46.2 F
Oxford

Magee: Remembering a Queen Mallard

Photo courtesy of Becca Rasco Mehlin.

David Magee is Publisher of the Oxford Eagle and Ole Miss alum.

*Editor’s Note: Becca attended Ole Miss for three years and was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority before she left to attend nursing school at the University of Tennessee.

When you grow up on a rice farm in Dewitt, Arkansas, the title Queen Mallard has meaning.

Becca Rasco Mehlin, my sister-in-law, wore the crown well, after winning the pageant during the annual duck calling contest in Arkansas County as a senior in high school.
Becca and her sister, Kent, had an idyllic childhood in Arkansas Delta, amid rice fields, friends and family.
They had the handsome farmer father; the stubborn farmer’s wife for a mother.
With just a handful of channels on the television, entertainment and activity was built almost solely around churches, schools and imaginations.
Becca was the oldest and she was mostly in charge in their youth. We saw a clip from an old home movie some years ago and Becca had her sister and some cousins in the front yard telling them what to do as if she were the teacher.
They obeyed, of course, falling into place.
Those days in Dewitt were a simple time with simple pleasures in the open space of fertile soil. Among the biggest concerns were mosquitos populous enough to darken the sky at dusk.
They thrived on imaginations, one another, and a big, close-knit family, with one set of grandparents across the street and another set a couple of miles away in the small town, with cousins that often came to visit.
Becca learned to play piano, and she played it for the Dewitt Rotary Club every week, where her father and grandfathers were members.
The family went to the Arkansas River in the summer, where Becca and her sister taught cats to swim.
Becca, the Queen Mallard, was Miss Everything in Dewitt. She was a cheerleader, homecoming queen, Miss Dewitt High, honor grad, best all around, and a starter on the girls’ basketball team.
The girls still played half-court in Arkansas in those days. Because they knew full-court was coming (Arkansas was one of the last holdouts), Becca and her friend Vicki made the trip across the Mississippi River a couple of summers in the late 1970s, attending basketball camp at Ole Miss so they could experience the new game.
These snapshots of youth are given because they represent the spirit and essence of who Becca Rasco Mehlin was throughout life. Because, no matter where life took her, she was always the piano playing, in charge, family loving, farmer’s daughter, Queen Mallard, from Dewitt, Arkansas.
And, she was much more, of course.
Becca was smart. She could have gone to medical school, but wanted to be a nurse. She became an advocate for women so passionate about her craft.
After becoming a nurse practitioner, her greatest professional joy was working for Dr. Julia Watkins in Little Rock and members of the staff who were both talented professionals and people she considered the closest of friends.
Becca was a doting mother, with two boys who were always been the joy of her life. She was never the pushy or overbearing parent. She was just a rock, celebrating their gifts and talents and the relationship she had with them.
Becca could be feisty. She right-sized more than a few people who got in her way over the years. Our late son William, who loved his Aunt Becca very much, used to laugh and warn the unsuspecting: “Don’t make Aunt Becca mad,” he would say.
But, she was also warm and forgiving.
Her adult life beyond the profession that she loved was this consistent appreciation of the simple and most valuable things in life.
She and her husband enjoyed travel, days at the lake, Sunday night dinners with the boys, now grown.
Becca loved cats, Christmas (she had a Santa Claus collection), Easter, the Fourth of July, and Valentine’s Day, and a weekend in Oxford with lunch at Ajax on the Square.
Mostly, she loved her family and everything about its roots.
That’s why it was fitting that Becca’s last years were spent with more time back in Dewitt, as she served as chairman of the board of Dewitt Bank and Trust — back where it all began.
Dr. Watkins, Becca’s colleague and dear friend, told us of a conversation she had with Becca in the last few days.
They were talking about the course of her aggressive cancer and Julie said, “You know, Becca, you just got dealt a really bad hand with this illness, and I am so sorry.”
Becca’s reply: “Yes, but before that, I got dealt a really good hand.”
Then, she smiled.
A few days later, Becca passed away in her sleep at the age of 56.
This column is an adaptation of the eulogy David Magee gave at the funeral of Becca Rasco Mehlin on February 15, 2018 in Little Rock, Arkansas.


For questions or comments, email hottytoddynews@gmail.com.

Most Popular

Recent Comments

scamasdscamith on News Watch Ole Miss
Frances Phillips on A Bigger, Better Student Union
Grace Hudditon on A Bigger, Better Student Union
Millie Johnston on A Bigger, Better Student Union
Binary options + Bitcoin = $ 1643 per week: https://8000-usd-per-day.blogspot.com.tr?b=46 on Beta Upsilon Chi: A Christian Brotherhood
Jay Mitchell on Reflections: The Square
Terry Wilcox SFCV USA RET on Oxford's Five Guys Announces Opening Date
Stephanie on Throwback Summer
organized religion is mans downfall on VP of Palmer Home Devotes Life to Finding Homes for Children
Paige Williams on Boyer: Best 10 Books of 2018
Keith mansel on Cleveland On Medgar Evans
Debbie Nader McManus on Cofield on Oxford — Lest We Forget
Bettye H. Galloway on Galloway: The Last of His Kind
Richard Burns on A William Faulkner Sighting
Bettye H. Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Bettye H Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Bettye H Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Bettye H. Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Ruby Begonia on Family Catching Rebel Fever
Greg Millar on The Hoka
Greg Millar on The Hoka
Greg Millar on The Hoka
Greg Millar on The Hoka
jeff the busy eater on Cooking With Kimme: Baked Brie
Travis Yarborough on Reflections: The Square
BAD TASTE IN MY MOUTH on Oxford is About to Receive a Sweet Treat
baby travel systems australia on Heaton: 8 Southern Ways to Heckle in SEC Baseball
Rajka Radenkovich on Eating Oxford: Restaurant Watch
Richard Burns on Reflections: The Square
Guillermo Perez Arguello on Mississippi Quote Of The Day
A Friend with a Heavy Heart on Remembering Dr. Stacy Davidson
Harold M. "Hal" Frost, Ph.D. on UM Physical Acoustics Research Center Turns 30
Educated Citizen on Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving
Debbie Crenshaw on Trump’s Tough Road Ahead
Treadway Strickland on Wicker Looks Ahead to New Congress
Tony Ryals on parking
Heather Lee Hitchcock on ‘Pray for Oxford’ by Shane Brown
Heather Lee Hitchcock on ‘Pray for Oxford’ by Shane Brown
Dr Donald and Priscilla Powell on Deadly Plane Crash Leaves Eleven Children Behind
Dr Donald and Priscilla Powell on Deadly Plane Crash Leaves Eleven Children Behind
C. Scott Fischer on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
Sylvia Williams on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
Will Patterson on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
Rick Henderson on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
George L Price on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
on
Morgan Shands on Cleveland: On Ed Reed
Richard McGraw on Cleveland: On Cissye Gallagher
Branan Southerland on Gameday RV Parking at HottyToddy.com
Tom and Randa Baddley on Vassallo: Ole Miss Alum Finds His Niche
26 years and continuously learning on Ole Miss Puts History In Context With Plaque
a Paterson on Beyond Barton v. Barnett
Phil Higginbotham on ‘Unpublished’ by Shane Brown
Bettina Willie@www.yahoo.com.102Martinez St.Batesville,Ms.38606 on Bomb Threat: South Panola High School Evacuated This Morning
Anita M Fellenz, (Emilly Hoffman's CA grandmother on Ole Miss Spirit Groups Rank High in National Finals
Marilyn Moore Hughes on Vassallo: Ole Miss Alum Finds His Niche
Jaqundacotten@gmail williams on HottyToddy Hometown: Hollandale, Mississippi
Finney moore on Can Ole Miss Grow Too Big?
diane faulkner cawlley on Oxford’s Olden Days: Miss Annie’s Yard
Phil Higginbotham on ‘November 24’ by Shane Brown
Maralyn Bullion on Neely-Dorsey: Hog Killing Time
Beth Carr on A Letter To Mom
Becky on A Letter To Mom
Marilyn Tinnnin on A Letter To Mom
Roger ulmer on UM Takes Down State Flag
Chris Pool on UM Takes Down State Flag
TampaRebel on UM Takes Down State Flag
david smith on UM Takes Down State Flag
Boyd Harris on UM Takes Down State Flag
Jim (Herc @ UM) on Cleveland: Fall Vacations
Robert Hollingsworth on Rebels on the Road: Memphis Eateries
David McCullough on Shepard Leaves Ole Miss Football
Gayle G. Henry on Meet Your 2015 Miss Ole Miss
Guillermo F. Perez-Argüello on Neely-Dorsey: Elvis Presley’s Big Homecoming
Jennifer Mooneyham on ESPN: Ole Miss No. 1 in Nation
Wes McIngvale on Ole Miss Defeats Alabama
BARRY MCCAMMON on Ole Miss Defeats Alabama
Laughing out Loud on ESPN: Ole Miss No. 1 in Nation
Dr.Bill Priester on Cleveland: On Bob Priester
A woman who has no WHITE PRIVILEGE on Oxford Removes Mississippi Flag from City Property
A woman who has no WHITE PRIVILEGE on Oxford Removes Mississippi Flag from City Property
paulette holmes langbecker on Cofield on Oxford – Rising Ole Miss Rookie
Ruth Shipp Yarbrough on Cofield on Oxford — Lest We Forget
Karllen Smith on ‘Rilee’ by Shane Brown
Jean Baker Pinion on ‘The Cool Pad’ by Shane Brown
Janet Hollingsworth (Cavanaugh) on John Cofield on Oxford: A Beacon
Proud Mississippi Voter on Gunn Calls for Change in Mississippi Flag
Deloris Brown-Thompson on Bebe’s Letters: A WWII Love Story
Sue Ellen Parker Stubbs on Bebe’s Letters: A WWII Love Story
Tim Heaton on Heaton: Who is Southern?
Tim Heaton on Heaton: Who is Southern?
Karen fowler on Heaton: Who is Southern?
Don't Go to Law School on Four Legal Rebels Rising in the Real World
bernadette on Feeding the Blues
bernadette on Feeding the Blues
Joanne and Mark Wilkinson on Ron Vernon: a Fellowship of Music
Mary Ellen (Dring) Gamble on Ron Vernon: a Fellowship of Music
Cyndy Carroll on Filming it Up in Mississippi
Dottie Dewberry on Top 10 Secret Southern Sayings
Brother Everett Childers on ‘The Shack’ by Shane Brown
Mark McElreath on ‘The Shack’ by Shane Brown
Bill Wilkes, UM '57, '58, '63 on A Letter from Chancellor Dan Jones
Sandra Caffey Neal on Mississippi Has Proud Irish Heritage
Teresa Enyeart, and Terry Enyeat on Death of Ole Miss Grad, U.S. Vet Stuns Rebel Nation
P. D. Fyke on Wells: Steelhead Run
Johnny Neumann on Freeze Staying with Rebels
Maralyn Bullion on On Cooking Southern: Chess Pie
Kaye Bryant on Henry: E. for Congress
charles Eichorn on Hotty Tamales, Gosh Almighty
Jack of All Trades on Roll Over Bear Bryant
w nadler on Roll Over Bear Bryant
Stacey Berryhill on Oxford Man Dies in Crash
John Appleton on Grovin' Gameday Memories
Charlotte Lamb on Grovin' Gameday Memories
Guillermo F. Perez-Argüello on Two True Mississippi Icons
Morgan Williamson on A College Education is a MUST
Morgan Williamson on A College Education is a MUST
Jeanette Berryhill Wells on HottyToddy Hometown: Senatobia, Mississippi
Tire of the same ole news on 3 "Must Eat" Breakfast Spots in Oxford
gonna be a rebelution on Walking Rebel Fans Back Off the Ledge
Nora Jaccaud on Rickshaws in Oxford
Martha Marshall on Educating the Delta — Or Not
Nita McVeigh on 'I'm So Oxford' Goes Viral
Guillermo F. Perez-Argüello on How a Visit to the Magnolia State Can Inspire You
Charlie Fowler Jr. on Prawns? In the Mississippi Delta?
Martha Marshall on A Salute to 37 Years of Sparky
Sylvia Hartness Williams on Oxford Approves Diversity Resolution
Jerry Greenfield on Wine Tip: Problem Corks
Cheryl Obrentz on I Won the Lottery! Now What?
Bnogas on Food for the Soul
Barbeque Memphis on History of Tennessee Barbecue
Josephine Bass on The Delta and the Civil War
Nicolas Morrison on The Walking Man
Pete Williams on Blog: MPACT’s Future
Laurie Triplette on On Cooking Southern: Fall Veggies
Harvey Faust on The Kream Kup of the Krop
StarReb on The Hoka
Scott Whodatty Keetereaux Keet on Hip Hop — Yo or No, What’s Your Call
Johnathan Doeman on Oxford Man Dies in Crash
Andy McWilliams on The Warden & The Chief
Kathryn McElroy on Think Like A Writer
Claire Duff Sullivan on Alert Dogs Give Diabetics Peace of Mind
Jesse Yancy on The Hoka
Jennifer Thompson Walker on Ole Miss, Gameday From The Eyes of a Freshman
HottyToddy.com