PALMETTO – Cecil Ivy, Jr, a good ole soul, was born on Jan. 1, 1937 in Palmetto to the late Cecil and Lois Wilson Ivy. He died there after a lifetime in this, his beloved community, on Tuesday afternoon, August 4, 2020 after a protracted struggle with cancer. Junior, as he was known by all, attended Shannon High School and promptly joined the U. S. Navy where he served on the USS Thomason. A patriotic American, Junior loved politics, was a born Democrat, and loved his Country and flew its flag in good and bad times. He worked over 20 years as a welder at FMC. A longtime faithful member of the Oak Valley Christian Church where he was a Deacon and Elder, JR’s life was changed radically when Bro. Danny Horton, his beloved Pastor, led him to rededicate his life and become a Bible scholar and a Bible Trivia expert. Junior loved the Church and singing and listening to Southern gospel music, loved people and loved to talk in the fashion of a purebred Southern storyteller. He enjoyed nature, hunting and pulling practical jokes on family and friends. His family loved him and his grands were crazy about their PaPaw.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife and the children’s mother, Joyce Ivy, who died in 1980, and a son, David Ivy, in October of 2006. On March 3, 2001, he married Ann Crosby Thompson and she survives.
A service celebrating Cecil’s life, with Naval Honors, will be held at 2:30 PM Thursday, August 6, 2020 at the Tupelo Chapel of Holland Funeral Directors with Bro. Danny Horton officiating. Private burial next to Joyce will take place in Lee Memorial Park. Visitation will be Wednesday evening, August 5, 2020 from 5 PM to 7 PM and again Thursday from 1:30 PM to service time. Holland Funeral Directors is honored to be serving their lifelong friends. For those unable to attend, the service may be viewed at 2:30 Thursday at hollandfuneraldirectors.com/Live-streaming and will be permanently archived thereafter.
Cecil leaves behind his wife, Ann; his children, Debbie Marlow (Larry, deceased) of Palmetto, Katina “Bon” Pitts (Marty) of Saltillo, Jeff Ivy (Judy) of Palmetto, Barbara Hall (Joe) of Palmetto, and Kristy Ivy (Doyle, fiancé) of Van, Texas; his grandchildren, Chris, Mandy, Joey, Morgan, Josie, Quitley, Nikki, Maggie, and Vickie; and several great-grands; and Ann’s children, Robert, Bonnie, and Michael and their families; his brother, Bud Ivy (Grace) of Olive Branch, and his sisters, Faye Nanney (Travis, deceased) and Brenda Holcomb (James, deceased) and Pam Gardner (Danny Joe) of Palmetto; numerous nieces, nephews and a host of friends and near relatives.
Pallbearers will be Marty Pitts, Joe Hall, Chris Marlow, Sam Fair, Nathan Lee, and Dewayne Ginn.
Memorials may be made to Oak Valley Christian Church, 258 Rd 600, Shannon, MS 38868.
