Mary Patricia, "Tricia" McGehee, 84, of Newton, passed away peacefully Thursday, February 26, 2026, at her residence in Newton, Mississippi. She was born on Tuesday, December 16, 1941, in Jackson, Mississippi.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Newton County Funeral Home - South, 100 Old Highway 15 Loop, Newton, MS. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at 2:00 PM, at the same location with the committal service to follow in Newton County Memorial Gardens in Newton, Mississippi. Brother Marvin Wilson will officiate.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Everarde Bernard and Imogene Kilgore McGehee; as well as her brother, Donald McGehee. Survivors include her adoptive family, Betty Gail Skinner, and Mary Collins, her adopted granddaughters, Kayla Ostler, Rose Overton, and Alexandria Wilson; her sister, Virginia McGehee Friend, nephew, James "Jim" McGehee, and her niece Cathrine Johnston. "Granny Trish" leaves behind many adopted children, and many third generation. She also leaves behind an untold number of special friends, as well as those that she considered to be her family, such as Steve Diamond, Nikki Williams, and Manuel Perez.

In 1962, Tricia was voted and inducted to the debutante club in the city of Jackson. She graduated from Ole Miss, where she was in the Phi Beta Phi sorority. After graduation from Ole Miss, she attended Millsaps College, preparing for medical school. She later went to the University of North Carolina and earned a Masters degree in microbiology and immunology. She then took a position at University of Texas MD Anderson research lab. After Two Years, she worked at the MS Highway patrol crime lab. She then returned to Ole Miss to work on her PhD in genetics. In 1979, Tricia moved to Hawaii with BG, Mike, and Chad, and she volunteered her time there in the Kewalo Basin Research Dolphin Lab. Tricia was always a dedicated Philanthropist, thinking of those in need before herself.

After returning from Hawaii, Tricia and her business partner, and dear friend of 64 years, Betty Gail, started Hidden Springs Arabians in Newton. Together, breeding and training the horses, they met many monarchs and celebrities because of their pure-bred Arabian horses.

Pallbearers will be Mike Gibbs, Colt Collins, Eden Skinner, J.C. Collins, David Wilson, and John Kirkland.

Honorary pallbearers will be Donald Collins, James McGehee, Tre Collins, Chance Collins, Steve Diamond, and Donnie Collins.

The arrangements have been entrusted to Newton County Funeral Home – South.

An online guestbook may be viewed and signed at www.newtoncountyfuneralhome.com