Denova Austin

Obituary For Denova Austin

100 years 10 months ago on November 26, 1924, Denova Corene Patterson Austin was born to William Andy Patterson and Corene Brantley-Patterson. She is the 9th child of a blended family of 22 children. After the death of her mother, her father later married Lillie Lovelace-Hicks.

Denova received her education at the Patterson Community School. During her years growing up in the close-knit community of Center, she was very involved in the activities at Center Church of God where she was also baptized.

As a young adult she moved to Chicago, IL. There she met and married the late Albert Austin. While living in Chicago, IL she united with the Open Door Baptist Church and served as Sunday School teacher of the “Beginner's Class.”

In 1985 after both she and Albert retired, they decided to move to Mississippi. Upon returning she re-united with Center Church of God where she served as Sunday School Superintendent and worship leader. She loved her church.

Her favorite past-time was sewing, and she made most of her own clothing. She was a great seamstress. In later years she became a lover of Word-Search puzzle books after her eyesight prevented her from sewing a lot. Denova was preceded in death by both parents and a second mother (Ms. Lillie); husband, Albert; son, James Nash Jr. (Tippy); 5 sisters: Zenobia Nash, Leoda Brookshire, Evelyn Durr, Earnestine Haynes, Ethel L. Green; 11 brothers: Grady, James, Lawrence, Eugene, Ollie, Mervene, Otha, Odessa, Otis, Johnie, and Houston.

Denova closed the doors to this life on September 25, 2025, following a brief illness. She leaves to remember her long life, a son - Everett of Milwaukee, WI, 2 grandsons: Jermaine Nash and James Earl Nash of Milwaukee, WI; 3 great-granddaughters: Sabrina McGraw, Janet Hartness, Destiny Nash; 3 great-great grand-daughters and 2 great-great grandsons, 2 brothers, Will (Verna) Patterson, Lucious (Sheila) Patterson of Kosciusko, MS, Bervia Mae Patterson Wiggins of Kosciusko, MS and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins and a very special friend, Rev. Charles B. Hardy of Carthage, MS.

PLACE OF SERVICE: Winters Funeral Home Chapel, Kosciusko, MS

DATE OF SERVICE: Saturday 10/04/2025 at 11:00 a.m.

INTERMENT: Patterson Cemetery, Kosciusko, MS

VIEWING: Friday 10/03/2025 at 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.