The Spot That Ever Calls

Lila Lee Nosser of Vicksburg was Miss Ole Miss and a Hall of Fame inductee in her coed days at Ole Miss

After having completed obtaining a full collection of “Ole Miss” yearbooks, I have often said that everyone in those yearbooks remains permanently 21 years old. This is so very true as I and all the other people in those yearbooks get older.

The first several yearbooks that I vividly remember were 1943-1946, which was the four years my mother was a student at the University. As I grew up looking at those annuals, it became clear that the star on campus during that time was Lila Lee Nosser of Vicksburg. Lila was probably the most popular student on campus.

She was a cheerleader and a beauty every year she was at Ole Miss. In 1946, she was Miss Ole Miss and one of the four students elected to the Hall of Fame that year.

I have attached a couple of her cheerleading photographs and her pictures from the 1946 annual. She was absolutely stunning.

Lila married Bill McRight, and they and their five children moved to Greenville around 1960. I attended high school with their children, finishing in 1965 with their oldest son, Bill.

I have now known Lila for more than fifty years, and she is just as sparkling, gracious and beautiful as ever.

Lila Lee Nosser was a cheerleader at Ole Miss in her college days.

About five years ago, we were visiting my neighbor, Jim Crutcher, and there was a large group of people, including Lila, at Jim’s. We told them that Lila had been a beauty and Miss Ole Miss back in the mid 1940s, and to prove it, I went to my place and brought back the 1946 annual to show to everyone.

Once again, Lila became a sensation. Although she appeared to be very “Aw Shucks” about all the attention, you could tell that she was flattered.

In April of this year, when the Rebel Road Show came to Greenville, Lila was right there filling out nametags, registering the guests and saying hello to everyone. She can work a crowd as well as anyone I have ever seen.

I have attached a recent picture of her with her brother-in-law, Rebel football great, Kayo Dottley. Make no mistake about it, Lila Lee Nosser McRight was then, always has been, still is and always will be Miss Ole Miss.

Hotty Toddy,

Cham

A recent photo of Lila Lee Nosser with her brother-in-law Kayo Dottley