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March 6, 1921 – Aug. 14, 2015

 

NATCHEZ— Graveside services for Percy Langworthy Rountree Jr., 94, of Vidalia, who died Friday, Aug. 14, 2015 at the Magnolia Village, will be at 11 a.m. today at the Natchez City Cemetery with the Rev. Walton Jones officiating.

Burial will follow at the Natchez City Cemetery under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.

Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. today at the funeral home and last until time of burial.

Mr. Rountree will always be remembered as a true southern gentleman.

Mr. Rountree was born March 6, 1921 in Vidalia, the son of Emma Lou Garland Rountree and Percy Langworthy Rountree Sr.

As a lifelong resident of Vidalia, he graduated from Vidalia High School in the Class of 1930. He was a graduate of LSU in the school of journalism. While at LSU he was a member of the DKE fraternity; a member of the LSU rifle team and was the battalion commander of his ROTC unit. He served his country during World War II in England with the 8^th Air Force. After the War he retired from the US Air Force Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel. He then joined his father in running The Concordia Sentinel until 1965. After his retirement from the newspaper business, he became involved in buying and developing various Concordia Parrish properties including Taconey, Minorca and Whitehall Plantations.

He was one of the founders of United First Federal of Vidalia and served as president and chairman of the Savings and Loan Company. He was a Harris Fellow member of the Rotary Club.

In 2005, Mr. Rountree was named Citizen of The Year by the Vidalia Chamber of Commerce, recognizing his many contributions to the community, including serving as a Vidalia alderman for 20 years and a member of the Mississippi River Bridge commission.

He was preceded in death by his parents and wife Jean Marron Rountree, and his daughter Jeanne Marron Rountree Wood.

Survivors include his son David Lyle Rountree and wife Sarabeth of Vidalia; his grandchildren David Lyle Rountree Jr. of Dallas, Texas; Suzannah Green and husband, Ben, of Nashville, Tenn.; William Percy Rountree and wife, Kate, of Lafayette, La.; Dix Gerard Wood of Little Rock, Ark.; Marron Wood Parsons and husband, Josh of Gibson City, Ill.; his great-grandchildren: Elle, Liam and Vivian Rountree; James and David Green; Rucker, Hattie and Gaines Parsons; and Jeanne Wood.

Pallbearers will be Lyle Rountree, Will Rountree, Ben Green, Josh Parsons, Fernie Wood, Richard Harriss and Johnny Dale.

The family extends a special thank you to his caregivers: Dr. Barry Tillman, Magnolia Village and Camellia Hospice.

 Online condolences may be sent to lairdfh.com.