Mr. Clifford Hal Battle Jr.

Brandon

Clifford Hal Battle, Jr. of Brandon, MS went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Tuesday, May 3, 2011. Funeral services will be held at 11;00 a.m. Saturday in the Sanctuary of Christway Church of God, 1501 Old Fannin Rd., Flowood, MS, with visitation from 9:30 a.m. until service time at the Church. The interment will take place at the Brandon Memorial Gardens on Hwy. 468, Brandon, MS, Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home in Pearl is in charge of arrangements.

Clifford Hal Battle, Jr. was born on June 2, 1937 in Jackson to the late Clifford Hal Battle and Beatrice Victoria Toole Battle. He grew up in Byram, attending Byram Public School. While attending Byram High School, he lettered in football, baseball and basketball. He was football quarterback and captain all four years of high school and served as co-captain on the baseball and basketball teams. He also played golf and tennis. During high school, Battle coached two seasons of Pee-Wee Football and umpired Little League Baseball. He was a member of the 4-H Club and Boy Scouts, attaining the rank of Eagle Scout.

He attended Hinds Jr. College on a football scholarship and lettered as a quarterback both years he was there. He also lettered in track, his 880-yard relay state record still stands to this day. In 2005, Hal was inducted in the Hinds Community College Sports Hall of Fame. He continued his education at Mississippi State on a football scholarship. Hal served 13 month in Korea as a medic, serving a total of two years active duty and another six years in the reserves. He received a Commendation of Excellence for his duty performance.

Battle served with the City of Jackson as a Fire Fighter and EMT for 28 ½ years, retiring at the rank of Captain. After retiring, he enjoyed fishing, hunting, gardening and telling war stories. He enjoyed life and people. He was a member of Christway Church of God, serving as an usher and greeter. He loved the Lord and enjoyed his Sunday School Class and other church activities. He is preceded in death by his parents. Clifford Hal and Beatrice Battle.

He is survived by his wife, Norma Floyd Battle of Brandon, sisters, Cleo Marie Battle Krecker (John) of Hilton Head, SC and Brenda Kay Battle Basso (Tom) of Phoenix, Arizona; Brother-in-Law, William (Sonny) Floyd, (Ruth) of Brandon, and Sister-in-Law, Bobbie Floyd Wood (Michael) of Madison. Children: Norma Zora Strickland (Ken) of Jackson, Teresa Ann Myers of Panama City Beach, FL, Clifford Hal Battle III of Brandon, and Curtis (Curt) A. Battle (Holly) of Pearl; 9 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and a host of other family members and special friends.

Online guestbook at www.baldwinleepearl.com