By: Isabelle Puente
The Jackson community continues to mourn the sudden death of Jackson-Madison County School Board member, Marcia Moss. Moss sadly passed away Saturday, July 18.
Moss, 79, was first elected to the JMCSS board in 2023 and was re-elected in 2024. At the time of her passing, Moss was running for her third election as board member. Before being elected to the school board, Moss had a decades long teaching career where she taught at Jackson State Community College, University School of Jackson, Parkway Middle School, West Middle School and Alamo Middle School.
“I don’t know anybody that had more concern about education than she had, she was so passionate about kids learning” said Gary Deaton, District Four County Commissioner. “She just always had a concern to make sure that kids were getting all the education they could possibly get, especially when she was teaching, she was a great teacher.”
Deaton was first elected to District Four’s County Commission in 1996 and has been serving his
community for 30 years. Deaton recalled the first time he met Moss while he was working at
Sears and Moss had just won the Miss Tennessee pageant. He described Moss as an endearing
person and as someone who didn’t have to speak for you to realize she sweet, caring and
concerned individual.
Moss, who was crowned Miss Tennessee in 1965, was running for re-election for the School Board District 5, Position 2 seat against Larry Greer and Sherry S. Franks. However, with Moss’s recent passing and her still being on the ballot, the question remains on what will happen if Moss wins the seat again.
While the Election Commission has not said what will happen with the election, according to
Tennessee’s election laws if a candidate dies withing 40 days before the election, the candidates name will remain on the ballot. If the deceased candidate receives the necessary votes and win the election then a vacancy shall exist. The vacancy shall be filled as otherwise provided for by law.
This generally means that according to Tennessee law, the vacancy will be filled through a special election or through an appointment. Although, voters will have to wait and see what the Election Commission will decide to do.
Visitation for Marcia Murray Moss will be held from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Saturday, July 25 at All Saints Anglican Church, 212 McClellan Road.
Services are scheduled for 1 p.m., Saturday, July 25, also at All Saints Anglican Church.
George A. Smith and Sons has arrangements.
