Staff Report

Batesville residents this week are mourning the death of one of the most popular and respected educators ever employed by the South Panola School District.

Dorris Abson, 76, died Thursday. Her obituary is included in this edition.

Abson’s death comes just months after her husband, Bennie Abson, passed away in March. Coach Abson was also a very popular teacher and coach for many Batesville students.

She had taught in South Panola Schools for more than 41 years at the time of her retirement.

Social media pages were filled Wednesday night with messages posted by former students, many of whom remembered their teacher as the “hardest, but best” instructor they had in school.”

Ricky Swindle posted the following: “Sorry to hear Mrs Doris Abson passed away. She was my 8th grade history teacher & Lord she was T-U-F-F ! My 1st day at Northwest Junior College I was in Mr Howard Carpenter’s history class. He asked “Who in here is from Batesville ?” I raised my hand. He said “Are you one of Mrs Abson’s students ?” Told him yessir. “What was your final grade ?” I told him B minus. He said “You’ll be a straight A student here because one thing’s for sure if you came out of her class with a B minus, then son, you know history.” All these years later she never failed to hug & tell me she loved me every time I saw her. Great lady.”

Rev. Zannie Leland remembered Abson’s ability to cross the line from teacher to friend with all her students.

“As a teacher through her structure, she was more than just a teacher. She prepared you for life and prepared you to be a better person. She not only taught the facts of history, she also taught you how to stand on your own. She was an asset to the community and to the area,” Leland said.

“I remember we had to learn the preamble to the Constitution and she let us know there were consequences if we didn’t learn. I think I learned it overnight and I was the first one to say it,” he said. “Her structure was to your benefit. She wanted you to be your best and do your best at all times.”