Jane Mevelyn Baxter

Jane Mevelyn (Mev) Baxter died on June 13, 2026, at her home in Hernando, Mississippi. Mev was born on June 16, 1937, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, but grew up in Tupelo, Mississippi. After graduating high school, Mev attended the Mississippi University for Women for two years and transferred to Ole Miss where she graduated with a degree that included majors in Chemistry and English. 

After finishing college, Mev married Malcom (Mac) D. Baxter, Jr., M.D. on December 27, 1959, and moved to Hernando where they lived their entire adult life. Mev touched the lives of so many people and wore many hats well. She was a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a sister-in-law, an aunt, a great aunt, grandmother, great grandmother and a mentor too. She also answered to a number of different names in her life. While she was called Mev by many loved ones and friends, a lucky few called her their Momma. Still others, including her seven grandchildren, affectionately called her Veevee. Mev accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior early in her marriage, so she was also called a child of God.

 Mev had many wonderful traits and qualities. She had, for example, a great sense of humor and loved to laugh with family and friends. She also had the spiritual gift of teaching and used this gift to full effect in teaching her family about God’s spiritual truths in the bible, as well as the teaching she did for many years in women’s ministry bible studies. Above all else, though, Mev blessed people with her spiritual gifts of intercessory prayer and encouragement. She genuinely made you feel loved and special. Mev particularly used her gift of encouragement to spread the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to anyone who would listen and this is her lasting legacy to her family and to the friends who knew her well. 

Mev is predeceased by her parents, Clelon Wayne “Mike” Rutherford and Mary Alice Rutherford, and her husband of 60 years, Dr. Malcom D. Baxter Jr. She is survived by her four children, Melissa (Bill) Hamilton, Dr. Malcom E. Baxter (Chris), Michael W. Baxter (Tonya) and Mitchell David Baxter; survived by seven grandchildren, Alexander Hamilton, Maggie Gilmer (A.J.), Brent Baxter, Davis Baxter (Acacia), Emmy Vaughn (Kyle), Michael Baxter and Tyler Ming (Chase); survived by three great granddaughters, Hally Gilmer, Ada Gilmer and Emery Ming and two great grandsons, Simon Gilmer and Isaiah Gilmer; and also survived by her brother, Mickey Rutherford (Pam).

 In lieu of flowers, donations in Mev’s name can be made to Getwell Church, 1464 Byhalia Road, Hernando, MS 38632, or to St. Jude Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.