Fallen Hero: Retired Sergeant First Class Robbie Kent Mowdy

Pascagoula, MS

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Funeral Home

Heritage Funeral Home

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Obituary

Look Military Service Tribute, Honors, and Obituary:

Recognizing and Honoring a Fallen Hero who Served in the Mississippi National Guard. “Fallen, Yet Not Forgotten.” In recognition of our proud American tradition of honorable service, which our military men and women have given to their country and our state, we honor a Fallen Hero. Our nation, our state, and the National Guard Association of MS (NGAMS) regard memorializing its retired military deceased as an honorable and sacred obligation. Another great Soldier and Fallen Hero has been released from duty, passed from our ranks on August 22, 2026 and has moved on to his heavenly home.  Retired Sergeant First Class Robbie Kent Mowdy, age 69, Pascagoula, MS, who served with Co B, 890th Engineer Battalion has departed and gone to a better place with our Lord and Savior.

It takes a special person to serve in the military for their country, sacrificing time with family time, comfort, and safety to ensure all Americans can enjoy their freedoms, safety, and way of life. We now applaud you for your service to our country.

A special message from General Douglas MacArthur remains relevant today for our servicemen who have passed: “Old Soldiers never die; they just fade away.” Rest in peace, soldier. We honor your patriotism, sacrifices, and brave efforts in serving our country and your family’s support of your service. We thank you for your service. Without your efforts and your families’ support, our country would not stand so boldly, shine so brightly, and live so freely.

You have now earned your rest, so go fly with the angels, go rest high on that mountain; your work on earth is complete. Go to heaven a-shoutin’ love for the Father and the Son.

Another great soldier has gone home—“Fallen, Yet Not Forgotten, Soldier for Life.”

Obituary, Visitation, and Service Details:

Our beloved “Papa,” Robbie Kent Mowdy, 69, of Pascagoula, Mississippi, passed away early Saturday morning, August 22, with all three of his girls right by his side.

Robbie was born January 27, 1957, in Neshoba County, Mississippi, to Frank and Rebecca Mowdy. He graduated from East Central High School and went straight to work at Ingalls Shipbuilding. Shortly after, he enlisted in the United States Navy, where he took every opportunity he could to travel the world. He traded his sailor’s uniform for camouflage when he joined the National Guard and proudly continued serving his country for the next 20 years.

After a few years away, Robbie came home to Pascagoula, where he eventually met his bride, Teresa. They went on their first date on January 19, 1983, and just eight months later, on August 19, they were married. Robbie and Teresa shared 43 years of marriage, celebrating their anniversary just three days before his passing. Their daughters, Rachel and Emily-Ann, were his pride and joy, and he loved being their dad. He also loved his son-in-law, Jacob Higginbotham, tremendously. After being surrounded by girls for so long, he loved having Jacob as part of their family and was proud to call him “son”.

Robbie loved the Lord and accepted Jesus as his personal Savior at a young age. He instilled that same love of Christ in his girls and was a faithful spiritual leader for his family. His faith was not simply something he spoke about, but something he lived and passed on to those he loved most.

Robbie was a handyman in every sense of the word. He could fix just about anything, and if something was broken, chances were Papa could figure it out. Sometimes it happened to be fixed with black screws or duct tape, but it was always fixed. He loved being outside, whether he was working in the yard or tinkering with something in his shed, particularly his 1949 Ford tractor or one of his many woodworking projects.

Of all the roles Robbie held throughout his life, being “Papa” was the one he treasured most. His six grandchildren were the light of his life, and he cheered them on at every program, recital, and game he could attend. If you saw him at any point during the last 16 years of his life, chances are he was wearing a “Papa” hat or shirt. He was incredibly proud of each of his grandchildren, and more importantly, he made sure they knew it.

In 2017, Robbie suffered a terrible accident and went on to make a truly miraculous recovery. Doctors initially said he might never walk or talk again, but Robbie was determined to beat the odds. Just a few months later, he came home from rehab with a new outlook on life and a determination to make the most of the time he had been given. In the years that followed, he went on mission trips, traveled with his wife and family, and treasured every opportunity he had to spend time with the people he loved. Even when the lasting effects of his brain injury began to take their toll, his fierce love for his family never wavered.

Robbie’s life was one of faith, perseverance, hard work, and an extraordinary love for his family. He showed everyone who loved him what it meant to keep going even when the road became difficult. His family takes comfort in knowing that the body that had to work so hard to survive in his final years has been made whole again, and that the faith he carried throughout his life has now become sight.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Rebecca Mowdy, and his parents-in-law, John and Ann Nixon.

Robbie is survived by his beloved wife of 43 years, Teresa Nixon Mowdy; his daughters, Rachel Lawrence and Emily-Ann (Jacob) Higginbotham; his six grandchildren, Lucy Higginbotham, Jackson Higginbotham, Jensen Higginbotham, Annagrace Lawrence, Elena Higginbotham, and Rollin Lawrence; his sister, Carolyn Mowdy, along with her children, Jonathan, Jennifer, and Michael York; his brother-in-law, Johnny (Kathy) Nixon; his sisters-in-law, Mary (James) White and Tammy (Michael) Howell; and many other nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members, and friends who he loved dearly.

Visitation will be held at Heritage Funeral Home in Moss Point on Tuesday, August 25, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., with funeral services immediately following at 11:00 a.m. A private burial will be held at Biloxi National Cemetery at a later date.

Heritage Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Robbie Kent Mowdy.