William ‘Bill’ Stringer
Published 6:00 pm Friday, June 25, 2010
William “Bill” Stringer of Barlow, died peacefully at his homeon Wednesday, June 16, 2010, after fighting a good fight againstlung cancer that had metasticized to his lumbar vertebra.
Memorial and graveside services will be held on Friday, July 2, at11 a.m. at Rehobeth Church and Cemetery in Barlow, with the Rev.Michael Assink officiating. Stringer Family Funeral Home inHazlehurst is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Stringer was born on July 11, 1927. He grew up in Hinds andCopiah counties and graduated from Hinds Junior College. He workedfor Nabisco Brands for more than 40 years. As he advanced in thecompany, he and his wife, Lorraine Barlow Stringer, and eventuallytheir two children, Trudy and Alan, moved from Jackson to Meridian,to Birmingham, to Elmira, N.Y., to Buffalo, N.Y., back toBirmingham, to Jacksonville, Fla., and finally to Atlanta, Ga.,where he retired as regional vice president of operations. Twentyyears ago, he and Lorraine moved back to Lorraine’s family land inBarlow, where he built a log house. Fond of woodworking andtinkering all his life, he quickly became well known in CopiahCounty for his handcrafted furniture, sturdy deer stands, andmilled lumber. Frequent visitors watched Mr. Bill call the deer upin the front yard and feed them each evening. He was a dedicatedlay leader in Rehobeth Methodist Church, and co-founder and firstfire chief of the Barlow Volunteer Fire Department, a position thathe proudly held until recently. He cast a wide net among people andgave unconditionally of himself to his friends, family and those inneed of his help. His gentle nature, ability to listen, and quietwisdom will be sorely missed by all whose lives he touched, butespecially by his family and extended family in thecommunity.
It has been said that the true mark of a man upon his death is nothow well he was loved by others, but how well he loved. BillStringer was blessed on both counts.
Mr. Stringer was preceded in death by his parents, Price MonroeStringer and Gertrude Roberts Stringer; by his son, William AlanStringer; and by his sisters, Nellavie “Pug” Stringer, Abbie LouiseStringer and Katie Stringer Boyd.
Blood relative survivors include his wife of 60 years, LorraineBarlow Stringer, of Barlow, currently residing in Community Placein Jackson; his daughter, Trudy Stringer Reeves, currently residingin Barlow; his sister, Laverne Stringer Guion, of Jackson; hisgrandson, Charles William Reeves Jr., currently residing in Japan;his nephew, David Milton Guion, of Jackson; his niece, Ellen GuionEtter, of Atlanta; his nephew, Robert “Bobby” Boyd, of Raymond; hisniece, Ann Boyd Ezell, of Bridge City, Texas; plus so many moreactual relatives or not who called him “Uncle Bill.”
Memorial donations in the name of William Stringer may be made toyour choice of the following: American Cancer Society by calling adonations specialist 24/7 at 1-800-227-2345 or at www.cancer.org;Barlow Volunteer Fire Dept., 6013 Salem Road, Hazlehurst, MS 39083;Hospice Ministries, 397 Brookhaven St., Brookhaven, MS 39601;Rehobeth Cemetery, c/o Lyle Vardaman, 2106 Vardaman Road,Hermanville, MS 39086.