- Date Of Birth: September 29, 1926
- Date Of Death: April 13, 2018
- State: Mississippi
Grace Stringer Vann Bush, age 91, of Gautier, MS, peacefully passed away at her home on April 13, 2018 in Gautier, MS. Mrs. Bush was born on September 29, 1926, in Lucedale, MS, to Otis and Evie Upton Stringer. She married Aulton Vann Sr. on April 29, 1943. She lived in various towns in Mississippi and Alabama due to military service of her husband and job opportunities.
She moved to Jackson County in 1954. In 1956, she and her husband, Aulton Vann, Sr. founded and owned the Aulton Vann Insurance Agency. In 1985, she became the sole owner of the agency after the death of her husband.
She was a charter member of the Zonta Club of Pascagoula, PTA Association, Insurance Women of Jackson County, Mississippi Insurance Agents Association, Professional Insurance Agents Association, Independent Insurance Agents of Mississippi and was an active member of the Calvary Baptist Church. In 2005 after Hurricane Katrina, she moved to Gautier MS, at which time she became an active member of the Martin Bluff Baptist Church.
She was known by family and friends as a successful business woman licensed both in Property and Casualty Insurance, mother of eight children, an avid hunter, fisherman, and cook. She was always asked to share one of her hunting stories and asked for her recipes, especially her squirrel dumplings she made for various wild game suppers. She mostly enjoyed being with her family.
She is preceded in death by her parents; her husbands, Aulton Vann, Sr.,and Charles M. Bush; a son, Thomas A. Vann; a daughter, Nancy E. Vann; a daughter, Anna M. Vann; a grandson, J. R. Graham, Jr.; Brothers, Emerson Stringer, W. T. Stringer, Edison Stringer and Charles Stringer.
She is survived by three daughters, Betty (John) Zimmerman, of Freeport, FL; Linda (Chris) Richardson, of Gulfport, MS; and Brenda (Wayne) Smith, of Gautier, and two sons, Aulton (Mary) Vann Jr.; of Pascagoula and John W. Vann of Gautier. She is survived by twelve grandchildren: Patti (Don) Ory, of Freeport, FL; Kim Nelms Ellis of Gulf Shores, AL; Johnny (Kathi) Nelms of Gulfport, MS; Michael (Brittany) Bruner of Atlanta, GA; Stephanie Tannehill of Madison, MS; Monica (Derek) Johnson of Madison, MS; Aulton (Anna) Vann, III, of Pascagoula; Jered (Heather) Graham of Ocean Springs, MS and Layna McBroom of Gautier, MS; Angelique Smith of Gautier, MS, Candice (Gerald) Bailey of Hurley, MS and Christin (Joey) Burlison of Gautier. MS.
She is also survived by twelve great-grandchildren: Josiah (Jeannie) Ory of Pascagoula; Adam Ory of Freeport, FL; Ryan Ellis and Bailey Ellis of Jackson, MS; Alexander Nelms, Patrick Nelms and Rebecca Nelms of Gulfport, MS; Aulton Virginia Bruner and Jones Michael Bruner of Atlanta, GA; Austin Graham of Ocean Springs, MS; Taylor Tillman and Gracie Tillman of Gautier, MS; Aiden Vann and Abigail Vann of Pascagoula; Zachariah Clemens, Isabelle Clemens and Jack Johnson of Madison, MS; Mary Clara Tannehill, Madison, MS; Emma Bai1ey and Allie Bailey of Hurley, MS and Cohen Burlison of Gautier. Three great-great granddaughters, Ann Grace, Emery, and Ellie Ory of Pascagoula, MS; Special friends, James Tisdale, Gautier, MS; and Joyce Tillman, Pascagoula, MS.
