Ellen Elaine Boykin

With sincere sorrow, we want to inform you of the passing of Elaine Boykin on October 24, 2014. Her devotion and love for her husband, Michael and daughters, Elizabeth and Anna, as well as all of her extended family has been a gift that will forever be treasured. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, October 28, 2014, at Memory Chapel with burial to follow at Lake Park Hills Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 12 noon until the time of service. Rev. Robby Johnson will officiate. Pallbearers will be Jason Lawson, Kimble Coats, Russell Clark, Rhett Anderson, Colby Reeves, Shelton Reynolds, Christopher Boykin, and David Boykin. Elaine battled breast cancer for the past ten years with remarkable courage and determination, along with a positive outlook and an appreciation of every moment with her family and friends. Michael truly considers her to be his inspiration and the backbone of his life and achievements, including the One Man Shoot as well as his successful family business. Although Elaine was fighting the disease for her own life, she provided unfailing support and love to her brother-in-law, Connie Mack, during his battle with cancer. Her strength during those years was gracefully unselfish and critically important to her family. And for her beautiful daughters, she proved that life and love are precious gifts that overshadow the most daunting challenges. Elaine was a native of Laurel, Mississippi, and for the past several years, she patiently supported Michael’s tireless efforts to develop a new “home” for her, in nearby Ellisville. As Michael’s plans typically grew grander and more elaborate, she gave him free reign to carry on. His screen porch addition for her RV grew into a 2700 square foot resort building, and his “pond” construction resulted in a beautiful lake, christened this spring as “Lake Elaine”, where she was recently proud to catch the first catfish. At Elaine’s retreat in Ellisville she and Michael were proud to host the wedding of her niece, Breanne Reeves on October 4, 2014. Elaine was thrilled and honored to serve as a beautiful matron of honor, full of the life and spirit that will always dwell within her friends and family when they spend time there. Arrangements for Elaine will be handled by Memory Chapel Funeral Home, 3100 Audubon Dr., Laurel, MS 39440 http://www.memorychapellaurel.com . The family humbly requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Tulane Cancer Center Research Fund, so that the fight against breast cancer can be fought more vigorously. For anyone who faces this disease themselves or through a loved one, the legacy of Elaine Boykin’s battle should serve as a source of hope, faith, and inspiration. She may have not defeated cancer herself, but she surely believed in her heart that it can be defeated, and her spirit will guide those who are continuing that battle to a successful end one day. To make donations in Elaine’s memory for breast cancer research, please go the following webpage, and select the first option at the top of the page, “Tulane Cancer Center Research Fund”. Of course, you may also choose to select any of the other options for charitable giving as well: http://tulane.edu/som/cancer/research/giving/index.cfm or donations are welcome by mail at: Tulane Cancer Center, ATTN: K. Green, 1430 Tulane Ave., SL-68 New Orleans, LA 70112.

Ellen Elaine Boykin

November 4, 1962 - October 24, 2014