Willard Samuels
December 24, 1919 — September 22, 2012
Willard Samuels
Willard Roswell Samuels, 92, of Cleveland, passed away Saturday, September 22, 2012, at Bolivar Medical Center. Visitation will be 9:30-11:00 a.m. Tuesday, September 25, 2012, at Cleveland First United Methodist Church. Services will immediately follow beginning at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, September 25, 2012, at Cleveland First United Methodist Church with Rev. Barry Dickerson officiating. Interment will be in New Cleveland Cemetery.
Mr. Samuels was born in Como, MS on December 24, 1919, to Willard Roswell Samuels, Sr. and Verna Mae Samuels. He graduated from Millsaps College in 1941 where he attended on a full football scholarship as a tailback. He was selected on the second draft after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He worked as a civilian instructor at radar school in Boca Raton, FL, and later became a navigator for B-17 bombers. He was assigned to the 94th bomb group and flew in over 30 missions in WWII. Eventually, he worked his way up to the rank of captain and group navigator. Upon his return, he purchased Cleveland bakery. He was known for taking time with the local children and giving them free icing when they came in. On May 24, 1946, he married Elizabeth "Penny" Lemons in Cleveland, MS. After owning the bakery for twelve years, he sold it and began working at Boots Jones Cotton Company as an associate and cotton buyer for over twenty years, retiring in 1985.
Mr. Samuels volunteered in the early '50's as a coach for little league baseball and was responsible for promoting and organizing a pony league for the 13 and 14 year old boys. By 1963, he had been chosen as the park commission's first chairman. During this time, he promoted park commission activities for all people regardless of background and saw that these activities provided everyone the opportunity to work together for the good of the community. In 1972, Mr. Willard found his calling as he ran for Cleveland Board of Alderman. During his tenure as Alderman, his main focus was on bettering Cleveland's Park Commission. He is responsible for the growth and success of many of Cleveland's facilities like Bear Pen Park, Amize Moore Park, the softball fields at the National Guard Armory, tennis courts, a girl's softball complex, and the park commission gymnasium. He was a charter member of the Board of Directors of South Delta Planning Committee and the Cleveland Bolivar County Chamber of Commerce, and he helped organize the Delta State University Booster Club. Mr. Samuels dedicated over 38 years in Civil service and throughout this time he earned the title as Vice Mayor of Cleveland. He was very proud of his town, was an avid golfer, an long-time member of First United Methodist Church, a strong Delta State supporter, and a mentor to many. His dedication and drive to better the community eventually lead him to having a gymnasium named after him in 2009.
Mr. Samuels is preceded in death by his parents, Willard and Verna Mae Samuels; wife of 63 years, Elizabeth "Penny" Lemons Samuels; sister, Mary Earle Davis; brother-in-law, Paul Davis, Sr., brother-in-law, W.B. Lemons Jr.; sister-in-law, Carol Lemons; and nephew, W.B. Lemons III.
He is survived by his nephews, David Lemons of Winter Havens, FL, Bob Lemons (Jan) of Cashier, NC, and Rett Davis (Debbie) of Livingston, AL; niece, Becky Davis Gibson (Jody) of Lutz, FL; great-nieces, Katy Lemons Smith (Brian) of Lithia, Fl, Mary-Elizabeth Lemons of Viera, Fl, and Paige Gibson of Lutz, Fl; great-nephews, William Brewer "Buck" Lemons IV of Tallassee, FL, David Ford Lemons, Jr. (Laura) of Redford, MI, Caleb Lemons of USMC, and Davis Gibson of Lutz, Fl; and a great-great-nephew, Daniel Lemons of Redford, MI.
Pallbearers will be Billy Nowell, H.L. Dilworth, Kent Wyatt, Homer Sledge, Jr., Will Pepper, Kirkham Povall, Tom Blackmon, and Mike Kinnison. Honorary pallbearers will be David "Boo" Ferris, Homer Sledge III, Bill Bizzell, Hugh Ellis Walker, The members of the United Methodist Men's Bible Class, and the Cleveland Board of Alderman.
In honor of Mr. Samuels, memorials can be made to Delta State School of Nursing.
9:30 am - 11:00 am Tuesday, September 25, 2012
First United Methodist Church 318 S Court Street Cleveland, Mississippi, United States
11:00 am Tuesday, September 25, 2012
First United Methodist Church 318 S Court Street Cleveland, Mississippi, United States
New Cleveland Cemetery N Bayou Cleveland, Mississippi, United States
Mr. Samuels was born in Como, MS on December 24, 1919, to Willard Roswell Samuels, Sr. and Verna Mae Samuels. He graduated from Millsaps College in 1941 where he attended on a full football scholarship as a tailback. He was selected on the second draft after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He worked as a civilian instructor at radar school in Boca Raton, FL, and later became a navigator for B-17 bombers. He was assigned to the 94th bomb group and flew in over 30 missions in WWII. Eventually, he worked his way up to the rank of captain and group navigator. Upon his return, he purchased Cleveland bakery. He was known for taking time with the local children and giving them free icing when they came in. On May 24, 1946, he married Elizabeth "Penny" Lemons in Cleveland, MS. After owning the bakery for twelve years, he sold it and began working at Boots Jones Cotton Company as an associate and cotton buyer for over twenty years, retiring in 1985.
Mr. Samuels volunteered in the early '50's as a coach for little league baseball and was responsible for promoting and organizing a pony league for the 13 and 14 year old boys. By 1963, he had been chosen as the park commission's first chairman. During this time, he promoted park commission activities for all people regardless of background and saw that these activities provided everyone the opportunity to work together for the good of the community. In 1972, Mr. Willard found his calling as he ran for Cleveland Board of Alderman. During his tenure as Alderman, his main focus was on bettering Cleveland's Park Commission. He is responsible for the growth and success of many of Cleveland's facilities like Bear Pen Park, Amize Moore Park, the softball fields at the National Guard Armory, tennis courts, a girl's softball complex, and the park commission gymnasium. He was a charter member of the Board of Directors of South Delta Planning Committee and the Cleveland Bolivar County Chamber of Commerce, and he helped organize the Delta State University Booster Club. Mr. Samuels dedicated over 38 years in Civil service and throughout this time he earned the title as Vice Mayor of Cleveland. He was very proud of his town, was an avid golfer, an long-time member of First United Methodist Church, a strong Delta State supporter, and a mentor to many. His dedication and drive to better the community eventually lead him to having a gymnasium named after him in 2009.
Mr. Samuels is preceded in death by his parents, Willard and Verna Mae Samuels; wife of 63 years, Elizabeth "Penny" Lemons Samuels; sister, Mary Earle Davis; brother-in-law, Paul Davis, Sr., brother-in-law, W.B. Lemons Jr.; sister-in-law, Carol Lemons; and nephew, W.B. Lemons III.
He is survived by his nephews, David Lemons of Winter Havens, FL, Bob Lemons (Jan) of Cashier, NC, and Rett Davis (Debbie) of Livingston, AL; niece, Becky Davis Gibson (Jody) of Lutz, FL; great-nieces, Katy Lemons Smith (Brian) of Lithia, Fl, Mary-Elizabeth Lemons of Viera, Fl, and Paige Gibson of Lutz, Fl; great-nephews, William Brewer "Buck" Lemons IV of Tallassee, FL, David Ford Lemons, Jr. (Laura) of Redford, MI, Caleb Lemons of USMC, and Davis Gibson of Lutz, Fl; and a great-great-nephew, Daniel Lemons of Redford, MI.
Pallbearers will be Billy Nowell, H.L. Dilworth, Kent Wyatt, Homer Sledge, Jr., Will Pepper, Kirkham Povall, Tom Blackmon, and Mike Kinnison. Honorary pallbearers will be David "Boo" Ferris, Homer Sledge III, Bill Bizzell, Hugh Ellis Walker, The members of the United Methodist Men's Bible Class, and the Cleveland Board of Alderman.
In honor of Mr. Samuels, memorials can be made to Delta State School of Nursing.
First Visitation
9:30 am - 11:00 am Tuesday, September 25, 2012
First United Methodist Church 318 S Court Street Cleveland, Mississippi, United States
Service Information
11:00 am Tuesday, September 25, 2012
First United Methodist Church 318 S Court Street Cleveland, Mississippi, United States
Interment Information
New Cleveland Cemetery N Bayou Cleveland, Mississippi, United States
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Willard Samuels, please visit our flower store.
Guestbook
Visits: 14
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
