Obituary

Elizabeth Robinson

August 25, 2021

Elizabeth Catchings (Brady) Robinson, 97, died peacefully on Saturday evening August 21, 2021.

Libby, as everyone knew her, was born in McComb, MS on November 22, 1923, to William Dudley and Velma Myers Catchings.  Her family owned Catchings Funeral Home in McComb, where she and her brother Billy grew up above the funeral home.  Libby graduated from McComb High School in 1941 as the valedictorian of her class.  She was a lifelong member of JJ White Memorial Presbyterian Church.

She married Julian Brady in June 1943 while he was in Navy flight school training for World War Two.  Over the next 26 years they moved from station to station as Julian chose to remain in the Navy after the war to pursue a Navy career. Stops along the way included Honolulu HI, Norfolk VA, Patuxent River, MD, Massapequa, NY, and New Orleans, LA.  Together they had three children, David, Carolee and Kevin.  Upon Julian's retirement from the Navy in 1968, they returned to McComb.  Julian continued his career as a corporate pilot and Libby worked for many years as the office manager at Southwest Mississippi Clinic for Women.

Julian died from cancer in 1985, leaving Libby a widow at age 62.  She lived alone until 1997 when longtime family friend and ex-Marine Corps Colonel RB Robinson came to visit Libby in McComb.  The Bradys and Robinsons had met while stationed in Patuxent River, MD and remained close friends through the years.  RB's wife Lavonne passed away from cancer and RB was traveling the country visiting with friends. A relationship blossomed and it wasn't long before RB proposed to Libby and they were married.  RB moved to McComb from St Louis, MO, immersed himself in the Church and community, and they spent seven fun-filled years together until his death (also from cancer) in 2005.

Libby spent the next 13 years again living alone at her house on Lakeshore Drive where she loved looking out the large windows at the peaceful lake, feeding the ducks and geese and enjoying the birds, squirrels, and honeybees. She also enjoyed spending time with her friends in the Church, reminiscing about old times and writing stories about the good life she had lived.  She moved to The Claiborne senior living facility in 2018 where she remained until her death.  At The Claiborne she made new friends and received great care.

In addition to her two husbands, Libby was preceded in death by her son David, a veteran of the US Air Force. She is survived by her daughter Carolee, her son Kevin and his wife Cheryl; a daughter-in-law Beth; five grandchildren, Ashley, Juli, Olivia, Jack and Ben; two great grandchildren Ingrid and Julian, and an extended family on both the Brady and Catchings side.

A service will be held Saturday, August 28 at 11 AM at JJ White Memorial Presbyterian Church in McComb, MS.  The service will be officiated by Pastor Charles Ray, accompanied by the Reverend Bob Phelps of JJ White.  Visitation will be Friday, August 27 from 5-7 PM and Saturday, August 28 from 10-11 AM, also at JJ White. The service will be available for viewing via Facebook Live at the JJ White Facebook page www.facebook.com/jjwhiteMPC .

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Gina Gill for years of loving care, companionship, and comfort.  She loved you like a daughter, and we can't thank you enough.

Memorials may be sent to the Building Fund at JJ White Memorial Presbyterian Church at PO Box 774, McComb, MS 39648 for the continued preservation of the almost-100 year old church.