Billy Tillson Gaddis

Billy Gaddis was born on October 24, 1926 to Ina Myrtle Tillson Gaddis and James Truman Gaddis of Center Ridge, near Mize, Mississippi. Billy grew up on a typical Smith County farm with his parents and siblings, Truman Gaynell (Buck) Gaddis, Merle Dean Gaddis Ashley, Annie Ruth (Pud) Gaddis Sullivan, Joyce Elaine Gaddis Sweet, Elna Rose Gaddis Wigington, and Larry Mitchel (Tom) Gaddis.

Billy attended Raleigh High School during the World War II years and went into the Army following his graduation in 1945. Billy served in Occupied Japan as a Military Policeman in Company A 720th Military Police Battalion, achieving the rank of Sergeant.

After his tour of duty, Billy returned to the family farm near Mize, MS and enrolled at Jones County Junior College. He completed his associate degree and then transferred to Mississippi State University where he obtained his B.S. in Agriculture in 1950, during which time he served in the Army ROTC. While at MSU, Billy met the love of his life, Rebecca Leake Brehm, who was a coed at Mississippi State College for Women. After graduation, Billy became an Instructor at Bentonia, MS for Veterans on the Farm Training Program and Becky accepted a secretarial science teaching position in Quitman, MS. They were married on December 23, 1950. In 1951, Billy was recalled into the Army and they moved to Fort Benning, Georgia where Billy served as a 1st Lieutenant in Military Police Detachment 3440 ASU.

After leaving active Army Service and joining the Mississippi National Guard, Billy joined the Mississippi Forestry Commission as County Forester for Amite and Wilkinson Counties. In 1956, he arranged to work part time for the Commission and enrolled at Louisiana State University School of Forestry in the graduate program. Billy graduated from LSU in 1958 with an MF degree. With Master’s in hand, Billy rose through the ranks with the MFC, first moving to Brookhaven as Assistant District Forester and then to the Jackson office as a Cooperative Forest Management Forester in 1959.

By this time, Billy and Becky had three children, Gene Henry (1951), Rebecca Alice (Sally) (1953), and Deborah Anne (Debbie) (1956). The family moved to Pearl, MS in 1959 and soon a new daughter, Rachel Brehm, joined the family in 1960. Billy and Becky were charter members of McLaurin Heights Baptist Church in Pearl and both served as Sunday School teachers at various times.

In 1967, Billy accepted a job with the Southern Pine Lumber Manufacturers Association and in 1969 became the Mississippi Pine Manufacturer’s Association Executive Vice President.

Billy achieved a long time career goal by being appointed State Forester for the Mississippi Forestry Commission in 1972. He thoroughly enjoyed directing the Commission in their job of “providing protection and management assistance to lands of the 130,000 forest landowners in the state and to manage the state and local [16th Section] public forest land.” Billy was instrumental in getting the Legislature to approve the creation of a Seed Orchard for genetically improved pine seed. He also led the effort to create the Forest Resource Development Program (FRDP), which provides cost share monies to private landowners for reforestation and improved forest management. The funds were generated by a severance tax on timber harvests. Other states followed Mississippi’s example in creating such programs to increase productivity of idle acres and neglected forests.

In 1978, Billy was fired from the State Forester’s position after he refused to have the MFC personnel campaign for then Governor Cliff Finch, who was running to fill the Senate position vacated by Jim Eastland. Billy filed suit against Finch and the State of Mississippi for unlawful termination. While the lawsuit dragged on, Billy was hired as a technician with International Paper Company in Brandon, MS. Finally, after months of negotiation, the State offered a settlement and Billy accepted it on advice of his lawyer. He was awarded a job with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks and received back pay and retirement for his unjust firing. At the MDWFP, he set up several improvement cuts on park lands with poorly managed forests, which was then, and continues to be, a novel treatment for park lands. He retired from the MDWFP, having proven to be a highly competent, gracious and conscientious forester with a strong work ethic and great integrity.

For a few years after retirement, he worked as a consulting forester. During his career and after his retirement, he continued to maintain his skills and knowledge base by attending workshops and meetings. He was active in the Society of American Foresters for over 50 years and was proud to have the credential of being a Registered Forester in Mississippi. Billy was a longtime member of the Southern Hardwood Forestry Group.

Billy Gaddis was recognized for his professional service and acumen by being voted Fellow of the Society of American Foresters. He was awarded the Mississippi Wildlife Federation Forest Conservationist of the Year Award “For outstanding contributions to the wise use and management of the Nation’s natural resources” in 1977. He was also recognized by Governor John Bell Williams for his service to the Governor’s Forest Disaster Timber Council for the timber salvage operations after Hurricane Camille, in which 77 million cubic feet of lumber were salvaged.

Billy was a dedicated family man. One special memory is the Saturday nights when Billy and the family would watch the Porter Wagner Show with Dolly Parton and Spec Rhodes. The children loved this special time with their dad. Billy and Becky were hands-on grandparents. They often took the grandchildren on special trips, such as to the Pink Palace in Memphis or Silver Dollar City in Missouri.

Billy and Becky adored each other and were married for 63 years. They both enjoyed traveling and were able to visit Europe several times as well as travel the United States. They participated in several Elder Hostels and loved learning about the history and culture of different places as well as meeting new people with common interests.

In their latter years, both Billy and Becky had numerous health problems. Becky became bedridden and lived in a nursing home for the last few years of her life. As long as he was able, Billy was at her side almost every day. Billy developed Alzheimer’s but was able to live at home for a while, thanks to the dedicated care of his children, especially his son, Gene. Finally, Billy was placed in St. Catherine’s and then later moved to The Arbor in Ridgeland. At her request, Becky was moved from St. Catherine’s to The Arbor, and for the last few months of her life, they shared a room once more. Becky passed away in February of 2014 and Billy became increasingly debilitated. Thankfully, Billy was spared the final, painful, torturous ravages of Alzheimer’s disease, due to pneumonia, truthfully called “the old person’s friend.”

Billy leaves behind his children Gene Henry Gaddis of Madison, MS; Sally Gaddis of Meridian, MS; Debbie Gaddis Gunter and son-in-law John E. Gunter of Marion, IL and Foley, AL and Rachel Gaddis Douglas and son-in-law Cullen Douglas of Los Angeles, CA. Grandchildren and their spouses and children are as follows: Susan and Jason Yeske and their sons, Duo and Seth in Meridian, MS; Trey Buntyn of Meridian, MS; Kathryn and Corey Byars and their daughter Belle of Okinawa, Japan; Becky and William Sharpe and their daughters Anna June and Mary Elise of Purvis, MS and Gabriel Douglas and Cameron Douglas of Los Angeles, CA. Billy is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Larry (Tom) and Johnnie Sue Gaddis of Raleigh, MS and his sister-in-law, Nancy Brehm Bell of Bay St. Louis, MS. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and their spouses, great and great-great nieces and nephews and their spouses.

Funeral Services and visitation will be held at the Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home on Highland Colony Parkway in Ridgeland, MS. Visitation will be on Friday, October 3 from 4 to 5 for family and 5 to 7 pm for friends and family and Saturday from 9 to 10 am. Services will be Saturday, October 4 at 10 am, followed by a brief graveside service at the adjoining Parkway Memorial Cemetery. A luncheon will follow at the First Baptist Church of Madison. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Madison Building Fund, Madison, MS or the Mississippi State University Foundation, College of Forest Resources John Vanderford Fund.

Pallbearers will be Robin Sweet, Leslie Bryant, John Mark Sullivan, Brehm Bell, Trey Buntyn, and William Sharpe. Honorary pallbearers include Larry Gaddis, George Riley Sullivan, Matthew Sharpley, Kevin Ladner, Walt Chalk, John Gunter, and Cullen Douglas.

The Family extends special thanks to the staff at The Arbor nursing home in Ridgeland, MS for their kindness and dedicated care.