Graveside services for Mary Ellen Taggart Boykin, 90, will be at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 8 at the Greenville Cemetery in Greenville, MS. She passed away peacefully in her sleep during the afternoon of June 04, 2021 in her Brandon, MS home following a brief illness. Arrangements are under the direction of Boone Funeral Home, Greenville, MS.
Mary, who was affectionately known as ‘Doll’ since childhood, was born Dec 19, 1930 to parents William Stevenson Taggart Sr. and Mary Ellen Burt Taggart of Greenville, MS. She attended Greenville High School, where she was a majorette, and Delta State. She married her high school sweetheart, (Lt Col Ret) Arnold L Boykin, known by many as ‘Showboat’ who preceded her in death in 2018. Mary was an Episcopalian by faith, was affiliated with the Episcopal Church of Greenville, the Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral in Jackson MS and St Peters’ Episcopal Church of Oxford, MS, and enjoyed the friendship of three Episcopalian bishops, Duncan Montgomery Gray Sr, Jr, and the III.
Many of her beloved family members were present to celebrate her recent 90th birthday with her in her Brandon home on 12/19/20, each presenting her with a white long stem rose as a token of their love. She was very, very bright, courageous, never met a stranger, a great storyteller, and was blessed with a tenacious memory of her life’s experiences, as well as everyone’s birthdates. She had traveled to many parts of the world, was well respected by all for her love of architecture and certain designers, enjoyed a great sense of design and style herself, impressive business acumen, dry wit, loyalty, understanding of geopolitics and history, allegiance to and love of country, and most importantly, cherished her family and lifelong friends, many of whom she was able to continue to correspond.
She is survived by three daughters, all living in Mississippi: Mary B. Martinez of Ridgeland, Julia B. Weber of Benton and Cheryl Ann Boykin of Brandon. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Crystal L. Boykin of Brandon in 2012, Juan Antonio Martinez (Tony), her ‘favorite son-in-law’, in 2020. She is survived by nine grandchildren living in Mississippi and Guatemala; Rene Humphrey and her husband, Mike of Benton, Salvador Melgar and wife Marielisa of Guatemala, Anthony Martinez and wife Angela Grace of Canton, Scott Melgar and wife Carla of Guatemala, Stephan Melgar and wife Ines of Florida, Adam Lunn and wife Hillary of Florida, Kristin McMillian of Ridgeland, Daniel Martinez and wife Jenna Lepard Martinez of Brandon, and Shaun Lunn and wife Shannon of Gulfport.
She is survived by twenty four great grandchildren also living in Mississippi, Florida and Guatemala: Avery Martinez, Ayden Martinez, Ava Isabella Martinez, Abram Martinez, Lucy Beer, Connor Martinez, Noah Martinez, Carl Michael Humphrey, Alexandra Humphrey, Grace Humphrey, Sofia Melgar, Salvador Melgar IV, Valerie Melgar, Sarah Melgar, Mathew Melgar, Olivia Ann Melgar, Mikaela Lunn, Emma-Ryan Lunn, Katie Lunn, Addison Lunn, Cross Lunn, Haylee Lunn, Talan McMillian, and Ryker McMillian.
She is also survived by beloved nephews, nieces, cousins, great nephews and great nieces, and their families living in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas; Burt Taggart Jr and wife Gloria Jean, Max McWhorter Jr., Dale Taggart Montgomery and husband, Jimmy, William Stevenson Taggart III, (Steve) and wife Stacy, Bob Taggart and wife Susan, Danny Williams, husband of her late niece, Barbara, Steve Hassenfelt, wife Pam and children, Fletcher,
Zanne, Louisa, Craig, Beau, Adelaide, Fletcher, Finn, Molly and son-in-law, Camil, Maureen Clark, Tracy Loss, husband Dr. George Loss, and children Avery, Kaelin and George III, Whitney Chandler, husband Robert and her children Wesley and Brennen Henson, and Erica Phelps, Burt Taggart III, wife Lindsey, and children Adel, Sam, and Mira, Angie, husband Shelby Hazzard, the minister who will preside over her funeral, and children Logan, Marilyn Lauren (Mary), Micah, and Chloe, Jules, Annie, Foster, Easton and Isla, Zoe Taggart, Lily Taggart, Jennifer Montgomery Hanson, husband Matt, Jamie and wife Jordan, Mary Paige Poe and husband Mac, Lee Cossar Taggart and wife, Kailey, Carey Williams and wife Becca, Patrick Williams and children Braxton, Lilly Claire, and Bowen, The late Don Boykin, Stennis L J Boykin (Little Stennis), Callie McArthur and children, Emily DeCarvalho, husband Rob, their two children Sammy and Lilly, and son Mills, Ben Boykin, Sara Boykin, Kathy Boykin Zambrano and husband, Rene, Gabe Boykin and wife Valerie, Charlie Boykin, and Joshua Boykin.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, New York in her honor and remembrance.