Chris Beggerly, Sr.

Chris William Beggerly, age 86, retired as Transportation Manager for MS Power & Light Company after 37 years of service. He was a Navy Veteran of WWII in the Pacific.\ \ Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Joan Hopkins Beggerly; sons, Ricky Joe Beggerly of Byram and Chris W. Beggerly, Jr. (Teresa) of Florence; grandsons, Carlisle Wesley Beggerly of Florence and John Robert Beggerly (Elizabeth) of Madison; daughter-in-law Kay Campbell Beggerly of Florence, and sister-in-law Nan Hopkins Overstreet of Jackson.\ \ Mr. Beggerly is preceded in death by his parents Clark and Norma Beggerly; brothers Raleigh Beggerly, Clark M. Beggerly; sisters Norma Reed and Velma Garner.\ \ He grew up on the family farm near Byram during the depression of the 1930's and continued to live there most of his life. Endless hours were enjoyed operating his tractor and bulldozer and fishing the Pearl River. He served as President of the Byram PTA and Byram Lions Club in the 1960's and was awarded the 1973 MS Wildlife Federation Conservationist of the Year Award, for his efforts to clean up the Pearl River from its polluted state in the 1960's and 1970's. Mr. Beggerly was as longtime member of First Baptist Church of Byram and former member of Daniel Memorial Baptist Church. Mr. Beggerly will be remembered for his fight with the Federal Government over ownership of Horn Island on the MS Gulf Coast that was eventually heard by the U.S. Supreme Court, USA vs. Beggerly.\ \ Visitation will be 5-8pm Friday, September 28, 2012 and 10am until the 11am funeral service Saturday, September 29, all at First Baptist Church of Byram. Interment will follow at Lakewood South. Chancellor Funeral Home of Byram handling arrangements.\ \ On line guest book available at www.chancellorfuneralhome.com.\ \ \