, faithfully attending and bringing others with him to The Message Center Church in West Point, Mississippi. His faith was not loud for attention. It was steady in action.

When the time came for Jessie to take his final rest, he was not alone. Surrounded by the very family he had spent his life loving, leading, and protecting, he quietly entered into eternal rest. In a room filled with familiar voices, tender touches, and hearts that had been shaped by his strength, he slipped peacefully from this life into the arms of eternity.

His children carry his legacy forward:

Orlando (Chandra), the oldest, would say, “Daddy taught me to work smart, not hard.” And it shows in how he pursues life. Orlando continued the legacy through his three children: OJ, Anniyah, and Jessica.

Alfrazo (Teresa), the one who looks most like him, would say, “He’s my hero. For 13 years it was just me and my Daddy. I was his shadow and never far from his side.” Fray continued the legacy through his children: Kymlaisha (Daddy’s first grandbaby), Louella, Lillian, Juwan, Iesha, Johnathan, and Victoria.

Angela, his first baby girl, would say, “If God asked me who I would want as my Dad, I’d still choose you.” Angela continued the legacy through her twin son and daughter: KJ and Kalleona.

Sherithia, his second baby girl, holds her own memories close to her heart. Rita continued the legacy through her children: Sherjuan, Hannah, Mackinly, and Mackaly.

Shamaine, the last baby girl, would say, “Daddy, I just want to stay the baby,” and continued the legacy through her son, Jaylen.

He will be sorely missed by his siblings and their spouses: Johnny Pannell, Tommy Pannell, Susie (James Larry) Vaughn, Ruby (Raymond) Berry, Linda (Sherman) Shelton, Alfredia (Dennis) Douglas and James Hokey. He also had a special place in his heart for his in-laws who were more like siblings: Ersell Pannell, Cloyzell Satterwhite, Willie Shelley, Bishop Levora Davis, Magnolia Freeman, Shirley Montgomery, Marilyn Davis and Jerry (Sandra) Davis.

Jessie also leaves behind his great friend, Otis “Nicky” Wilson, Emmanuel, Jyasia, Sannia, and Keegan, all cherished parts of the legacy he built.

Before Jessie made his own peaceful transition, he had already endured some of life’s deepest goodbyes. He laid to rest the love of his life, his devoted wife, Elder Annie Jay Davis Pannell, the woman who walked beside him through seasons of joy and struggle. He also honored the lives of his parents, Johnny and Sally Pannell, the very hands that raised him and the roots that grounded him.

He carried the sorrow of saying farewell to his siblings, William (Sonny) Pannell, Sammie T. Pannell, Octavious Pannell, and Mary Etta Shelley, who shared his childhood, his stories, and his bloodline.

And perhaps most tender of all, he bore the quiet weight of losing his grandchildren, Jessica Leigh Monet Pannell, Ace Keymon Pannell, and Chosen Amir Barry, little lives forever woven into his heart.

Though those losses shaped him, they never broke him. Instead, they deepened his faith, strengthened his resolve, and reminded him daily of how precious family truly is.

Jessie Lee Pannell leaves behind more than memories. He leaves a legacy of hard work, deep love, laughter, and faith lived out loud. His life was a testimony written in calloused hands, open doors, and a heart that never forgot where it came from. While our hearts feel his absence, heaven receives a man well-loved and well-lived.

His story does not end here. It continues in every life he touched, every lesson he passed down, and every room that feels warmer because he was once in it.

Please follow the funeral home link above for further information, or to send online condolences or memorial gifts.

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