Chiang-Hai Kuo passed away at Oktibbeha County Hospital in Starkville on Sunday, June 20, 2021.Hai was preceded in death by his wife, Ching-Fei Kuo; parents, Fu and Han-Shiau Kuo; and a younger brother, Shing-Jiang Kuo. He is survived by two children: Nancy Griffin (Tim) and Ben Kuo (Sharon); four grandchildren: Hannah McCollum (Reece), Jake Griffin (Jo Beth), Madelyn Kuo, and Donovan Kuo; two great grandchildren: Samuel McCollum and Abigail McCollum; younger sisters: Catherine Lin and Judy Chen; and younger brothers: Chiang-Ho Kuo and Chau-Chiang Kuo. Hai leaves innumerable friends and colleagues all over the world who are joining his family in mourning his loss. He was born in the rural village of Shi Su near Tainan, Taiwan, on February 10, 1936 and graduated from National Taiwan University in Chemical Engineering. He married the love of his life, Ching-Fei, on August 16, 1959. Later, he moved to Texas and received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Houston. After working for Shell and NASA, they moved their family to Starkville, Mississippi in 1970 as he joined the faculty at Mississippi State University (MSU). Hai retired from MSU as a Professor Emeritus of Chemical Engineering in June 30, 2000. Beyond the love and care of his family, Hai was most passionate about research and teaching. He was world renowned in his research including the area of ozonation for the environmental treatment of organic pollutants. Dr. Kuo was legendary for his challenging classes and wise guidance. He taught and mentored countless students who have gone on to teach and mentor globally throughout academia and industry. In addition to his work at MSU he conducted joint research with the Environmental Protection Agency for many years to advance the field of air and waste pollution control.Hai and Fei were founding and life-long members of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Starkville. He will be interred in Oddfellows Cemetery in Starkville in a private, family-only service. The family requests that in lieu of flowers or other gifts, all who wish to honor Hai make donations to their favorite church or charity in his name.Condolences may be left at www.welchfuneralhomes.com.

GODLEY, John Truett

Truett was born in Fort Worth Texas on 15 July 1920 while his Dad was in Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Being a minister’s son, they moved many times, mostly in Louisiana and Mississippi. He considered Gulfport. Mississippi to be his hometown. The family moved to Bryan, TX the middle of his senior year and he graduated from Stephen F Austin High School. He was the oldest and last surviving child of Rev. John Monroe & Esther Watson Godley. Truett was named after George W. Truett, the first pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas. During WWII , he served in the United States Navy . He met the love of his life, Nina Octavia Walker when they both worked at the Texas A & M Extension Service in College Station. Truett attended Texas A & M and received his Bachelor’s & Master’s Degree from the University of Houston. He spent most of his professional career working with Clint Murchison’s Tecon Corporation. Truett loved spending time with his family and friends, especially on the holidays. Truett is survived by daughters Linda Godley-Marroquin and Debbie Godley, son John Truett Godley, Jr., and his beloved grandson Zachary Alexander Godley Green, sisters in law Gladys Godley and Mildred King, as well as extended family and many close family friends. Please consider Memorial Contributions to Happy Hills Farm in Granbury, Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch in Amarillo or the Animal Rescue of your choice. A memorial celebration of life will be held the Saturday after what would have been his 100th birthday, 15 July 2020.

Cierra Charmaine Bracero departed this life on Monday, December 23rd, 2019. She was born October 16, 1988 in Gulfport, MS to Ronald Brown and Anna Bracero. At an early age, Cierra attended Maranatha Seventh-Day Advantest Church in Gulfport, Mississippi. She attended Michael E. DeBakey High School in Houston, Texas. Cierra earned her undergraduate degree in Biology at University of Houston, graduating with the highest honors. She was employed as a server in the gaming industry at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. Cierra was very bright, beautiful, witty, ambitious, loving, caring, a sharp shooter, and well-traveled. She loved people and found so much joy in serving others. Her fondness of caring for others led her on three philanthropic mission trips to Haiti. Some may venture to say that others benefited greatly from her work in Haiti, but the loving and caring Cierra would say that she benefited the most. She expanded her cultural awareness and even further developed her linguist lexicon. She was preceded in death by her maternal grandmother, Valda Bracero; and an aunt Jessica Harris. She leaves to cherish her memory her father, Ronald Brown(Tonsia); her mother, Anna Bracero(Ray); her daughter, Maya Rose Ava Smith; two brothers, Ronald and Rodrick Brown; her paternal grandparents, Larry Brown and Judy Taylor; an uncle, Jermaine Taylor; an aunt, Joselyn Benton; maternal grandparents, Luciano Bracero(Valda); her dearest uncle Charles Harris(Jessica) both of Gulfport, Mississippi; three aunts, Kim Hicks(Marshall), Mary Susan “Muffy” Hicks, Ingrid; an uncle, Jerome “Jerry” Hargrove(Samantha);three first cousins, Marshall Hicks, Crystal Hicks, Isaiah Jefferson; six additional cousins, Janay, Jewell, Jennifer, Jacobe, Jermaine, Jamari, and a host of relatives, friends and an extended family members.