William Eugene Livesay died on February 17, 2021, in his nursing home. The son of Jim and Mary Lee Livesay, Gene was born on November 9, 1955, and grew up in southwest Jackson. He received a B.A. in political science from Millsaps College in 1982 and worked as a paralegal in several Jackson law firms. Gene was diagnosed with a rare form of macular degeneration in his late teens. This chronic condition, along with his sweet shyness, made for a difficult life.

Gene was a keen student of American politics. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the Democratic Party, and his participation in Jimmy Carter’s 1976 presidential campaign was one of the highlights of his life. He loved the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and vacationed there often. He was an avid fan of Mississippi State sports. He was a faithful member of Capitol Street Methodist Church. He loved hamburgers and vanilla milkshakes, and he was a loving uncle and willing playmate to his two nieces.

Gene is survived by his brother, Jeff Livesay, and his sister-in-law, Wendy Fay, of Santa Fe, NM, and his nieces, Lucy Livesay of Denver, CO, and Ella Livesay of Fort Collins, CO.

His family thanks Shirley and Sylvester Turnage for their friendship and support of Gene during his final years. A memorial service will be held when it is safer to travel and congregate. Gene would have been delighted for people to contribute memorial gifts to the Howard Bavender Scholarship Fund at Millsaps College.