Brenda Cheatham, Administrative Assistant for Enroll Management at East Central Community College, from Union, Mississippi, was born April 15, 1959, to J. H “Hop” and Connie Roberts Munn, of the House Community. Her father, a truck driver then supervisor for a gas company, died in 2012. Her mother passed away June 2022 at 97. Brenda has siblings Syble, Robert, and Patricia. Ricky and Syble Smith live in Little Rock, Robert and Ann Munn in Newton, and Patricia and Jimmy Joiner in House.
Brenda’s family lived in House, so she attended Neshoba Central schools, where she ran track, cheered, and was voted Most Beautiful before graduating in 1977. Steve said, “She was a great athlete.” They began seeing each other in 1977 right after her graduation. Steve recalled, “I told all my buddies after our first date, ‘I met the girl I’m gonna marry!” She went on to ECCC, earned her Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration in 1979, then married Steve that July. Their daughter Lindsey was born September of 1982.
She shared, “I have early recollections of church…going with Mom to McLain’s Chapel Pentecostal Church. At 12, we had a revival…and I just felt the Holy Spirit drawing and calling. That was when I was saved.” She continued, “We were married in that church, but began attending Salem Baptist. We now attend Crossway Community Church, a non-denominational church in Philadelphia.”
Steve Cheatham was born September 25, 1956, in Philadelphia, to David “Bubba” and Marylynn Jones Cheatham. His older brother Danny and wife Dot live in Starkville, as does his sister Janie Cannon, a widow. His brother Mark and wife Michele live in Philadelphia. Steve’s father, who dropped out of school during the Depression to get a trade, was later awarded a Purple Heart during WWII. He did construction work away from home all the week days throughout Steve’s life until his retirement when he began a bricklaying business. In 2005 he died at 82.
Steve played football, baseball, ran track, and did pole vaulting at Neshoba Central High School before graduating as Mr. NCHS in 1976. He loved hunting, fishing, and camping out but also worked construction summers and holidays. Steve played baseball at ECCC two years before going on to Mississippi State University, where he graduated in 1978 with his B.S. in Health, Physical Education and Recreation.
He said he had a “drug problem,” in that he was “drug to church from an early age.” He was raised in church, with a praying mother. When he was ten, at VBS at Burnside Baptist Church, Steve said, “I gave my heart to the Lord. I know beyond any shadow of a doubt that Jesus came into my life.” However, he admitted, “When I hit 15, I ran as far as He’d let me go. He’d pull me back in.” Brenda worked at Thomasson Lumber Company about three years after they were married then later at the Bank of Philadelphia for ten years, while Steve, teaching 7th, 8th and 10th grade subjects, was coaching baseball, track, and football at Neshoba.
In 1993, at the age of 36, Steve got the opportunity to attend Clemson University in South Carolina as a Graduate Assistant Football Coach. Brenda worked in a bank for a while, then in the football office. The coach he worked under there was Coach Ken Hatfield, who Steve said was a very godly man. Steve reminisced, “We got in a great church while we were there. We fell in love all over again. It was a new start. I admired Coach Hatfield. He took a chance on me.” While they were there, he worked with the team at the Peach Bowl and the Gator Bowl and earned his Master’s degree in 1996.
Steve coached at high school football again at Dothan High School in Alabama for one year before returning to be Head Coach at Philadelphia High School 1997 for four years. Brenda worked in the Counselor’s office, while Lindsey, in the ninth grade was a cheerleader and her dad’s biggest fan. In 2000, Steve went to ECCC as Assistant Football Coach, and Brenda soon became Administrative Assistant in the Dean of Student’s office. Lindsey also attended and cheered at ECCC, continuing to be her dad’s biggest fan.
In 2003, Steve, Brenda and Lindsey left ECCC for the University of Mississippi—Steve to be Assistant Athletic Director for Football Operations, a position offered him by Head Coach David Cutcliffe, Brenda to become an Administrative Assistant for Women’s Athletics, and Lindsey to study dental hygiene at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He was at Ole Miss 2½ years, before changes in the school’s coaching staff again necessitated his change to serve as Head Football Coach at Neshoba Central in 2005 for two years. Brenda returned to her former position at ECCC; Steve returned to ECCC as Assistant in 2007 then Head Coach in 2008. On March 8, 2008, Lindsey married Bo Burkes of Philadelphia. February 11, 2010, Hayes Hollis Burkes, 13, was born, and on March 21, 2012, Jones Chandler Burkes, 10, completed the family.
Steve retired in 2009 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. His retirement would be short-lived as he took positions at Conehatta Tribal School, Birmingham Southern College, and Newton County High School. In December of 2011, Steve was given the opportunity to become the Defensive Coordinator at Faulkner University in Montgomery Alabama. Brenda, stayed behind to take care of her Dad, who was in poor health and to help her daughter, expecting her second child with her husband deployed at the time. This separation almost destroyed their marriage. Steve shared, “I lost touch with who I was. I had put football ahead of everything and almost let that ‘atta-boy’ destroy me and our marriage.” Brenda added, “God told me he would put our marriage back together better than ever.” They were blessed to receive godly counseling but more importantly God directed them to Crossway Community Church. Though not an easy journey, God was faithful throughout the process. They were rebaptized together, and Steve remembered, “When I came up, it was like I was free!”
They are involved in various ministries in the church, including the Praise and Worship team, where they both learned to play instruments. Steve shared a powerful vision from God of himself leisurely skating on ice towards this great light. The ice melting as he moved closer, he realized the light was the fires of hell. Just before he reached the light he was lifted up. He believes that God showed him he was skating through life headed straight for hell, But God! Their testimony is that they initially believed God sent them to Crossway to save their marriage—He actually sent them there to save their souls! God really does work all things together for good for those who love Him. The enemy meant to destroy them and their marriage, but God has used it for their good and His glory as they’ve had opportunities to share their story with other couples.
Live for Jesus! He’s coming soon! You may contact me at lagnesrussell@gmail.com or 601-635-3282.
