Mrs. James Dausey Wroten, Sr., whose name at birth was Birdie Grey Steen, was born at Florence in Rankin County, Mississippi, on March 18, 1892, of the marriage of Edward Silas Steen and Gena Belle Lowther Steen. She died at the C.C. Young Memorial Home (United Methodist) at Dallas, Texas, on November 18, 1982. Her interment was at Lakewood Memorial Park in Hinds County, Mississippi. Her late husband was the Reverend Doctor James Dausey Wroten, Sr., who died on November 11, 1963.
The marriage ceremony of the then Miss Birdie Grey Steen to James Dausey Wroten was conducted by his Presiding Elder, the Reverend H.S. Spragins, at the First Baptist Church, Jackson, Mississippi, on September 5, 1916. The couple had met while both were students at Millsaps College. She graduated from Millsaps College in the Class of 1914 and received her permanent Mississippi public school teacher's license the same year. Prior to her marriage she taught English at Jackson High School (later called Central High School).
Of her marriage six children were born, namely: Ruth Steen Wroten (the present Mrs. William Lewis Crouch, of Jackson, Mississippi); James Dausey Wroten, Jr., who resides at Dallas, Texas; Frances Marion Wroten (the late Frances Wroten Johnson, who died at age forty-nine); Carroll Edward Wroten, who died at fourteen months; Joseph Eason Wroten, who resides at Greenville, Mississippi, and John Alexander Wroten, who died at the age of twenty-one.
In addition to her surviving children, Mrs. Wroten is survived also by ten grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
Mrs. Wroten served alongside her husband as he served in the following pastorates and other relationships to the North Mississippi Conference: Benoit-Beulah, Ripley-Blue Mountain, Ripley, Moorhead, Batesville, New Albany First, Indianola, Water Valley First, Presiding Elder of Corinth District, Columbus First, District Superintendent of Greenville District, Louisville First, District Superintendent of Cleveland District, all of the foregoing having been prior to her husband's retirement; and Doddsville-Linn, Greenville Bethel, and Glen Allan as a retired supply.
She was a charter member of the Phi Mu chapter at Millsaps College. At the time of her marriage she was a leader of the Campfire Girls organization in the Jackson area. In later years she was a leader in the Y.W.C.A. Girl Reserves organization. She was throughly immersed in and loved her opportunities and responsibilities as a minister's wife, especially in the area of teaching children in church school. At midlife she served as Regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution chapters at Columbus and at Greenville. She was also active in the National Association of Parliamentarians. She served many years on the Board of Hospitals and Homes of The North Mississippi Conference of The Methodist Church, and she was one of the original promoters of church sponsorship of the homes for the aged which have since developed across the conference. After a full life filled with love for God, her family and all other children of God, she gained her eternal reward at age ninety.