William Frederick Dew, Jr.

Fred was born on June 15, 1928 in the southern Mississippi town of Tchula, Mississippi and went home to be with the Lord on March 13, 2019 surrounded by his loving daughters. His parents were Leona Trigleth Dew and William Frederick Dew. He lived in Tchula and Eden until the age of 6, at which time he moved to Jackson, Mississippi with his mother. While living in Jackson, he attended St. Joseph’s Academy, playing basketball on the high school team. During the summers, he lived in Eden with his father, and as a teenager worked driving a log truck. After graduation in May 1946, he attended Hemphill Diesel School in Memphis, TN., graduating in mid 1948. In November 1948, he enlisted in the U. S. Navy. While in the Navy, he served on the USS Stickell, one of the first US ships hit by Communist fire during the Korean War. Fred received honorable discharge on September 5, 1952 at the rank of ENI. Returning home to the deep south, he went to work at a cotton gin until enrolling at Mississippi State College (now MSU) in June 1953 as a Mechanical Engineering student. It was at orientation for new college students that he met Peggy Jeane Daniels and later married her on May 29, 1955. Fred graduated from MSC and accepted a position with Chemstrand Corp. in Pensacola, FL. After 8 ½ years in Pensacola, he was transferred to Rumford, RI to assess the possibility of doubling the size of a plant Chemstrand had purchased. After 1 ½ years there, he was transferred to Decatur, AL as Supervisor of Equipment Development and Design, and later promoted to Manager, a position he held until he retired in 1985. While in Decatur, Fred was a member of Southside Baptist Church and was active with the youth of the church and also the Decatur High School Band Boosters. After two years of retirement, he and Peggy moved to Birmingham, AL to be near their children and grandchildren. He went to work for Schreiber Corp. for 15 years as Head of Development for Water Treatment. He holds 11 U.S. and foreign patents on equipment. He is a member of Shades Mountain Baptist Church. Fred was preceded in death by his loving and devoted wife of 56 years: Peggy Jeane Daniels Dew; his parents: Leona Sova, and William Frederick Dew; one step-brother: Edward Lee Dew; one step-sister Alice Faye Dew; brother-in-law Jimmie Griffin Daniels, and sister-in-law Lucy Faye Ray Daniels. He is survived by three daughters: Teresa Renee Dew Millsap (Hugo), Patricia Anne Dew Woodard (Keith), Tina Marie Dew; four grandsons: Garrett Andrew Millsap (Megan), William Forrest Millsap (Shana), Daniel Edward Woodard (Ashley), David Andrew Woodard (Dallas); two great-grandchildren: William Shepherd Millsap, Olivia June Woodard; one brother-in-law: Dennis Keith Daniels (Ann) of Starkville, MS, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. An Interment service will be held on Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at the Alabama National Cemetery, Montevallo, AL at 10:15 AM, followed by a Memorial Service at 1:00 PM at Ridout’s Valley Chapel, Homewood, AL. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service, and a reception will follow the service at Valley Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Shades Mountain Baptist Church (www.shades.org) or the Wounded Warrior Project (www.woundedwarriorproject.org).