Mrs. Avent died of heart failure at St. Dominic's Hospital in Jackson on Tuesday, December 20. She was 73 years old.

Mrs. Avent was the daughter of the late Travis Redell and Ruby Neal Gordon Blaylock. She was a homemaker and a member of the Winona church of Christ. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister, Redell Ware.

Survivors include her husband, John O. Avent of Winona; three daughters, Brenda Sue Rigby of Carmack, Gayle Johnson of Eupora, and Debra K. Avent of Tupelo; one son, John Gordon Avent of Kilmichael; three sisters, Weida Pyron of Duck Hill, Linda McEachern of Tupelo, and Glenda Evans of Winona; one brother, Neal Blaylock of McCarley; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Aubie Pearman, Brett Evans, Dustin Horne, Keith Ware, Bobby Doyle Jones, and Jason Blaylock. Honorary pallbearers will be Michael Pyron and all of Mrs. Avent's grandsons.