Rebekah Newell Tettleton, 28, died Aug. 31, 2016, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford, Mississippi.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 2, 2016, at Coleman Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, at First Baptist Church of Oxford, with an hour of visitation prior to the funeral. Burial will be in Oxford Memorial Cemetery.

Born in Hattiesburg, Rebekah grew up in Meridian and had lived in Oxford for 10 years. She was homeschooled before attending the University of Mississippi, where she graduated with double majors in history and classical civilization while working long hours to help pay for her schooling.

Rebekah was assistant circulation manager for the Oxford Eagle and had previously worked at the Mississippi Federal Credit Union. A member of First Baptist Church, she taught AWANA classes for several years and was eager to spend time with her church family. Jeremiah 29:11 was her life verse: “‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’”

Second only to her Lord and her family, Rebekah was excited about history from early American to ancient Egyptian. Her travels took her to Williamsburg, several U.S. Presidents’ homes and other historic sites.

Other passions included piano, her owl and cross collections, football, and an eclectic mix of movies, TV miniseries and books. She will be buried with a volume of Jane Austen’s work.

Rebekah was known as the consummate gift giver, shopping throughout the year for presents so perfect that recipients were often left speechless or tearful.

Survivors include her parents, Robert P. and Kerri McDaniel Tettleton, sisters Elizabeth and Rachel Tettleton, and grandparents Robert L. Tettleton (deceased), Mary Sue Tettleton, and Darrell and Pat McDaniel, all of Oxford. Additional survivors include uncles Philip Tettleton, John Tettleton and John Ferguson; aunts Becky Tettleton, Anna Tettleton and Laurabeth Ferguson; and cousins Larry (Andrea) Bailey, William Ferguson, Daniel Ferguson, Emma Grace Ferguson, Gray Tettleton, Saylor Tettleton, Maeve Tettleton and Candace Bailey.

She also leaves behind several dear friends, including Summer Kill of Olive Branch, Maegan Mallon of Olive Branch, and Susan Alderman of Madison.

The Tettleton family wishes to express thanks to the Intensive Care Unit nurses and other staff at Baptist Memorial Hospital as well as to Dr. Bubba Morgan, Dr. Pearson Wyndham, and Dr. Jeff Evans in Oxford and Dr. Barbara Murphy and Dr. Evan C. Osmundson at Vanderbilt University Cancer Center.

Rebekah’s mother said the one regret Rebekah likely had about the shortness of her life was missing the chance to marry and have a family.

“As my mom said, we thought she was going to find her Prince Charming,” Kerri Tettleton said, “but the Prince of Peace was hers.”

Memorials can be made to the American Cancer Society – Hope Lodge, 2008 Charlotte Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203.

Online condolences may be left on the Tribute Wall at www.colemanfuneralhome.com.