Nell Pigg Burkes

AIKEN, SC - NELL PIGG BURKES, 87, widow of The Rev. Lamar Burkes, passed away Sunday, October 4, 2020.

Nell Pigg Burkes was born on July 19^, 1933 in Leake County Mississippi to Augustus Pigg and Jessie Mae Banks Pigg.  She was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, the Reverend Lamar Burkes.  She was also preceded in death by her parents, her fraternal twin brother, Ned Pigg, and brother John Pigg.  She is survived by her son, Greg (Lynn) Burkes of Aiken, grandson, Klaehn (Keeli Fricks) Burkes of Wagener, Granddaughters Dr. Breanna Burkes of Aiken and Kylie Burkes of Marietta, GA, and Great-Granddaughter Koa Burkes of Wagener.  She peacefully passed away on Sunday, October 4, 2020 after a long battle with dementia. 

Nell was raised on a small farm in rural Leake County MS.  She was a beautician in her early years.   Nell and Lamar married on August 24, 1956 in Carthage, MS.  Nell had a beauty shop next to her house that allowed her to work and take care of her son.  In 1967, Nell and Lamar moved to Ridgeland, MS and in 1973 she learned data input and began working for the Mississippi Highway Patrol.   Nell retired as the data input supervisor in 1996 and moved back to Leake County, MS where they built a house on the family farm she grew up on.  In 2007, Nell and Lamar moved to Aiken, SC to be closer to their son and grandchildren.  In Aiken, she was a devoted member of Cornerstone Baptist Church.

Nell was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and pastor’s wife.  She read her bible daily and was a very generous person.  She was strong willed and would state what was on her mind.  She loved Ole Miss football and the state of Mississippi.  She was proud to let people she met know that “she was from Mississippi!”  For the last two years she resided at Harbor Chase in Aiken. 

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2020 at 2 PM at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Aiken.  The service will be livestreamed on the Shellhouse-Rivers Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/srfhandsfh). Attendees will be required to wear a mask and practice social distancing.  Nell’s remains will be interred at Bethel Baptist Cemetery in Leake County MS.  An internment service will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery Fund at 3690 Center Crossing Rd., Kosciusko, MS  39090.

SHELLHOUSE - RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 EAST PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC