Barbara Bennett Sloan Young

Barbara Bennett Sloan Young, born in Nashville, Tennessee, on July 8, 1916, died peacefully on March 28, 2020, having lived gracefully for all of her nearly 104 years. She was a longtime resident of Jackson, Mississippi, where she graduated from Central High School. She attended Mississippi University for Women and Millsaps College, where she was chosen Top Beauty and Favorite. She was also a cheerleader and a member of Kappa Delta sorority.

In 1939 she married John Sloan, and they had three daughters. Two years after his death in 1963, she was married to J. Will Young, who died in 1996, ending their marriage of 32 years.

Mrs. Young and her husband made several trips around the world, traveling to every continent and major island. In addition to travel, she enjoyed stitchery and bridge and belonged to Las Camaradas, Continental Bridge Luncheon Club, Pierian Club, Twin Pines Garden Club, Stitchery Guild, 75 Club, Gallery Guild, and the Country Club of Jackson.

Mrs. Young was an avid supporter of the Mississippi Museum of Art, the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children, Friends of the Jackson Zoo, and other civic organizations. She was an active member of Northminster Baptist Church in Jackson, where she regularly attended Mary Foose’s Sunday School class.

In 2006, Mrs. Young moved to the Village at Germantown in Germantown, Tennessee, to be near her daughters. She joined Trinity Baptist Church and belonged to the Upper Class Sunday School. On her 100th birthday, she went straight to the dance floor at the black-tie party held in her honor.

Mrs. Young was the mother of three daughters: Barbara Sloan Stribling Davis (J.T.) of Oxford, Mississippi; Patricia (Trissie) Sloan of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida; and Suzie Sloan Durbin (Michael) of Hot Springs, Arkansas.

She was “Gagie” to nine grandchildren: Sloan Stribling Hunter of Oxford; Susan Stribling of Oxford; Paige Stribling Recchia (Tony) of Greenwich, Connecticut; Wilson Stribling (Jennifer) of Madison, Mississippi; Ashley Best Mudd (Brian) of Lake Worth Beach, Florida; Barrie Best of Aliso Viejo, California; Laurie Best of Bend, Oregon; Beau Durbin (Sharay) of Hot Springs; and Taylor Durbin Leath of Little Rock, Arkansas. She also had three step-grandchildren: Robin Davis Wilson of Atlanta, Georgia; Richard Davis (Leighanne) of Birmingham, Alabama; and Alan Davis (Lauren) of Metairie, Louisiana.

She had sixteen great-grandchildren: Sam Hunter (Mary Shields) of Memphis, Tennessee; Lilly Hunter of Oxford; Charlie, Miles, Wyatt and Olivia Recchia of Greenwich; Roger, Bennett and Celia Stribling of Madison; Camden and Cole Petty of Aliso Viejo; Dylan Anderton of Bend; Henry and Miller Durbin of Hot Springs; and Leighton Sloan and Briggs Leath of Little Rock. She also had nine step-great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Young is also survived by two nephews: Bill Batson (Carol) of Anchorage, Alaska, and Benn Batson of Jackson.

In 2018, Mrs. Young welcomed a great-great-granddaughter, Anne Stribling Hunter of Memphis, with whom she continued to share laughs in the final weeks of her life.

Mrs. Young also had a wide circle of friends, most of whom she outlived, save for her devoted and beloved companion Dorothy Washington. She was also preceded in death by her mother, Laura Coffman Bennett; her father, Irl Emmett Bennett; her step-mother, Maye Courtney Bennett; her sister, Thelma Bennett Batson; her son-in-law Roger Stribling, Jr.; her grandson-in-law Kevin Hunter; and her longtime employee and friend Laura Cosby.

Memorial gifts may be made to Northminster Baptist Church or to a favorite charity. A celebration of her life will be scheduled at a later date.

The Ripley Funeral Home invites you to share memories with the family.

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