State of Mississippi Judiciary

Retired Chancellor Vettra Glenn Alderson Sr. of Oxford died on December 12

December 22, 2025

Retired Chancellor Vettra Glenn Alderson Sr. of Oxford died on Dec. 12 at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi. He was 85.

A graveside service was held on Dec. 16 at Oxford Memorial Cemetery.

He served as Chancery Judge of the 18th Judicial District from 1999 to 2018. The district includes Lafayette, Benton, Calhoun, Marshall and Tippah counties. He previously served as Oxford Municipal Judge 1988 to 1999.

He was a lifelong resident of Oxford. His fellow judges remembered Judge Alderson’s love of family, his community and the law.

Chancellor Lawrence L. Little of Oxford, who succeeded Judge Alderson on the 18th Chancery bench, said, “His life was a wonderful snapshot of rural America. His life honored his wife, children, grandchildren, family, friends, community, and his profession. He loved with intensity and it is easy to assume he also disliked with the same level of intensity. He sometimes wanted to portray that negative side as an impenetrable wall, but his true friends knew better. That barrier could be removed a little at a time in a case or in a conversation.

“A trial in his court was also intense,” Judge Little said. “Shockingly, in his court he could be yelled at, (my excuse was that he did not hear well, which was true), he could be teased, (if you knew the soft spot that day) or he could be convinced with a really good set of facts and legal theory, sometimes. A few weeks after a verdict, when everyone calmed down, many of us who practiced with him agreed that Judge Alderson always made a reasonable decision.

“Judge Alderson loved intensely being a judge, interacting with the attorneys, clerks and his faithful Court Reporter Jean Sparks. He loved intensely being faithful to the law. The name or status of your client, your law school or your firm were completely irrelevant. He loved intensely Lafayette County, Ole Miss and all the cities, towns, communities and counties in the 18th Chancery District. He loved intensely old Oxford, ‘little’ Johnny Vaught and Ed Perry. He communicated well with all, regardless of social status, and was skeptical of the explosive growth this community. His Dad sat with friends on a bench on the Courthouse lawn for many years every day, always ready to converse with anyone entering or leaving. Sadly, with Glenn’s death, we are now two generations from that level of intimacy,” Judge Little said.

“He loved intensely to help young lawyers, or at least he did with me when I was young. His form of encouragement was unconventional. ‘They thought you could not do it, but you showed them,’ he said to me on more than one occasion. I was blessed to follow him to Municipal Court and to this Court. He was gra-cious with valuable guidance as to both. About 20 years ago, Lafayette County built a new Chancery Court House. Judge Alderson was involved in the design of the courtroom and offices in this building where I now sit. I hope I learned from his legacy. From here is no better view,” Judge Little said.

“He loved intensely his family. His beloved wife Jackie died of cancer several years ago. They fought together against that disease, with many trips to M. D. Anderson. After her death, his children and grandchildren checked on him every day. His remaining family, Judge Whitwell and I will miss him greatly.”

Chancellor Robert Q. Whitwell recalled Judge Alderson’s guidance and mentorship from the time he was appointed to the bench in 2013. “I started visiting with him in his office in the late afternoons. I would discuss my rulings during the day and he would always be a good listener. After I told him what I had ruled, he would very kindly say ‘You might think about this,’ or give me some fatherly advice. He was never con-descending or talked down to me. He treated me like a son and I took his advice very seriously. He was a wealth of knowledge on family law and was kind enough to help me with any questions I had. He was a great mentor for me,” Judge Whitwell said.

Judge Alderson also knew the value of letting litigants work out their differences, and encouraged them to do so. “He had a real knack at being able to get parties to come to a fair settlement without the expense of a trial,” Judge Whitwell said.

“He was a very good family man. He suffered greatly from the loss of his beloved wife Jackie to cancer and his grandson Brett. In spite of all of this, he continued to love his other family and went on with his life helping others. He was a kind and loving man who will be missed by all.”

His family in his obituary said that he was often referred to as the ‘protector of children’s rights.’ “He deeply loved his family and the community of Oxford and Lafayette County,” they said.

Judge Alderson was born in Lafayette County on Oct.19, 1940, to the late Vettra Curtis and Louise Mathis Alderson. After graduating from University High School in 1959, he earned a Bachelor of Public Ad-ministration degree from the University of Mississippi in 1963 and a Juris Doctor from The University of Mississippi School of Law in 1966.

He began public service as the youngest elected Lafayette County Prosecuting Attorney at age 27, and served for 16 years, until 1984. He spent 33 years in private law practice with the late Rep. Edwin Perry. He was President and Vice-President of the Lafayette County Bar Association and President of the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce.

His obituary is at this link: https://www.wallerfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Vettra-Glenn-Alderson-Senior?obId=46679339.

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