Leesha Faulkner, 69
August 24, 1955 – September 17, 2024
Tupelo – Leesha Faulkner, 69, of Tupelo died unexpectedly September 17 at home after a lengthy
illness. Most recently, Faulkner had lived in Tupelo since 2014, working as Communications Director for the City of Tupelo during Mayor Jason Shelton’s administration, then as Curator of the Oren Dunn City Museum, the position from which she retired in 2023.
Faulkner was born in Macon, the daughter of the late Betty Jean Estes and the late George Lee Faulkner. Known throughout her childhood as Pixie, she graduated Louisville High School at 16, and briefly attended East Mississippi Junior College in Scooba. Her career began in print journalism, first at Southern Horseman in 1973, then moving to The Pearl Press, later The Press Chronicle, where she was eventually editor. In the mid 80s, Faulkner worked her way up the reporting ranks to the staff of the Jackson Daily News, then the afternoon newspaper and the Clarion Ledger. All along the way, she was widely regarded as a hardworking, sometimes fierce but always fair journalist. She won awards at every stop, and eventually moved from beat reporting to editorial writing and then on to in-depth projects including coverage of Neshoba County and the town of Philadelphia 25 years after the 1964 murders of civil rights workers James Chaney, Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman, helping to uncover the work of the Mississippi Sovereignty Commission, a state funded spy agency that investigated people alleged to be connected with or working in the Black freedom movement in the 1960s. She also traveled to Saudi Arabia in the runup to the Gulf War of 1991, reporting on Mississippians preparing to liberate Kuwait. One of her last and most difficult projects was living with and sharing the stories of gay men dying of AIDS at the Sandifer House, a hospice in Jackson, in 1990. All of this she accomplished without a college degree or any formal training in journalism.
She left journalism in 1991 to complete her bachelor’s degree, graduating Millsaps College in 1993. She pursued graduate study in history at Mississippi College, earning a master’s degree, and continued graduate work in history at the University of Southern Mississippi under the direction of Dr. Neil McMillen. Faulkner’s research interest was the civil rights movement in Mississippi, particularly the Sovereignty Commission she had reported on as a journalist.
Faulkner returned to journalism in 2000, founding a gaming magazine in Louisiana, then joining the staff of The News Star in Monroe, Louisiana. Her journalism work included time with the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, a period as Editor of the Greenwood Commonwealth, Editor of the Selma (Alabama) Times Journal, and a stint at the Lubbock Avalanche Journal prior to her 2014 return to Tupelo and her work for the city. After her retirement, Faulkner worked part-time as Programs Coordinator for El Centro and managed social media for Native Son Farms in Tupelo.
Away from work, Leesha enjoyed spending time watching her beloved Chicago Cubs and the New Orleans Saints. She dabbled in gardening, lavished affection on her little dog, Boo Radley, and loved spending time with family. She was an active member of the All Saints Episcopal Church in Tupelo, where she had recently been elected to the Vestry.
Faulkner was married twice, first to the late James B. Cooper, Sr. (Jim) of Brandon, with whom she had one son, James B. Cooper, Jr. (Buck) Their marriage ended in 1993. She was remarried to Jane Murdock in 2014. She and Jane had crafted a wonderful life together in Tupelo, enjoying quiet time together spent reading, watching British mystery shows and dramas, and loving on their three dogs: George, Jack and the afore mentioned Boo Radley. Jane and Leesha were beloved and active in their church community, particularly in the daughters of the King and the Episcopal Church Women. Jane graciously tolerated Leesha’s vegetarian cooking and Boo.
Jane, along with Leesha’s family, would also like to express their gratitude to Reyna Molina and her family for their loving care of both Leesha and Jane for many years, but especially while Leesha was hospitalized and just home from surgery.
Leesha is survived by her wife, Jane, her son, Buck and his wife, the Rev. Elisabeth Malphurs, grandsons Henry and Andrew Cooper, all of Jackson, Elizabeth Faulkner Boswell and her husband, David of Oxford, and beloved nieces Sarah and Rebecca Burr, of Oxford, UK and Denver, respectively.
A service celebrating Leesha’s remarkable life will be held at 10 AM Friday, Sept 20, 2024, at All Saints Episcopal Church, 608 W. Jefferson St., Tupelo, MS. 38804 with Fr. Philip Parker officiating. Her son, Buck, will deliver the eulogy. Inurnment will follow in the Church Columbarium. Visitation will begin at 9 am in the Parish Hall. Holland Funeral Directors is honored to be serving their friends. (662 840 5000).
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Leesha’s honor to the Tupelo-Lee Humane Society, P. O. Box 2143, Tupelo, Ms. 38802.
Condolences may be posted on Leesha’s obituary page at www.hollandfuneraldirectors.com.
Please follow the funeral home link above for further information, or to send online condolences or memorial gifts.
