Page 15 - Pascagoula Magazine - 2025

in which women became welders, sharecroppers traded hoes for pipe wrenches and farm boys worked at steady jobs for good wages. All these efforts proved fortuitous for the entire country as nearly one-hundred ships were launched from Pascagoula.
Today, Pascagoula remains at the forefront of shipbuilding and industry. The rich heritage of our city remains in this city today, providing Mississippians with sustainable careers and rewarding opportunities.
Jimmy Buffett
The unexpected death of iconic music ambassador Jimmy Buffett took an emotional toll on the people who adored him, unbeknownst to most, especially those in Pascagoula.
Born on Christmas Day 1946 in Pascagoula, his mother called him a gift and as the son of a son of
a sailor, he never forgot which sands were home. Stories are often told of the many visits he had to his grandparents in Pascagoula, following his move to Alabama. His grandfather opened his eyes to the many wonders of the world beyond by showing him old maps of his sailing days. It was the inspiration for songs like “Pascagoula Run” and his nomadic lifestyle. During Jimmy’s visits to the area, he
loved to frequent all his favorite places, including Scranton’s in Pascagoula and his childhood home on Roosevelt Street.
When the bridge near his grandparents’ house on Baptiste Bayou in Pascagoula was donned Buffett
Ingalls during World War II
Bridge in 2015, the lifelong nautical man was there adorning his traditional duck-billed oysterman cap and faded khakis, with his guitar in hand. He stood on the very spot where the melody of his island- escapism lifestyle launched.
The 76-year-old island rocker was more than just Pascagoulai’s very own bourgeoisie of yacht rock and barfly anthems with a nonchalant beach bum swagger, complete with flip-flops and sunnies.
Sure, the legendary singer-songwriter drew legions of colorful fans who helped parlay his lagniappe catalog into lifestyle-branded business ventures and eventually a multi-million-dollar Parrothead empire. He was also an author, gracious humanitarian, and a devoted environmentalist with his foundation, Sing for Change which primarily funds projects that serve children and families, the environment, and disaster relief.
Jimmy Buffett
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