PLANTERSVILLE / TUPELO – Kenneth Elmo Oswalt, a wonderfully colorful country man whose 86 years of living brought special meaning to his family and friends, departed this life from North Miss. Medical Center on Thursday, October 29, 2026 after a period of declining health. Kenneth was born May 22, 1940 in Lee County, the son of Durward E. Oswalt and Pearl Davis Oswalt. He was a graduate of Nettleton High School and attended ICC and Memphis State. He married Barbara Booth Oswalt on August 25, 1961, a marriage of 65 years.

Kenneth always had a profound love of the soil and growing crops. A full-time farmer since 1960, he farmed 1,000-acres in the Union Community south of Plantersville along with his sons, Mark and Jim and grandson Davis. He was a strong advocate for Mississippi and American agriculture and gave of his time and talents as a member of the state and national Corn Growers of America. Kenneth served as an active member of the Mississippi Soybean Association serving several years on their Produce Advisory Board. Additional service included appointment to the state FSA Board appointed by the President. He was a 3-time national winner of NCGA Corn Yield Contest and State Winner since 1990 before retiring four years ago but, make no bones about it, he was still the boss!

He loved knife and gun collecting and was fond of giving a case knife to preachers, teachers, coaches, and friends. He enjoyed farm auctions – any kind of auction! He was a member of the Priceville Baptist Church and faithfully watched the services of Faith Chapel in Nettleton on Sunday mornings. An original, Kenneth’s humor was legendary, he loved to encourage others, spin yarns and cherish his friendship with others. For those who ever spent time with him, he became a memory never to be forgotten

His life will be remembered at a funeral service at 2 PM Monday, November 2, 2026 in the Sadie Holland Memorial Chapel at Holland Funeral Directors in Tupelo. Steve Holland will speak, Brandon Presley will deliver the eulogy and Bro. Sammy Raper will deliver spiritual reflections. Visitation will be from 12 PM to service time Monday only at the funeral home. Burial will take place at Union Cemetery in Plantersville. For those unable to attend, the service will be livestreamed at 2 PM at hollandfuneraldirectors.com/live-streaming and will be archived thereafter. Holland Funeral Directors is honored to serve their friends and neighbors.

Kenneth is survived by his wife, Barbara, and sons- Mike Oswalt of Walls, MS, Mark Oswalt (Leah) of Plantersville, and Jim Oswalt (Kim) of Nettleton; grandchildren, Ian Oswalt, Farrah Oswalt, Dillon Oswalt, Marley Scruggs, Davis Oswalt, Evan Oswalt, Kaitlin Douglass, Claire Parchman, Grace Oswalt, and Cade Oswalt; great-grandchildren, Slater Scruggs, Lance Kent, Maddie Oswalt, Nash Oswalt, Rhett Douglass, Gray Douglass, Isla Douglass, Jordan Douglass, Taylor Douglass, Delta Parchman, and Beckett Oswalt; a host of loyal friends in Mississippi and around the country.

Pallbearers will be Ian Oswalt, Dillon Oswalt, Davis Oswalt, Evan Oswalt, Cade Oswalt, Sawyer Scruggs, Chris Douglass, Adam Parchman, and Lanston Kent. Honorary pallbearers will be Donald Fly, Billy Young, Fred Payne, Felix Rutledge, Billy Joe Holland, Raymond Clayton, William Park, and Mike Knight.

Condolences for the family may be left on Kenneth’s memorial page at hollandfuneraldirectors.com.