Bill Cooley, Jr.

BILL COOLEY, JR. Tupelo - Bill Cooley, Jr., 89, died Friday, May 02, 2013, at the Sanctuary Hospice House. He was born May 5, 1923, in Bissell to Bill and Lora Irene Evans Cooley. Mr. Cooley was a Mason and was a 33rd Degree Mason. He received his Master Mason's Degree in San Francisco, California Lodge #1 of San Francisco, California in 1957. He was initiated into the Hamasa Shrine in 1962 and served as Potentate in 1995. He has been a member of the Scottish Rite Bodies of Corinth since 1962 and York Rite Bodies of Tupelo since 1964. Mr. Cooley has always been active in numerous organizations. He was a charter member of the Lee County Shrine Club. He served on the Board of Regional Rehabilitation Center for over twenty-five years and also served on the Executive Committee. He was also a member of the American Legion and V.F.W. Mr. Bill retired from the San Francisco Police Department after being injured in the line of duty. He served aboard the U.S.S. Hornet with the United States Navy and continues to be a member of the U.S.S. Hornet Club. He was honorably discharged in 1946. He was a member of Harrisburg Baptist Church for almost seventy-five years and was the second oldest member. He always had a twinkle in his eye, a great sense of humor and will be greatly missed by all. Services will be 1:00 p.m. Monday, May 6, 2013, at The Jefferson Street Chapel of W.E. Pegues with Dr. Forrest Sheffield and Rev. David Langerfeld officiating with Masonic Rites to follow. Burial will be in Lee Memorial Park. He is survived by his wife of sixty-seven years, Kathryn "Kay" Malliaras Cooley of Tupelo; one daughter, Barbara Bath and her husband, Gen. (ret) Ron Bath of Reno, Nevada and one granddaughter, Capt. Veronica Bath of Okinawa, Japan; sister-in-law, Patricia M. Cooley of Tupelo; one brother, Larry Cooley (Wanda) of Marietta, Georgia and a host of special nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Bobby and Joe, who were killed in the 1936 Tupelo Tornado, and later, Jack Cooley in 1989. Visitation will be 11:00 a.m., Monday, May 6, 2013, to service time at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to the Regional Rehabilitation Center of North Mississippi, 615 Pegram Drive, Tupelo, MS 38801 or Shriners Children's Hospital.