Extracted from The Meridian Star (Meridian, MS)
Dr. Lloyd Wilton Marsalis
Funeral services for Dr. Lloyd Wilton Marsalis will be conducted Tuesday December 14, 2010 at 11 am in Poplar Springs Drive Baptist Church with Dr. John Temple and Dr. Raymon Leake officiating. Burial will follow in Suqualena Cemetery with Stephens funeral home handling arrangements.
Dr. Marsalis was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi on July 7, 1921. He graduated from Carr Central High School Vicksburg and completed three years of college at Mississippi College prior to being called to active duty with the Naval Reserve during World War II. He received his commission at Notre Dame. He was the skipper on an invasion boat (LCC) in the invasion of Guam and Saipan and the invasions of Leyte and Luzon in the Philippines. After the war, he returned to school and was awarded bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees at the University of Southern Mississippi. His teaching career included work in Lauderdale and Scott counties, Meridian, Copiah-Lincoln Community College (5 years) and Mississippi University for Women (20) years where he retired as professor and head of the Department of Psychology. He was an active member of Poplar Springs Drive Baptist Church. He was a member of the Retired Adults Sunday School Class and he was a deacon. He maintained contact with First Baptist Church where he had been a member almost 20 years, was an active member of the Tinnin Sunday School Class and was a deacon. He was an avid tennis player and the recipient of many awards.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years Dr. Sula Johnson Marsalis (Sue) and two sons Dr. Wilton L. Marsalis (Bo) and his wife Jodie and Gary E. Marsalis; three grandchildren, John Marsalis, Will Marsalis and Amanda M. Bruss and he husband Jeremy; one great grandson Walker Sterling Bruss; one brother James R. Marsalis and his wife Tess and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, E. L. Marsalis and Meda Marsalis and one brother Lowell Marsalis and his wife Alice.
Memorials may be made to the Meridian Community College 910 Hwy 19 North Meridian, Mississippi 39307 for the Walter and Cora Thompson Johnson Memorial Scholarship.
Pallbearers will be John Marsalis, Will Marsalis, Jeremy Bruss, Joe Johnson, Jimmy Chandler and Randell Palmer. Honorary pallbearers will be Ronnie Massey, Billy Goodwin, Pete Magee, Robert Hill, Mack Emmons, Dr. Harry Causey and Charles Roberts.
Visitation will begin at 9:30 am Tuesday until service time at the church.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
July 7, 1921 - December 14 [sic 12], 2010