Will O. "Bill" McCallum

Funeral services, with full military honors, were held Friday, March 11, 2011 at New Hebron Baptist Church in New Hebron, MS for Mr. Will Owen “Bill” McCallum, retired Lieutenant Colonel, MSARNG, age 93, who passed away March 7, 2011 at the VA Medical Center in Jackson, MS. Interment followed at Hopewell Cemetery in Simpson County, MS. Saulters Moore Funeral Home of Prentiss was in charge of all arrangements. Rev. S. A. “Sonny” Adkins and Rev. Joe Gardner officiated. Pall bearers were Walter H. McCallum III, Hugh McCallum, John McCallum, William R. Minter Jr., John Minter, Cameron Compton and Dustin McCallum. Honorary pall bearer was Hugh Hubbard. Will Owen McCallum was born on April 22, 1917 in Magee, MS. The youngest of three children, he was the son of William Hugh McCallum and Eva Shivers McCallum. He was a U. S. Army Veteran of World War II, earning both the Silver Star and the Bronze Star. After completing his military service, he and his wife, Lillie, settled in New Hebron. He was a member of New Hebron Baptist Church. Mr. McCallum was a car salesman at Chevrolet dealerships in Magee, New Hebron, Brookhaven and Raleigh for 40 years. He was elected Mayor of New Hebron in 1981 and was re-elected for 4 additional terms. Mr. McCallum had been a resident of the G. V. “Sonny” Montgomery Veterans Administration Medical Center, Nursing Home Care Unit in Jackson since suffering a stroke in 2002. Mr. McCallum is survived by one daughter, Martha M. White (Tom) of Fox Lake, Illinois, sister-in-law, Laverne Stewart and brother-in-law, William R. Minter, Sr. both of Magee, MS and a host of nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lillie Rea (Butler) McCallum, one son, Hugh Butler McCallum, his parents and two brothers, Walter H. McCallum, Sr. and Dodridge M. McCallum.