Mac Mccarty

M. L. “Mac” McCarty

Melton L. McCarty, Sr., age 88, died on July 9, 2019 at his home.

Services will be held on Saturday, July 13, 2019 at 11:00 am at First Baptist Church in Columbus, MS. Visitation will begin at 10:00 am at the Church. A family burial will be held at Friendship Cemetery in Columbus following the service. Dr. Shawn Parker will officiate. Memorial Gunter Peel Funeral Home & Crematory, College Street Location is handling the arrangements.

Mac McCarty was born in Stringer, MS on December 24, 1930. He was the youngest son of Raymond and Flois (King) McCarty. He grew up in the area on a cotton and cattle farm, and graduated from Stringer High School. Mac attended Jones County Jr. College on a football scholarship, and went on to the University of Southern MS where he graduated with a degree in Biology and Chemistry.

Mac married Helen Marie Sansing on June 17, 1951.

He served during the Korean Conflict receiving an Honorable Discharge on December 9, 1954. Mac worked for the MS Department of Health in Hinds County. He then ventured into the insurance business working for Metropolitan Life in Laurel, MS. In 1958, he moved with his wife and two daughters to Columbus, MS where he subsequently started his own independent insurance and real estate agency. Mac taught real estate courses for many years at MUW and East MS Community College. He received his Chartered Life Underwriter Designation in 1968.

Mac was active in several civic clubs in Columbus serving as an officer of the Kiwanis Club, the Columbus Jaycees Organization, and the 5 County Life Underwriters Association. In 1962, he was selected as Columbus’ Outstanding Young Man of the Year. He also worked as a leader with the Boy Scout Troop #3 from First Baptist Church. Mac served as Lt. Governor for the Kiwanis Club of District 10 in 1970-71, which covered the Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee Districts. He was also a member of the International Order of Odd Fellows.

He served the City of Columbus as a City Councilman from 1969-1972, and also served on several boards both for the City and for Lowndes County.
Mac had been a member of First Baptist Church since 1958, where he served in many capacities. He was Church Training Director and Associational Church Training Director, Sunday School Teacher, Deacon and Deacon Officer. He also served on various church committees, including the Church Building and Grounds Committee for many years.
In addition to his parents, Mac was preceded in death by his brothers, Edsel and Emmett McCarty, sister-in-law, Ada Mullins McCarty, and his son, Melton L. McCarty, Jr.
Mac is survived by his wife of 68 years, Helen, along with daughters, Cynthia M. Hutchinson, Reston, VA; Kimberly M. Davis, Columbus, MS; Diane M. Jackson (Bert), Ridgeland, MS. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren: Catherine H. Walker (Bradford), New Orleans, LA; Annah D. McWhorter (Wesley), Houston, TX; Helen H. Kernodle (David), Charlotte, NC; John Hutchinson, Jr. (KC), Nashville, TN; Caleb Davis (Leslie), Summerdale, AL; Trey Jackson (Parker), Madison, MS; Natalie Davis, Elberta, AL; Chris Jackson, Hoover, AL; Hannah McCarty, Starkville, MS; Elizabeth Ann McCarty, Memphis, TN. He is survived by 9 great grandsons and 2 great granddaughters.
Mac is also survived by his sisters, Glaniece M. Roberts (Charles), Meridian, MS; and Joyce M. White (Johnny), Tuscumbia, AL, and by many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
The family wishes to thank Baptist Hospice as well as all the caregivers for their loving support.
Serving as pallbearers will be Mac’s grandsons John Hutchinson, Jr., Caleb Davis, Trey Jackson, Chris Jackson, and grandsons-in-law David Kernodle, Wesley McWhorter, Bradford Walker.
Honorary pallbearers will be the members of the Builders Sunday School Class at First Baptist Church.
In lieu of flowers, the family asked that Memorials be made to The Lottie Moon Mission Offering c/o First Baptist Church, P. O. Box 829, Columbus, MS 39703, to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation, P. O. Box 515, Northampton, MA 01061-0515, or to a charity of your choice.