Mrs. Kathleen Jacobs Mulcahy died peacefully on December 10th, 2020 at the age of 98 at the Delta Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center of Cleveland, Mississippi. Kathleen was born on January 21st, 1922, in Leland to Mr. John and Mrs. Mary Webber Jacobs. She grew up working at Jacobs, a dry good store, alongside her mother and father. In 1939, she graduated from Leland High School and attended Delta State University. In 1942, she was accepted to attend Chillicothe Business School in Chillicothe, Missouri, where she pursued her degree in business.
After completing her degree, she returned home and began to make changes at Jacobs. Shortly it was transformed from a dry goods store to a ladies ready to wear and children shop. Later, this shop became Jacobs of Leland showcasing bridal, formal and ladies ready to wear.
She met her husband, Donald Leonard Mulcahy formerly of Cleveland, Ohio, while he was stationed at the Greenville Air Force base shortly after the end of the Korean War. It was love at first sight and on January 24, 1957, they were married at the Leland Presbyterian Church in Leland, Mississippi. She and Don lovingly raised their only child Kathy and encouraged her to pursue her goals.
As life- long Leland resident, Kathleen worked tirelessly in the community. Among her many pursuits, in 1969, she was appointed to the Leland Chamber of Commerce Biracial Committee to help Leland reconcile race relations during a tumultuous time. She later served as a director of the Leland Chamber of Commerce from 1970 to 1974. During that time, she was also very active on the Leland Merchant Committee promoting local Leland businesses with her fellow merchants. She was also appointed by the Leland Advisory Committee to be on the Leland Beautification Committee. In July, 1977, Kathleen was elected as the first female to serve on the Leland Board of Alderman at the same time the first African American was elected to the Board. This was an extreme honor for Kathleen, and she served proudly alongside her fellow Board Members. She was a member of the Leland Junior Auxiliary and in 2000, she was chosen as the Queen of the Junior Auxiliary Ball which was a tremendous honor she held dear. She was also an active member of the Leland Garden club for many years.
She was a lifelong member of the Leland Presbyterian Church where, following in her mother’s footsteps, she taught Sunday School for over 25 years. She started her career in the nursery and worked her way up molding many young lives along the way. She was ordained as a Deacon in the church on January 5, 1986 and as an Elder on January 16, 2000. She served proudly in these roles as a leader of the church she loved and the people in it.
One of her passions was playing Bridge with her friends. She played with numerous clubs and rarely turned down an invitation when invited. Hours of laughing and bonding took place at these games, and she loved every minute of it. In addition to being a leader in her church and community, Kathleen was a wonderful loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and aunt. Above all her family came first and everyone knew it. She treated everyone she met like family. She was a witty individual who loved telling jokes and loved to dance. She was passionate about fellowship with family and friends.
She touched countless lives through her time at Jacobs, Leland Presbyterian Church and as a leader in the community. The world is a better place because she lived in it and she will be missed by all. Kathleen is survived by her daughter Kathleen Mulcahy Manning (Ray) of Leland. She is also survived by her loving grandchildren Mary Kathleen Manning Venable (Dustin) of Jackson, Mississippi and Donald Ray Manning (Jade) of Olive Branch, Mississippi, her four great-grandchildren Kathleen Ann Venable, Lillian Jacobs Venable, Harold Winford Venable, and Palmer Grace Manning. She is also survived by her nephews Michael Lawrence Smith of Atlanta, Georgia, William C. Hayes of Brentwood, Maryland and John Jacobs Hayes of Boston, Massachusetts, nieces Marolyn Yurkow Jones (Tom) of Madison, Mississippi, and Kay Yurkow Chudy (Mike) also of Madison, Mississippi and a host of great nephews and nieces that she loved very much.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Donald Leonard Mulcahy, parents, Mary and John Jacobs, brother, Lawrence Jacobs and his wife Virginia, sisters, Helen Jacobs Yurkow and husband, John and Mary Jacobs Smith and husband Smitty. Additionally, she was preceded by nephew, John Charles Yurkow and niece, Judith Ann Jacobs.
A private (family only) memorial is scheduled for January 2, 2021, at 11:00 a. m. at the Leland Presbyterian Church, with burial immediately following at the Leland Stoneville Cemetery under the direction of Boone Funeral Home, Leland. Friends are invited to attend the graveside services, and the service will be broadcast over Facebook for anyone who would like to join. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Kathleen Jacobs Mulcahy Future Women in Business Scholarship Fund at the Delta State University Foundation where a scholarship has been set up in her name or the Leland Presbyterian Church.
The family would like to thank Delta Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center of Cleveland and Halcyon Hospice for their kindness and support. We would also like to thank Magnolia Gardens for Greenville, Mississippi and Grace Hospice for all the love and care given to Kathleen while she was a resident. A special note of gratitude to long time caregivers Linda Carbs and Patricia Harris for the countless hours you spent taking care of Kathleen. We would also like to thank Tammy Clolinger and Doris Little from Grace Hospice for all your care and kindness.