Nell Hogue Bourgeois, age 98, passed away peacefully into the loving arms of her Lord and Savior on April 1, 2026 in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.

Born in Carthage, Mississippi, on July 31, 1927, to James Gordon Hogue and Mildred Mann Hogue, Nell’s journey took her from Jackson to Gulfport, and on to business and finishing schools in New Orleans and Chicago. These early experiences shaped a woman known for her resilience and grace.

Her life was one of unwavering partnership and dedication. In 1948, she married Jack Bourgeois, beginning a loving marriage that spanned 63 remarkable years. Together, they not only built a successful custom home building business for 46 years but, more importantly, a beautiful family and a life centered on shared faith and mutual devotion.

Nell was, above all, a strong, gracious, and loving woman whose life was a testament to her faith. She was the heart of her family, a matriarch who always put the needs of others before her own. Her positive attitude and strength in the face of adversity were an inspiration to all who knew her. Through her actions, she taught profound lessons in love and selfless living, never making anything about herself but finding joy in the happiness of her family and friends.

A perfect reflection of her humble and gracious character, Nell requested that her ashes be combined in an urn with her husband's. She left her family with a final, powerful lesson in forgiveness through a borrowed quote: "If you must bury something, let it be my faults, my weaknesses and all the prejudice against my fellow man. Give my sins to the devil and my soul to God."

She is predeceased by her husband, Jack; her parents; her daughter, Jackie Southerland; son-in-law, Bill Southerland; and sister, Betty Jean Muller. She is survived and lovingly remembered by her children, David (Gloria) Bourgeois of Brentwood, Tennessee, and Cindy (Chris) Hollar of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina; as well as six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, all of whom were her greatest treasures.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to the staff at Somerby Mt. Pleasant, who surrounded Nell with love and friendship during her final years.

A graveside service will be held at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens in Gulfport at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Trinity United Methodist Church or Feed My Sheep in Gulfport, continuing Nell's legacy of giving.