Mary Elizabeth Williamson Crossman

Mary Elizabeth Williamson Crossman, age 92, a resident of Brandon, MS passed away at her home surrounded by her loving family on Friday, April 11, 2025.

Visitation will be held Friday, April 18, 2025 from 5pm-8pm at Ott and Lee Funeral Home in Brandon and

2nd visitation will be held Saturday, April 19, 2025 from 9am-11am at Ott and Lee Funeral Home in Brandon.

Graveside service will be held at 1pm Saturday at Lakewood Memorial Park on Clinton Blvd.

Ott and Lee Funeral Home in Brandon is honored to serve the Crossman family.

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Mary Elizabeth Williamson Crossman of Brandon, a longtime employee at Mississippi State Hospital at Whitfield Mississippi, passed peacefully from this world at her home and has entered into Gods’ loving hands.

Mary was born May 1, 1932 in Decatur Mississippi, where she spent most of her early childhood. After finishing high school she and her mother, Lorene (Munn) Bassett, moved to Pearl Mississippi. Mary met and married John Carlton Williamson and lived in in Pearl for 20 years. In 1973 Mary moved to Brandon and was subsequently married to Lyman (Lee) Crossman until his death in 1988. Mary was preceded in death with the passing of her mother (Lorene) in 1999, her Aunt’s Mary Jo (Munn) Samokar, Irene (Munn) Lanham and Uncle Olen Munn.

On January 9th 1951, Mary joined the Communications staff and Mississippi State Hospital and the age 18. Four months later she was named head of the Health Records Department where she remained until her retirement in July of 2013 at the age of 81. In September 1999 Mary Crossman RRA received the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Role Model Award. She served as a role model for health information management (HIM) students and inspired and encouraged countless students and graduates from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson and Hinds Community College while overseeing HIM functions for Mississippi State Hospital for over 40 years. A former hospital administrator affectionately referred to Mary as the “Dean of Medical Records.”

In addition to her work and teaching, Mary served on the Advisory Committee for TrainingMedical Records students from the various educational institutions. Mary has served as a consultant to a number of nursing homes throughout Mississippi during her career. Mary received many honors and accolades while serving the people of Mississippi. In March of 2011 the Mississippi Senate honored her as the longest serving state employee. Mary waved from the gallery as the Senators gave her a standing ovation. Mary’s pursuit of knowledge to help her fellow Mississippian’s took her to many places, such as, the Universities of Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma and others like Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health.

Mary was recognized in 2011 as “Employee of the Century” by the Mississippi State Hospital and later received a proclamation on July 31, 2013 from the Mississippi State Hospital for “her remarkable achievements and inspirational legacy”.

Mary is survived by her first cousins Jon Samokar and wife Lisa, David Samokar and wife Jackie, from Lexington Kentucky. Her niece Martha William Griffin, brother-in-law Harold Williamson and his wife Louise, and many other cousins, nieces, nephews to numerous to list.

The family wishes to thank the caregivers of Home Instead of Clinton, and the Accent Hospice Care staff for their excellent care of Mary.

Mary loved her family, her job, the people around her, and while she may have been small in stature, the life she lived and effect she had on so many people can’t be measured. You where loved dearly and you will be missed

Visitation will be held at Ott and Lee Funeral Home in Brandon Friday April 18, 2025 from 5pm-8pm and Saturday from 9am-11am. Graveside service will be held at 1pm Saturday at Lakewood Memorial Park on Clinton Blvd.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. “Philippians 4:6-7"

Memorials may be made in her name and honor to Friends of Mississippi State Hospital - a 501(c)3 organization helping to support the patients at Whitfield or French Camp Academy, One  Fine Place, French Camp, MS 39745- a school supporting kids who come from broken home from all over the country.