Susan Kean Moates, long time resident of West Point, Mississippi, passed away at the Waterford in Ridgeland, Mississippi on February 27th 2014 . Mrs. Moates was 94 years old. She grew up in the small community of Sessums, Mississippi, seven miles from the Mississippi State Campus, where her father had settled after moving from Canada.
Mrs. Moates graduated from Mississippi State University and began teaching at West Point High in 1944. She taught until 1968 at West Point High after which she developed a business program at the Golden Triangle Vocational School in Mayhew MS. She retired from the Golden Triangle in 1989. Throughout the years, Mrs. Moates provided students with professional experiences that would help them find jobs.
She served on the Board of Trustees of East Mississippi Community College and remained interested in education her entire life. She was an advocate for education and was always aware of the legislation affecting teachers and schools even to her last days.
She enjoyed bridge, cruises, and her friends and family. Mrs. Moates loved West Point and thought there was no other place like it. She was active in her church and community events. She enjoyed watching students that she taught grow up and become leaders in West Point.
Mrs. Moates is preceded in death by her husband, Robert L. Moates; sisters Betty Turnipseed of Weir, MS and Isabel Kean and brother Jack Curry Kean, Jr.of Sessums, MS. Surviving her are neices and nephews James and Edward Turnipseed of Weir, MS; Jack C. Kean, of Pelham AL; Rebecca Starling, of Jackson, MS; Susan Ard of Louisville, MS; and Steven Kean of Brandon, MS., all of whom she treated as her own children. She is survived by eighteen great neices and nephews and five great great neices and nephews.
Mrs. Moates has lived at The Waterford retirement center for the last seven years after moving from West Point. Funeral services for Mrs. Moates will be Sunday March 2 at the First Presbyterian Church in West Point at 2:00 p.m. with visitation with the family at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church or the Palmer Home in Columbus.