Mittie Beatrice Savannah

Mittie Beatrice Moore Savannah was born to the late Eddie Lee Moore and Mary Ross Moody on December 19, 1933, in Farmersville, Louisiana.

Mittie was raised by her grandparents, the late Wes Moore and Annie Moore, in Farmersville, Louisiana. She was the oldest living granddaughter of the Moore descendants.

Mittie accepted Christ at the early age of 17 and was baptized at the Douglas Chapel Missionary Baptist Church. She was a faithful member until she was given her wings and her new assignment on Sunday, November 06, 2022, to report to her new heavenly home. She served as the church secretary for 44-plus years. She also served as an usher, a matron, a member of the senior choir, Circle Esther, a Sunday School teacher for the "Golden Girls, and a member of the Finance Committee. As a Sunday School Teacher, she was awarded teacher of the year several times. She was a true and devout Christian who always studied God's word. Not only did she talk the talk, but she walked the walk. Mittie was a godly woman who always had Christ as the head of her life. She was a prayer warrior and honestly lived by the word of God. She attended BTU oftentimes, where only she, her children, and Rev. Thomas would be present.

Mittie was employed by the El Dorado School District; she worked at Fairview School and was later moved to Watson School, where she served as Secretary/ librarian for more than 30 years. Mittie was dedicated to her job; sometimes, when her car was inoperable, you would see her walking to and from Watson school; she did not let anything keep her from her job.

Being the young lady that she was, she believed in keeping fit and healthy. She would work out to keep her "petite" body. She always maintained her girlish figure; oftentimes, she would walk in the neighborhood, at the stadium, and at Mattox Park as part of her workout regimen. She would also get up to exercise with a workout program using her hula hoop and jump rope, doing sit-ups on the floor, but she didn't stop there; she could also be found riding her bike. She rode that bike until one day, she had an accident right at the corner of Cargile and Cook St, where she fell off her bike and broke her left foot, which is when she realized she needed a stationary bike which would be much safer.

As an amazing seamstress, she was known as the neighborhood seamstress. She would sew for everyone in Douglas and, oftentimes, many other people in town. As she got older and her eyesight was starting to dim, she chose to do only alterations. If she made anything for you, she kept a record on an index card with your measurements. She never had a displeased customer.

Mittie enjoyed working in her garden and canning her vegetables for her family, friends, and neighbors. She would plant greens, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, potatoes, okra peas, and many other vegetables every year. She would often pick apples, crabapples, peaches, and pears to make homemade jelly and preserves. You could find her mowing the yard or trimming the hedges when she wasn't busy in her garden. She and Bill took pride in their yard, so she kept the yard well-manicured after his departure.

Mittie met the late William O. Savannah Jr, and they were joined in holy matrimony at her mother's house in Douglas Addition on September 29, 1955, on Cargile Street next door to Geneva Lee. The day after her wedding, they moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for a short while and soon returned to El Dorado. Mittie went to Dallas to live with her late cousin, Eugene, and Ruth Ross Walker, where she attended business school. After a short stay in Dallas' Bill" went to Dallas to bring her back home. She and Bill purchased property from the late Geneva C. Lee at 1912 E 2nd St. and had their home moved there. Mittie has been a member of the Douglas community for the last 80 years. Mittie and William were married for 49 years until his departure in March 2005. Mittie would always say," if no other man loved her, Bill did" she was ready to be with Bill again.

Mittie is preceded in death by her mother, Mary Ross Moody; father, Eddie Lee Moore, and stepfather, Alvin Moody; husband, William O. "Bill" Savannah Jr; two sons, Benjamin O. Savannah and William Savannah III; two sisters, Annie Jo Moore and Shirley Moody Foster; four brothers, Lee l. Moore, Charles Moore, James Moore, James Moody, and infant granddaughter, Nakia Rogers.

Mittie leaves to cherish her memories; two children, Gerald Scott Savannah of El Dorado, AR and Jocelyn Savannah (Everett) Dorsey of Dallas, TX;  stepson,  Kenneth (Beatrice) Fields of El Dorado, AR; step-sister Ola Pearl Tidwell of EL Dorado, AR, brother-in-law, Ogie (Linda) Savannah of El Dorado, AR; sister-in-law, Willie B. Marrable of Atlanta, GA;  eleven grandchildren, twelve great grand a host of cousins, nieces, and nephews.

She is gone but not forgotten! Mittie left a little piece of herself with everybody she met, whether by words of encouragement, godly wisdom, worldly advice, or perhaps something about her that will make you smile. She never forgot her church family, her family at home, and her friends and neighbors of the Douglas community while she was away. She loved home and missed everything about it.