Anne Elizabeth Hemphill Lamb was welcomed into the arms of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, at Highland Home in Ridgeland.
Anne was born Aug. 24, 1946, and was just six weeks old when she was adopted by Dubb and Marie Hemphill of Indianola. Anne was their miracle baby, an answer to prayer, and always much loved. She graduated from Indianola High School in 1964 and attended Delta State University. Anne graduated from Memphis State University and worked in the Department of Corrections for 20 years, first in Memphis, Tenn., and later in Ft. Myers and Gulfport, Fla. She also worked briefly for TSA in Florida.
Southern girls tend to long for home at some point, and Anne certainly did. She moved to Brandon in 2003 to be close to family and old friends, and to be near her niece and nephew, whom she adored. Until her retirement in 2011, she worked at Hudspeth Regional Center as a support care leader in their group homes.
Anne had a big heart for animal rescue, raising money and adopting or fostering dogs and cats that nobody else wanted. She was kind almost to a fault, but when she could not take in one more rescue, she was relentless in finding someone who could.
She is survived by her sister, Marilyn Tinnin (Charles) of Ridgeland; her niece and namesake, Anne Elizabeth “Betsy” Bailey (Jason) of Birmingham; her nephew, Lem Smith IV of Bethesda, Md.; her great-nieces and nephews, Allie Smith, Charlotte Smith and Sutton Smith of Chevy Chase, Md., and Mari Wilton Bailey, Vivi Bailey and Smith Bailey of Birmingham.
She is also survived by her Alabama family whom she connected with later in life: sisters, Yvonne Williams and Jane Williams Lucus; nieces, Shelby Covington and Mandy McIllwain; nephews, Jay Turner (Nicole), Brandon Lucus, Corbin Lucus and Kyle Lucus; and great-nieces and nephews, Madison Covington Warren, Emma Davidson, Kellie Warren, Rivers Warren, Abikate Covington, Bailey McIllwain, Drew McIllwain, Hayes Turner, Hunter Turner, and Mary Beth Turner.
Anne donated her body to UMMC Medical School for research.
A memorial service celebrating her life will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, at Highlands Presbyterian Church in Ridgeland. The family expresses special thanks for the compassionate and exceptional care she received from the staff at Highland Home and Traditions Hospice.
Memorials may be made to Animal Rescue Fund of MS, Inc. (ARF).
