Obituaries

SPENCER HALL BARRET, JR.

Belzoni, MS - Spencer Hall Barret, Jr. 80, died Saturday, June 14, 2008, at Hospice Ministries, Ridgeland, MS. Services were held June 16, 2008, at First Baptist Church, Belzoni, with burial in the Belzoni Cemetery.

Mr. Barret was born October 1, 1927, in Vicksburg, Mississippi. He was preceded in death by his parents, Spencer Hall and Susie Bridges Barret, and his first wife, Wilma Spruill Barret in 1962.

Mr. Barret attended Culver Military Academy, Marion Military Institute and graduated from Belzoni High School in 1945. After a two-year tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, he attended Texas A & M University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics in 1951.

Following graduation, Mr. Barret returned to Belzoni and joined his father in the family farming business. His farming career of 57 years began with the production of cotton and grains and grew to include catfish.

Mr. Barret was a member of the Board of Directors of Guaranty Bank & Trust Company for 36 years and the president of the Mid-Delta Cotton Processors, Inc. for 17 years. He was vice-president of Delta Council, Stoneville, and was named “Ginner of the Year” in 1985. He served on the Board of Directors of various trade organizations including Staple Cotton, Greenwood; Producers Feed Company, Belzoni; and Yazoo Valley Oil and Seed Company, Greenwood. In addition, he was a member and delegate of the National Cotton Council.

At Texas A & M University, Mr. Barret served on the Executive Board of the 12th Man Foundation, the Board of the Agricultural Development Council, and was on the Advisory Council to the University President.
Locally, Mr. Barret was a member of the First Baptist Church of Belzoni, where he served on the Board of Trustees; and he was a Trustee of Humphreys Academy.

Mr. Barret is survived by his wife of 33 years, Joy Horne Barret; daughter, Elizabeth Ann “Liz” Jordan (Eric), Yazoo City; son, Hall Barret III (Jessie), Belzoni; step-daughter, Cori Holaday (Gerry), Madison; step-sons, Richard R. Kelly (Cherrie), Madison; Russell R. Kelly, Nashville, Tennessee; Greg Kelly (Suzanne), Jackson; ten grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and a host of cousins.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the First Baptist Church of Belzoni, P.O. Box 654, Belzoni, MS 39038.

Pallbearers were Allen Bridgers, Brooks Aycock, Hue Townsend, Ollie Mohamed, David James, Shelby Lloyd, Bill Allen, and Ricky Pinson. Honorary Pallbearers were the Board of Directors and Officers of Guaranty Bank & Trust Company, the Board of Directors of Mid-Delta Cotton Processors, Inc., Mitchell Pearson, Bruce Dunlap, Denon Braswell, Sam Dobbins, Buel Ballou, and T. L. Reed, IV.

This page was last updated June 19, 2008