Elvis Christian

Tupelo - Willie Elvis Christian, 86, died Thursday, May 28, 2009, at Home Place after an extended illness. An Itawamba County native and longtime resident of Tupelo, he was born October 3, 1922 to Reese and Sarah Hood Christian. He served in the U.S. Marine Corp Veteran during World War II. Earlier in his life he worked as a truck driver and later worked for the city of Tupelo as a police officer and then for the Tupelo public works department, retiring in 1988. He was a 32 degree mason and a Baptist. He loved his toy poodle, Maggie.

Services will be 2 p.m. Sunday at The Jefferson Street Chapel of W. E. Pegues with Rev. David Laman officiating. Burial will be in Tupelo Memorial Park.

Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Sarah Carpenter Christian; one daughter, Sylvia Papp (Frank) of Lake Worth, FL; one son, James Eldon Christian (Teresa) of Georgetown, S.C.; five grandchildren, Jeffrey Papp of Lake Worth, Catherine Frumenti (Carl) of Boyton Beach, Fl., David Papp and fiancee, MaryAnn, of West Palm Beach, Fl., and Angie Christian of Tupelo and Leah Bazuik of Phoenix, Ariz.; five great-grandchildren, Cody and Sydney Papp, Cara and Lia Frumenti, and Jacob Bazuik; one sister, Laura Christian Caldwell of Southaven.

He was preceded in death by his parents; five brothers and one sister.

Pallbearers will be David Papp, Carl Scherff, Carl James Scherff, James Christian, Kenneth Carpenter, Brad Carpenter and Chris Carpenter.

Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

Expressions of sympathy may be left at www.peguesfuneralhome.com