There are three new businesses in Decatur, on Highway 15, near the town cemetery. The florist shop there is called The Added Touch, and the person you see and hear call a friendly greeting when you enter is Mrs. Michelle Addy. I’ve also enjoyed her ministry as music director and soloist at Grace United Baptist Church when I have visited there.
Michelle was born Nov. 5, 1966, and she was brought up on Chapel Hill Road. Her parents are Kenneth and Beth Gray Chaney, with siblings being a brother, Michael, and a sister, Marian. Michael is married to Linda Burt, and their son is Blake. Marian and her husband, Carlos Roncali, have sons, Eli and Lane.
From kindergarten all the way to her graduation in 1984, Michelle attended the Newton County Academy. From there she enjoyed her time at East Central Junior College for about three years, playing cymbals in the band, acting in the ECCC Players and singing with the Collegians.
In 1994, Michelle met J. R. Addy, son of Bobby and Syble Addy, from Chunky, at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church. They were married Oct. 14, 1995. J.R. has always been self-employed and, with his brother Kenny, owns Addy Brothers Construction Company. J. R. has a sister, Linda Gail Felton, married to Steve Felton. Michelle and J.R.’s children are Lily Suzanne, born May 18, 1996, and Matthew Randle, born March 22, 1999.
Lily was born with a lot of fluid on her body and was sent to the Blair-Batson Children’s Hospital in Jackson, where a cardiologist discovered a thickening in her heart. Until she was sixteen, when the pressure had built up too high and the mitral valve was in danger of being damaged, medications kept it under control.
Michelle told me, “It was a God thing every time,” meaning every time something important happened. It was good that they did the surgery, when they shaved the thickening part out, as late as they did, as they discovered an aortic aneurysm at that time. If they had done the surgery earlier, they might not have discovered it.
Her surgery was successful, and afterward, her feet that had always been cold were cold no longer! Her primary doctor is Dr. David Braden, at Mississippi Children’s Heart at Baptist Hospital, who has been her doctor since she was born. He said he would keep Lily until his retirement.
God reassured the family several times. Just days before the surgery, Michelle had backed into a tree, and the back window had to be replaced. While at the glass company, a man told J.R. in conversation that the surgeon who was to operate on Lily, Dr. Jorge Salazar, had done his grandson’s surgery just two weeks before and said he was a “God-fearing man.” Michelle told of how Dr. Salazar prayed with Lily right before the surgery. Once, at a pre-op appointment, in the waiting room in conversation with a little boy, the child asked what she was going to have done. When she told him, he said, “Oh, that’s nothing!” and lifted his shirt to show her his scar on his chest.
Lily was band manager at ECCC, graduated from there in Child Care, began a job, but stayed sick, as her immune system was not strong. She is now a manager at Newton McDonald’s and loves her job. While at EC, she met Jeremy Collins from Scott County, and they have been going together for about two years.
Michelle and J.R.’s son, Matt, works as a diesel mechanic in Meridian at Empire Trucks, and enjoys playing guitar. He attended ECCC one semester before going to Hinds County Community College, where he finished the two-year diesel mechanic vocational program. He has been at Empire four months now and likes it. He has always worked since a child, as he would go with his dad on his company jobs. Matt learned to operate heavy equipment, put in plumbing, septic equipment, etc. Michelle said he has a “very special girl with a beautiful singing voice,” Kelly Phillips from Clarkdale.
Michelle told me she grew up in Clarke-Venable Baptist Church until she was married and moved out toward Pleasant Ridge. She and J.R. presently attend Grace United Baptist Church, where she is the music director. J.R. helped build the church, has taught Sunday School and is a deacon.
She walked the aisle to be saved at the age of nine, but had her doubts as an adult. When Dr. Richard Ethridge was pastor of Grace United, she went to a church service with her friend Margie Brown. In his sermon, the pastor asked, “Do you know that you know?” She thinks it was about 15 years ago, when it bothered her all night long. She called the next morning, told Margie she needed to talk, went over, talked and cried, then went to see Dr. Ethridge. “They both prayed for me, and then he led me to the Lord. I have no doubt now.”
She had always loved to sing. From August 2010 until May 2012, Michelle earned her church music degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, having done her classes in Meridian. She has been music director at Grace United Baptist Church now for 15 years. She likes something her present pastor, Rev. Jamie Leach told her, “Put your heart in your part.” She sings solos, leads worship and works with a children’s choir and the adult choir. She and several others sing in a praise band at church, have sung at other churches and even the American Legion Hut. She definitely puts her heart in her part!
Michelle told me a memorable story that, again, shows the hand of God on a life. About 20 years ago, she had to have a breast biopsy. She was scared and admitted, “I don’t do sick well.” She recalled, “I had to go down to X-ray. There was an old black lady in a wheelchair who said, ‘Honey, you look nervous!’ I told her I was, and she replied, ‘Oh, it’s gonna be all right.’ I went in, had it done, and when I came out, she was gone. I asked the nurse to tell her, ‘Thank you,’ but the nurse told me, ‘You’re the only appointment we’ve had today!’”
Michelle finished up our conversation by telling me how she got her present job working for Mr. David Traywick, owner of the Added Touch, from Philadelphia. Her friend Wynnette Dean knew she needed a job. She called Mr. Traywick and strongly persuaded him to call Michelle, as she’d learned he had the opening for someone to manage the shop. He learned soon why she was a good fit for the position, and he exclaimed, “You know everybody!” She told me about her boss, “He’s got the biggest heart, and he’s taught me so much.”
As we talked of how the Lord takes care of our problems, Michelle commented, “We sometimes let stresses overshadow the blessings that we have.” I think she has learned, through so many situations, that there is no need to be nervous when you belong to the Lord.
Live for Jesus! He’s coming soon!
You may contact me at lagnesrussell@gmail.com or 601-635-3282.
