By Rita Howell
Former Batesville alderman Bobbie Jean Pounders, whose civic activism spanned half a century, died last Thursday evening after a long battle with cancer. She was 76.

Funeral services were held Sunday at Batesville First United Methodist Church, where she was a lifelong member.

Pounders, a nurse by vocation, had been elected Ward 4 alderman in 1989, when she ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination, and found no Republican opponent. She held the office until 2009 when Eddie Nabors was elected to the post.

At a city hall reception honoring Pounders’ service at that time, she urged city leaders to “pay close attention” to issues and “make the best decision you can for the city of Batesville.”

Her service on the city board focused on revitalization and beautification efforts in the downtown area. She is credited with helping bring the Main Street Program to Batesville.

Far from bowing out of civic service after she left the board, Pounders channeled her energies into Main Street projects, particularly the establishment of a farmers market in 2010.

Throughout last summer, when her health was failing, Pounders actively supported the Square Market — manning the Main Street tent, and greeting vendors and customers who came to the Square on those hot afternoons.

Pounders was the daughter of the late Panola Sheriff Forrest Tuttle and his wife, Boonie Mae. She was a cheerleader at Batesville High School and a member of the school’s state championship basketball team in 1954.

For 52 years she worked as a surgical nurse at the Batesville Clinic, having gone to work there at age 16.

She served as vice chairman of both the Panola County Industrial Authority and the North Delta Planning and Development District, and also served on the boards for the Panola County Airport, the Panola Country Club and Batesville Main Street. She belonged to the Friends of the Library, the Panola Humane Society, the Batesville Rotary Club and served as president of United Methodist Women at Batesville First United Methodist Church.

She was a co-founder of the Panola Partnership’s Ambassadors, the red-coated team which represents the Partnership at events throughout the year. In 2004 she was named Ambassador of the Year. The Junior Auxiliary of Batesville named her its Charity Ball Queen in 1989 and its Citizen of the Year in 2001.
In 2009 she was inducted into the Mississippi Municipal League Hall of Fame.