Samuel Hilary Livingston

Samuel Hilary Livingston Jr., 95 years old, died October 26, 2018, at his home in Columbus, MS.

Funeral services will be Monday, October 29, 2018, at 2:00 PM at First Baptist Church with Dr. Shawn Parker officiating. The interment will follow at Friendship Cemetery with Military Honors. Visitation will be Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018, from 5:00-7:00 PM at Memorial Gunter Peel Funeral Home, 2nd Ave. North location. Memorial Gunter Peel Funeral Home & Cremtory has been entrusted with arrangements.

Mr. Livingston was born July 22, 1923, in Yazoo City, MS, to the late Samuel Hilary Livingston and Sarah Armstrong Livingston. His family moved to Columbus in 1930, where he attended school and graduated from Lee High School in 1941. One of his greatest honors was serving 3 years in the army in World War II, including 7 months in Europe from January to August 1945. He served in the 11th Mechanized Cavalry Group, 44th Reconnaissance Squadron in the 9th Army. After discharge from the Army, he returned to Mississippi State and in August 1947, received a degree in Electrical Engineering. After graduating from Mississippi State, he took a job with Hunt Oil Company in Tuscaloosa working in the refinery operations. During this time, he attended the University of Alabama where he received a degree in Mechanical Engineering, and he applied for and received a Commission in the Naval Reserve, serving for 12 years. He was an instructor in the Engineering Drawing Department at Mississippi State University for 5 years, then worked at Columbus Air Force Base as an Electrical and Mechanical Engineer, where he retired after 29 years.

He was a member of the First Baptist Church and the Builders Sunday school class, where he taught for over 20 years. He was a serious student of the word of God and studied for many years under the teaching ministry of R.B. Thieme Jr. His knowledge of bible doctrine directed his life and made him a man who truly lived by the principle of grace his entire life. He was saved by grace and he died in grace. When he gave the gospel, his favorite message was “Faith plus nuttin!” Faith alone in Christ alone is the only thing required for salvation.

He was also a member of The America Legion, The Veterans of Foreign Wars and The National Rifle Association. While at Mississippi State, he was he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order Social Fraternity and The Tau Beta Pi Engineering Society. He enjoyed the game of tennis and was an original stockholder and founder of the Magnolia Tennis Club.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Sarah Livingston Fowler.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Velma Livingston; children, Sam Livingston of Baltimore, MD, Jimmy Livingston of Southlake, TX and LuAnn Yarbrough of Atlanta, GA; 12 grandchildren; 1 great-grandson; and numerous nieces, nephews and loved ones.

Pallbearers will be his grandsons Samuel Livingston, Clifton Livingston, Trooper Livingston, Nicholas Petty, Christopher Petty and Walker Yarbrough. Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Nelson, George Boyd, Bobby Caldwell, Bill Blair, Bill Gavin, Doug Wheeler, Bill Threadgill, Dr. Brett Brown, Dr. Brad Brown, Bill Gillis, Steven Black and members of the Builders Sunday School class at First Baptist.

Memorial donations may be sent to Palmer Home, P.O. Box 746, Columbus, MS, 39703 or to Love-In-Deed Ministries at First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 829, Columbus, MS, 39703