Lloyd Lamont Echols

Lamont Echols, 76, passed away Sunday morning, October 19, 2014. Visitation will be 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Wednesday, October 22, 2014, at Parkway Funeral Home on Highland Colony Parkway in Ridgeland and from 10 a.m.-Noon Thursday with services at Noon. Burial will be at the Lakeland Memorial Park on Clinton Boulevard in Clinton.

Lamont was born in Flora, Miss., May 19, 1938. He graduated from Flora High School and signed a football scholarship with the University of Mississippi. He transferred to Mississippi College after freshman year and became an All-American baseball player and was drafted by the Kansas City Royals but was injured before he signed.

Lamont went into coaching and had a brilliant baseball coaching career, which spanned several decades and coached at Clinton High School, Brandon High School, Brandon Academy, Manhattan Academy, Woodland Hills Baptist Academy, University Christian School and Rebul Academy. He also played semi-pro baseball for many years while he was coaching.

Lamont was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence Rufus Echols and Lois Traxler Echols, stepmother Bernice (Bea) Echols, sisters, Ophelia (Sister) Jones Stilwell and Dorothy (Dada) Conn Blanks, and brother, Clarence Rufus Echols Jr.

He is survived by his children, Tracy Echols, Kim Echols Tyner and MeSha Echols Prejean, his ex-wife and mother of his three children, Mary Anne Echols Emmett, his grandchildren, Casey Echols, Trevor Tyner, Peyton Prejean, Logan Pounds and Kylee Pounds, several nieces and nephews that he loved very much and his beloved pets, Allie and Bella.

We want to offer a sincere thanks to his niece Diane Jones, who was by his side in his last days. We would also like to say a special thank you to Dr. Smith-Vaniz and his staff as well as the staff at Central Mississippi Medical Center, especially Shelley, Sandra and Dee.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Hinds Community College Foundation Baseball Fund, P.O. Box 1100, Raymond MS 39056.