Dr. Jean Ann Parra, 70, died March 9, 2007, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle. 

Services were today at 11 a.m. at Broadacres United Methodist Church in Columbus with 
Dr. Walt Porter and the Rev. Ron Thomas officiating. Interment followed at Vaughn 
Cemetery on Wright Road near Caledonia. 

Dr. Parra was born Jan. 9, 1937, in Columbus  to Mike and Annie Mae Hodges Parra. 
She graduated from Caledonia High School as valedictorian and MSCW magna cum laude. 
She earned her master's degree from The University of Mississippi and taught at Belhaven 
College in Jackson for five years. She did post-graduate work at the University of Alabama 
and earned a PH.D from George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, Tenn. 
She taught at the School of Engineering at Vanderbilt University for several years before 
returning to MUW, where she served on the Nursing Education Council, Board of MUW 
Employees Federal Credit Union and the Wesley Foundation Board. 

She was a member of the Mathematical Association of America and the National 
Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Phi Kappa Phi, Kappa Mu Epsilon and Gamma 
Sigma Epsilon, as well as being a sponsor of various student organizations and a member 
of major university committees. She received the Faculty Member of the Year Award in 
1995, and retired as Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at MUW in 1997 after 31 years. 

She was a member of Broadacres United Methodist Church where she taught a ladies 
Sunday school class for many years and served as church treasurer and board member. 
She was very active in the Wesley Foundation on the MUW campus, serving several
terms as president. 

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers, Mike Jr., 
William Edward and Jack Parra, all of Columbus; and sisters, Lola Mae Parra 
Robertson of Carthage and Juanita Parra Reeves of Columbus. She is survived 
by her brother, Samuel L. Parra of Columbus; and sister, Mary Parra Wiggins 
of Caledonia. Pallbearers will be the men of Broadacres United Methodist Church. 

Memorial may be made to the Wesley Foundation at MUW, 2224 11th St. S., Columbus, 
MS 39701; Lowndes County Humane Society, 13 Airline Road, Columbus, MS 39702; 
The American Cancer Society; or Broadacres United Methodist Church, 618 31st Ave. N, 
Columbus, MS 39705