Butch Withers

Butch Withers, 68, passed away suddenly on Sunday morning, October 14th, at home, of natural causes. Visitation will be on Tuesday, October 16th, from 5-7 pm at Wright and Ferguson Funeral home in Clinton. Services will be at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, October 17th at Providence Presbyterian Church in Clinton, with the family available one hour before the service. The Rev. John Reeves and The Rev. Jason Sebron will officiate. Burial will be at the Shelton Cemetery in Pattison, MS., at 2 p.m.

Butch was born in Memphis, TN, and lived in Lake Cormorant, MS. He was a graduate of Tunica High School , and received his Bachelors and Masters Degrees from MSU in Animal Science and Ruminant Nutrition. He was Supt. of the Pontotoc Ridge Flatwoods Branch Experiment Station in Pontotoc, and then Head of the Animal Research Centers at MSU, both with MAFES. He then served as Head at the Research and Extension Center in Raymond, with Extension. He retired in 2006 after 35 years of service. Butch was a charter member and Ruling Elder of Grace Presbyterian Church in Starkville, MS and was a current member of Providence Presbyterian Church in Clinton., He was involved with several professional as well as civic organizations. While in Starkville, he was faculty advisor for RUF (Reformed University Fellowship) and Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Tom and Margaret Withers, and an infant son.

Butch leaves his wife of 44 years, Carolyn, his daughters Shelly Withers of Clinton, Elizabeth Kilgore and her husband Jon of Hebron, his brothers David Withers and his wife Felica of Lafayette, La, and Sterling Withers and his wife Lilibeth of Tunica, MS, and his sisters Camilla Withers of Memphis, and Mary Lou Pendergraft and her husband Jerry, of Collierville, TN. He also leaves the best part of his heart, his grandchildren; Jay Slater of Prentiss, MS, Anna Margaret and Hayden Kilgore of Hebron, and Mckinnon Garrard of Clinton. Pallbearers will be Jon Kilgore, Hayden Kilgore, Jay Slater, Jimbo Garrard, Jerry Pendergraft, Norman Green, David Withers and Sterling Withers. Honorary pallbearers will be the men of Kappa Sigma Fraternity of MSU.

Memorials may be made to Center for Pregnancy Choices, (CPC) South Central, MS c/o Elizabeth Kilgore, P.O. Box 4044, Laurel, MS 39441.

Online guestbook www.wrightferguson.com