Jeanne Luckey, prominent Mississippi Republican and IHL trustee, dies at 63

Jeanne Carter Luckey, a Mississippi Gulf Coast philanthropist who served as the state’s Republican National committeewoman, died on Thursday, Nov. 7. She was 63.

Her death was first reported by the Ocean Springs Weekly Record.

An ardent conservative, Luckey was a key figure in the Republican Party of Mississippi. For more than 30 years, she served the party as president of the Mississippi Federation of Republican Women, co-chair of the Mississippi Republican Party and as a delegate to the Republican National Convention, where she spoke earlier this year, according to her bio on the GOP’s website.

Luckey worked her way up the party by training Republican candidates and volunteers throughout Mississippi after becoming involved in politics in college. On social media, tributes from prominent Republicans across the state noted how she seemed to know everyone in the conversative movement, from former Texas Gov. Rick Perry to President-elect Donald Trump.

Gov. Tate Reeves called Luckey a family friend and praised her for representing Mississippi to the RNC.

“Mississippi will miss you, Jeanne!” Reeves wrote.

Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann wrote that Luckey’s impact on Mississippi will be felt for years to come.

“Her passion for life, her family, and the issues that were important to her was immeasurable,” Hosemann said.

Luckey, who held degrees from the University of Mississippi and the University of Southern Mississippi, was also known for her service on the governing board of the state’s public universities. She was appointed to the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees in 2018 by former Gov. Phil Bryant.

“Jeanne Luckey brought an energy and a commitment to her work as a trustee that resonated throughout our state’s public university system, and we are all better for having worked with her,” Al Rankins, the IHL commissioner, said in a statement Friday. “Students for years to come will benefit from her dedication to higher education in Mississippi.”

During her tenure on the board, Luckey started a task force to examine the university system’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Luckey had been in a wheelchair since she was in a car accident nearly 20 years ago.

Prior to the accident, Luckey was an avid runner who notched between five and 13 miles a week, according to her social media. She had also worked as a special education teacher in the Ocean Springs School District. More recently, she owned a real estate holding company called JCL, LLC, and Magnolia State Development Group.

“A brilliant mind and devoted public servant, she championed education throughout her life, even as an undergraduate at Ole Miss in her decision to pursue special education,” Ole Miss Chancellor Glenn Boyce said in a statement.

Luckey also served on several boards supporting arts and culture on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, including the Walter Anderson Museum of Art, the Great Southern Club in Gulfport, and the Gulf Coast Debutante Society. She reportedly loved the arts and had seen nearly 100 Broadway plays.

While she recently battled health challenges, the Ocean Springs Weekly Record reported that Luckey unexpectedly passed away peacefully in her sleep.

Luckey is survived by her husband, Alwyn, an Ocean Springs attorney who was her high school sweetheart, and their two daughters, Laurel and Taylor.

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