Minnie Sue Pates, 93, of Sandersville, MS, passed away on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at Archers Personal Care in Sandersville, MS. Born on January 19, 1932, in Laurel, Mississippi, Minnie Sue lived a full and cherished life.

Minnie Sue will be remembered as the heart and soul of her family. She was a devoted wife, mother, proud grandmother, and great grandmother as well as a woman of deep and abiding faith. As a matriarch of her family, she led with strength, compassion, and unwavering faith. She grounded her life in prayer and service to her family and her community.

A skilled seamstress, her work ethic was unmatched. She also dedicated many years as a volunteer with the Red Cross, always ready to lend a helping hand to those in need. Her compassion and commitment to serving others left a lasting impact on countless lives.

She nurtured generations with warmth, strength, and unconditional love. Though she is no longer with us, her spirit will forever live on in the hearts of those she touched. Her life was a blessing, her memory a treasure. She is loved beyond words and will be greatly missed.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Henry Harrison Pates Jr., and her daughters, Shirley Strunk (David), Claire Valentine (David), and Rebecca Sue Pates. She was also prededed by her parents, K.O. Bush and Minnie Lee Bishop Bush, her brothers, Earl, Ellis, Elmer, and Ray Bush, her sisters, Jessie Lee Pierson and Vera Barton, and her great-granddaughter, Jane Allison Byrd.

Minnie Sue is survived by her son, Glen Pates, and her daughters, Susan Boone (Mike) and Glenda Pates. Her legacy continues through her grandchildren, Jennifer Sims (Terry), Alethea Byrd (Alvin), William Fulton, Wynde Winner (Jim), Brittany Valentine, and Jeremy Valentine, as well as her great-grandchildren, Blake Byrd (Meg), Kaleigh Foster (Dylan), Hunter Sims (Zoe), Keely Valentine, Katie Ruttley, Haily McWhorter, and Harley Fulton. She also leaves behind a great-great-granddaughter, Haizel Walker.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, September 6, 2025, from 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM at Sandersville Baptist Church in Sandersville, MS, followed by funeral services at 11:00 AM. Burial will take place at Sandersville Baptist Church Cemetery. Bro. Wesley Page will officiate the services. Arrangements are being handled by Colonial Chapel Funeral Home of Laurel.

Pallbearers will include Hunter Sims, Terry Sims, Blake Byrd, Alvin Byrd, Dylan Foster, and William Fulton. An online guestbook is available at www.colonialchapellaurel.com.