About Us

We are Larry and Mary Lyn Barnett (aka Trip and Daisy). Texas transplants! Recently retired, we are now adjusting to a new lifestyle – the next phase of life. Our plans are to travel to various parts of the United States to visit with the wonderful people and see the scenery our great country has to offer. Many say we deserve this time because we have worked for so many years. We believe God gave us our time to this point in life, so we won’t be so bold to say we deserve this time. It will be up to Him to allow another day and another beautiful opportunity for life.  

SouthernAire comes from the name of a motel in Hattiesburg, Mississippi that Mary Lyn’s grandfather owned. It was established in April 1959 and holds many childhood memories from swimming in the pool with friends and family, to many meals with family in the steak and seafood restaurant.  The Southernaire Motel was a landmark, with a prominent location in Hattiesburg. The motel colors matched the Black and Gold of the University of Southern Mississippi, and Larry has vivid memories of those colors with many days spent painting during his college years. Larry is the best at making up beds because of his time spent getting to know the housekeeping staff!  

So, with that history, the traveling name for our fifth wheel is “The SouthernAire”. It is our home away from home! Since we like traveling, reading good books, shooting interesting photos, finding good desserts, and telling folks about our family, this website is dedicated to sharing our thoughts and experiences along the way. We trust you will find something of interest.

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The History of Southernaire Motel

• The Southernaire Motel was established on April 17, 1959 by Mary Lyn’s grandfather, Homer Ware Pittman.
• The family experienced wonderful childhood memories of swimming at the motel pool with friends and cousins.
• On September 1, 1967, a seafood and steak restaurant was added to the motel. We enjoyed many meals at the restaurant with the family. 
• The motel was Black and Gold to match the University of Southern Mississippi (USM), the local university.
• Larry’s job in college was to paint the motel.
• The motel was a landmark in Hattiesburg in a prominent location across from USM.