Mary Magdalene Hood, 73 years of age, went home to the Lord on Thursday, January 1, 2026. She was born to the late Frank M. White, Sr. and Nina L. Cox White in Gulfport, MS in March of 1952.

Mary was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She was of the Christian faith, a graduate of Moss Point High School, and attended Pensacola Junior College. She graduated on May 3, 2014, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from UWF.

She always strove to find the education for her children that would open them the most to experiencing the world, the arts and history, traveling the world with her daughter and husband, embracing home school and enabling her sons to enter college early. She started college late in life and studied drawing, painting and pottery, lifelong passions of hers and became a gallery guard at PJC. She loved to travel and all things related to Italy and instilled in her children a love for them as well. A believer in Jesus, she taught her children about the Lord, and she herself taught other children about Him as a Sunday School teacher in Mississippi. She was loved dearly and will be sorely missed.

In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by a brother, Frank M. White, Jr.; and a sister, Janette Weigle.

Those left to cherish her memory include her loving husband, James B. Hood, Jr.; daughter, Laura (Allan) L. Richards; three sons, John "Johnny" (Ashley) A. Hood, Michael (Elizabeth) A. Hood, Bradford "Brad" A. Hood; eleven grandchildren; one great-grandchild.

Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. until the Funeral Service begins at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel, with MSGR Michael Reed serving as officiant. Active pallbearers will be John A. Hood, Michael A. Hood, Bradford A. Hood, Josh White, Tyler White, and Dale A. Richards.

A committal service will follow at Barrancas National Cemetery.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to HCA Florida West Hospital Doctors and Staff, and to Vitas Hospice for the loving care shown to Mary.