Bobby Franklin Ewing passed away on May 17, 2011. He was born in a community west of Brooksville, MS, an area now known as the Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, U. S. Department of Interior, on January 29, 1935. A road is named “EWING” in honor of his family. He received his elementary education at Lynn Creek, his junior high at Brooksville and graduated high school from Louisville, MS. At an early age he joined the Mississippi National Guard Unit at Starkville, MS, later transferring to Washington, DC, and was honorable discharged in 1962 after serving 8 ½ yrs. The highlight of his National Guard career was marching in the inauguration parade for President John F. Kennedy. Mr. Ewing retired having served 52 ½ years in the Criminal Justice System. His years in Public Service includes, 8 ½ years with the FBI, Washington, D. C., 18 ½ years with the Memphis Police Department and 25 ½ years with the United States Postal Inspection Service, Forensic Laboratory, Memphis, TN. While working with the Memphis Police Department on April 5, 1968, he was one of the first responders detailed to assist in the processing of the crime scene at 422 ½ South Main Street, Bessie Brewer’s Rooming House across from the Lorraine Motel where the shots originated that killed Dr. Martin Luther King. Later he became one of the original members of what is now the Memphis Police Department’s, Crime Scene Investigation Squad. He was well known around the Memphis and Shelby County areas for his knowledge in latent print abilities and testified on numerous occasions in the Criminal Courts of Shelby County and surrounding areas as an expert witness. As an examiner in the Forensic Laboratory, Postal Inspection Service, he had the privilege of assisting many field Postal Inspectors with their investigations. Mr. Ewing testified on many occasions in the Federal Court Systems in the following states, TX, OK, LA, AR, MS, TN, NC, SC, FL, AL, GA, CA and NY. He was a Certified Latent Print Examiner by the International Association for Identification. As a member of the Forensic Laboratory, Mr. Ewing was once assigned a detail in Colorado Springs, CO whereby he had to authenticate that a copy of the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE on display, was an original copy and that it had not been tampered with. Bobby is survived by his wife Frances Wallace Ewing of Independence, MS, two sons, Vince Ewing (Tina) children Linzey Nicole and Colby Payne, Independence, MS and Marc Ewing (Holly) children Avery Grace and Samuel Craig, Hernando, MS; a brother, William “Bill” Ewing (Geri) of Johnson City, TN and two sisters, Ruth Smith (Curtis), Louisville, MS and Sara Butler (Neal), Dumas, MS, a niece Jeanette Mills, Louisville, MS and a nephew Tim Butler, Milan, TN. Mr. Ewing was a member of the First Baptist Church, Coldwater, MS. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Thelma Ewing, Bruce, MS. At Mr. Ewing’s request, his body is to be cremated with all arrangements and services to be private. In lieu of flowers, the family request that any memorials be sent to First Baptist Church, P. O. Box 347, Coldwater, MS 38618 and/or Spring Valley Hospice, LLC, 7139 Commerce Dr. Bldg B-2, Olive Branch, MS 38654, or a charity of your choice.
Brantley Funeral Home
Olive Branch 662-895-2310
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