Bill Mercer

THAXTON - William E. "Bill" Mercer died Saturday, Feb. 2, 2008, at the Veterans Memorial Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. after a short illness. He was a native of New Albany, born to the late William Leonard Mercer and Mary Louise Craft Mercer. He had been a resident of the Thaxton community for the last nine years, but formerly lived in Tupelo. He was a very active member in his church, the Thaxton United Methodist Church. He was a twenty year veteran with the Tupelo Fire Department and retired with the rank of Captain. He was also a volunteer fire fighter with the Belden, Palmetto, and the Old Union Fire Districts. He was instrumental in forming the Belden, Mooreville, Eggville, Palmetto, and the Old Union fire districts. He was a fire training coordinator for Lee, Pontotoc, Itawamba, and Chickasaw counties for twenty years. He was also a volunteer van driver for the senior services at Traceway for twenty-two years and was a long distance driver for Williams Transfer and storage of Tupelo also. He served as an assistant to the Adjutant General of the US Army during the Korean War Conflict. He was a greeter at Wal-Mart in Pontotoc for the last two years. He served with pride to make the country a better and safer place to live and work. He was a master gardener and a charter member of the Tater Hills Good Sam Camping Club, the Miss. Fire Fighters Association. He loved woodworking, camping, and his family's gatherings.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Jefferson Street Chapel of W. E. Pegues Funeral Directors with the Rev. William Montgomery, Rev. Tim Tutor, and the Rev. Joe Shelton officiating. Burial will be in Tupelo Memorial Park cemetery with W.E. Pegues Funeral Directors in charge of arrangements.

Survivors include his wife, Julia Ann Moore (Judy) Mercer of Thaxton; three daughters, Peggy Lee Lawrence of Columbus, Shirley House of Tupelo, and Mary Barron (Ken) of Tupelo; three sons, Andy Mercer of Thaxton, Roger Mercer (Mitzi) of Tupelo, Chris Mercer (Tammy) of Tupelo, and Dale House; grandchildren, Drew Mercer and fiancee Tabitha, Chanda Gordon (Aaron), Matt Barron (Natalie), John Barron (Felecia), Sarah Barrow, Hillary House and fiance Drew, Tiffany House and fianc, Dustin, Cassie Dahlem (Jay), Steven Lawarence (Jackelin), Jason Lawrence, Pamela Lawrence, Renee Crawley (Jacob), Alex Lawrence (Racheal), Hunter Lawrence, Katie Lawrence, Preston Lawrence, Anthony Mercer, Carley Mercer, Austin Mercer; and his mother, Mary Louise Mercer of Pontotoc.

He was preceded in death by his father, William Leonard Mercer; one brother, James Mercer; one sister, Mary Agnes Mercer; and one great-grandchild, Gillian Angel Gordon.

Pallbearers will be his grandsons with the Tupelo Fire Department in charge of his honor guard service.

Visitation will be today from 4-8 at the Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the Tupelo Hog Roasters Association or the Patient Care Fund of American Cancer Society.