The Lena Byrd Jones and Ted Thames Pendley Council Scholarship

Gail Jones Pittman of Ridgeland is known internationally for the exquisite work she creates as a pottery artist. Through a Women’s Council Scholarship at her alma mater, she has chosen to honor the memory of her two grandmothers — Lena Byrd Jones and Ted Thames Pendley — who helped shape and mold Pittman’s life.

“Although my grandmothers were so very different, they had a tremendous influence over me and with how I turned out,” the granddaughter said.

Pendley of Jackson was a single mother who worked in a shoe store and took care of her own mother while raising her family. “Her life was really shaped by the Depression, and her work ethic was huge,” Pittman said.

Jones of Philadelphia led more of a life of privilege and service, Pittman recalled. “Her father was a U.S. congressman, and she was a great community leader. She established the first library for the Choctaw Indians in Neshoba County, and every Sunday she went to the hospital to visit the sick,” the artist said.