Barbara Jo Hutchinson Malone | Obituaries

Barbara Jo Hutchinson Malone, 69 years and 10 months, of Ellisville entered her new body and heavenly home on Dec. 31, 2023 surrounded by her family and friends at her residence. She entered those pearly gates of home with them singing “Peace, Peace and How Beautiful Heaven Must Be” surrounding her.

Barbara was the baby daughter of Bruce Lamar and Josie Von Dee Davis Hutchinson of Laurel. She attended R. H. Watkins High School, Jones College and The University of Southern Mississippi. She cared for thousands of area families over 30 years’ ministry in health care through various roles at South Central Regional Medical Center. She was beloved by patients, families and those she worked with. She was highly decorated and past employee and nurse of the year several times. She also spent several years in the advertising department of Gibson’s corporate office in Laurel before entering nursing.

While she loved working in health care, her heart and soul was her family and church family. She met the love of her life Max Malone at Christ Ambassadors youth rallies. They were married at First Assembly of God by Pastor Ray Gene Hancock and spent just shy of the next 50 years together. A true prayer warrior, she continued a long heritage in her family of Proverbs 31 women. 

She is the best friend and mother to Jeremy Max Malone, her first baby and son. She was the proud mama, mentor and buddy of Jennifer June Malone (Daniel Laseter), her over-achieving daughter. She was second mama to her nieces Sharla Lott Hodge (Alex) and Daneille Hutchinson Todd. She first became a Nonnie to her great-nieces Anna Grace Todd and Maggie Todd. She retired to be the full-time Nonnie to Jensen Scott Malone Laseter and Daxton Davis Laseter (her last baby).

She is a sister to Nelda (James) Sellers, Juby (Ann) Hutchinson, Margie (Terry) Donald Osbourne, Kashie (Ronnie) Lott and Jane (Tommy) Malone Byrd, and loved her brother-in-law Albert (Rita) Leggett. She had two honorary sisters, Beverly Gail Davis Rushing, and Cindy Craft. She was the leader of the “14th Avenue Crew” to her nephews Walter (Connie) Leggett, Bruce (Peggy) Leggett, Donnie (Paula) Hutchinson, Johnny (Angie) Sellers, Lynn Sellers and Jimmy

Sellers.

Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, at Memory Chapel Funeral Home. The funeral service will be at Evangel Temple at 2 p.m. Sunday, with interment to follow in Bethel Baptist Church cemetery. Pastors Marcus Rooks and Glenn McElhenny will officiate.

Her request was bright colors (she loved red) and be happy! She would say, “Do not believe it if you hear I’ve died. I’ll be more alive than I’ve ever been.”

The family requests that the men and women she worked with at South Central Regional Medical Center be honorary pallbearers.

To sign the online guestbook, visit www.memorychapellaurel.com.

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