Elizabeth Jan Locklear

Elizabeth Jan Locklear, 70, of Meridian, passed away on October 31, 2026, at the University of Mississippi Medical Center surrounded by her loving family. Jan was born to Thomas Kelly Black, Sr. and Margie Kea Cunningham on August 21, 1956, in Meridian.

A life as vibrant, spirited, and fiercely loyal as hers deserves to be remembered not in quiet sorrow, but in the warmth of the countless stories she left behind.

She graduated from Meridian High School before continuing her education at Meridian Community College, building early roots in the community she would love and serve for the rest of her days.

Her work ethic was as steady as her spirit. For 18 years, she brought her sharp care and dedication to LabCorp in Toxicology, followed by 15 years in Human Resources at Van Zyverden, where her warmth and capability left a lasting impression on everyone she encountered. She was also a member of the Women of the Moose.

On April 25, 2016, in Meridian, Mississippi, she married Chad—beginning a chapter of deep companionship and shared adventure. Among her greatest joys were the times spent with her beloved grandsons, Gage and Gavin, taking them on unforgettable trips. No memory captures her fearless, joyful zest for life quite like the time she traveled to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, with her son and grandsons—and, at 66 years young, strapped into a harness to go ziplining across the canopy of the Great Smoky Mountains.

At home, her days were brightened by Honey, her wonderfully overly excited and deeply loving golden retriever. She lived her free time with full-throttle energy. Whether she was sinking shots in multiple pool leagues, traveling alongside her mother and sister, hunting, or tuning in to her daily soap operas and game shows, she was always fully engaged in the things she loved.

In the kitchen, she was the undisputed master of the holidays; no family gathering was complete without her famous potato salad, baked beans, and deviled eggs—all washed down with her signature drink of choice, a cold Pepsi.

Her passions extended to the roar of the racetrack. A devoted NASCAR fan, her heart belonged to Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Ross Chastain. A recent highlight of her life was joining her sister, Rhonda, in Ross Chastain’s pit box at a race in Talladega—an electric experience that supercharged her lifelong love for the sport.

When college football season rolled around, she found herself in a fun, loyal rivalry: a graduate of Meridian roots torn between Mississippi State (where she enjoyed many game days from the Van Zyverden box seats) and Alabama, though her loyalties usually leaned toward her husband’s Crimson Tide when the two clashed. She would often be seen with one Mississippi State sock on one foot and an Alabama sock on the other foot during the games to show support for both.

If any single story defined her spark, it was her hunting camp radio handle: Wildfire. She was famous for how fast she could empty five shotgun shells out of her 16-gauge Browning. Once, taking her son Drew up to the deer stand, a deer bolted across the road. True to form, she unloaded all five shells in a heartbeat—and then took off running down the road in hot pursuit of the deer without a single shell left to reload. Having wounded it, she spent the next couple of hours tracking blood through the woods alongside Drew and her dad, Tommy Black. She leaves behind a legacy of laughter, fast shots, roaring engines, family road trips, and a heart that loved deeply.

Those left to cherish Jan’s memory are her loving husband, Chad Locklear; son, Drew Winfield; daughter, Lexie Locklear; mother, Margie Cunningham; sister, Rhonda Black Scarbrough (Eric); her two beloved grandsons, Gage and Gavin Winfield; 1st cousins, Charles Miller and Michael Kea Miller; along with many other family members and beloved friends.

Jan was preceded in death by her father, Thomas Kelly Black, Sr.; her son, Ethan Thomas Winfield; and her brother, Thomas Kelly Black, Jr.

Services celebrating Jan’s life will be held on Tuesday, November 3rd, beginning at 12:00 pm, at Webb & Stephens Funeral Homes-North, with Rev. Wade Phillips officiating. The family will receive friends beginning at 10:00 am during visitation. Jan will be laid to rest in Magnolia Cemetery.

Serving as Pallbearers for the service will be Mike Jackson, Mike Grant, Keith Albanese, Michael Scott, Lester Gressett, and Wesley Fortenberry.

In keeping with her generous and loving spirit, Jan gave the ultimate gift of life through organ and tissue donation. Even in passing, Jan’s legacy of kindness lives on through that gift of hope and healing to others.

The staff of Webb & Stephens Funeral Homes-North is grateful for the opportunity to honor Jan’s life and memory and to serve her loving family during this time.