Funeral Services for Willis Newbell Puckett, II, who died Sunday, October 4, 2009, in Port Heiden, AK, will be Sunday, October 11, 2009 at his church, St. Pauls Episcopal Church at 3:00 PM. The Very Rev. James F. Carlyle, Dr. Sam Morris and Dr. Andrew C. Puckett, Jr. will be the Celebrants for the service. Visitation will start at 1:00PM in the Earline Robertson Room at St. Pauls. He will be buried in Friendship Cemetery. The son of the late Andrew Clay and May Jones Puckett, Mr. Puckett was born July 3, 1930 in Columbus, Ms. He attended The Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tn and was a graduate of S.D. Lee Senior High School. He enrolled at Mississippi State, and then he enlisted in the U. S. Army, serving during and after the Korean Conflict. He received an Honorable Discharge with the rank of Sgt. on July 31, 1960. He then re-entered Mississippi State College, now Mississippi State University, graduating with a B.S. degree in Accounting. He was descended from a prominent Lowndes County family whose members were instrumental in establishing First Baptist Church, National Bank of Commerce, now Cadence Bank, and Columbus Brick Co. His father, the late Andrew C. Puckett, purchased Memorial Funeral Home from his partners around 1940, and Mr. Puckett later purchased the funeral home from his father and was still active in this business, serving as owner and President of Memorial Burial Association, Inc. at the time of his death. He was a faithful communicant of St. Pauls Episcopal Church, previously serving as Junior Warden and a member of the Steering committee for How Firm A Foundation Building Committee in 2008. He anonymously supported his church and worked behind the scene on many projects. A loyal supporter of Mississippi State University, he was a longtime member of the Bulldog Club. He received the Alumnus of the Year Award in 2007 from the Lowndes County Chapter of the MSU Alumni Association. He was also a loyal member and supporter of the Mississippi Theta Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity at Mississippi State, where he was initiated into membership in 1956 and was named a Founder Member of the Fraternity in 1985. He enjoyed hosting rush parties for the fraternity at his home on the river He was also a member of Gamma Delta chapter of the International Fraternity of Delta Sigma Pi, for students in the school of Business at Miss State. A longtime Rotarian, he served as President of the Rotary Club of Columbus 1977-1978, served as District Governor for Rotary International District 6820 and was named a Paul Harris Fellow. He served on many committees for Rotary and was actively involved and helped Rotary International provide basic living essentials for people in Africa by feeding the hungry and digging wells for fresh water for drinking and bathing. He was a longtime member of the Board of Directors of First Columbus National Bank, a past president of the Columbus Board of Realtors and CLOPAC. He was passionate about the Kidney Foundation and served as President of the National Kidney Foundation of Mississippi 1984-1985. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Salvation Army for many years, holding positions of Advisory Board Chairman and Capital Campaign Chairman. He generously supported the United Way of Lowndes County as a member of the Riverine Society. He was a member of Magowah Gun Club and a lifetime member of the Mississippi Wildlife Federation. He felt strongly about teaching youth to hunt and fish and was recognized as a founding member of the Lowndes County Greenwings Chapter of Ducks Unlimited. He was a member of Safari Club International as well as a lifetime member of the Dallas Safari Club, enabling him to keep in close contact with his hunting and fishing friends around the world. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his sister, Polly Puckett Russell. He is survived by his son George Gregory Puckett and daughter-in-law Raquel, his grandchildren Stacey, Ricky, Davie Ann and Miller Puckett, his brother Dr. Andrew C. Puckett, Jr. (Libby) of Durham, NC, nieces Betsy Puckett Dessauer (Mark) and Emilie Puckett Nicotra (Todd), Letitia Russell St. Germaine and Sherard Russell and nephews Kendall Russell (Debbie) and Andy Russell (Cameron). The Pallbearers will be Greg Puckett, Ricky Puckett, Miller Puckett, Gregg Rader, Dusty Barnett, and Mark Hardy. The Honorary Pallbearers will be Members of the Riverhill Peckerwoods: Houston Hardy, Bud Phillips, Billy Phillips, Aubrey Nichols, Jimmy Wilder, Howard Sharp, Burt Wheeler, Tom Wolford, Lee Sanders, Bobby Caldwell, Joe Douglass; Members of the Breakfast Club: A.J. Steverson, Henry Weiss, Don Shelton, Sam Pilkinton, Jimmy Wilder, Dr. Charlie Dahlke, Tommy Johnson, Bud Phillips, Bert Wheeler, Joe Douglass, in memory of Bill McCarter, and Dick Wiggers. Additional honorary pallbearers will be Sam and Powe Chestnut, Dr. Gary Waldrop, Betsy Hardy, Dick Christopher, Guy Blaudeau, Jim and Helen Evans, Charlie and Martha White, Johnny White, Johnny Sharp, Hillary and Velma Livingston, Dr. Brad Brown, Dr. Brett Brown, Mike Waters, Joe Fant, Will Cooper, Si Thomas, Russell Kyle, Jimmy Graham, Boyd Hardy, Dr. Robert Myers, Dr.Wiley Hutchins, Ralph McClain and Tom Younger. Memorials may be made to the Kidney Foundation of Mississippi, P.O. Box 55802, Jackson, Ms 39216 or the Salvation Army, P.O. Box 8, Columbus, Ms 39703.
