William R. Nation, Sr.

SERVICES:  THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 201111:00 A. M.MCCLAIN-HAYS CHAPELVISITATION:  THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 201110:00 A. M.GRAVESIDE SERVICE WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011 AT 3:00 P. M. AT MEMORIAL GARDENS OF COLUMBUS. OFFICIATING:  DR. DAN HOWARDREV. SAMMY CRAWFORD Lt. Col. William Richard Nation, Sr. died September 12, 2011 at The Beehive Home in Philadelphia after a lengthy illness.  Mr. Nation was born August 23, 1924 to Guy Manson Nation, Sr. and Eugenia Moore Nation in Columbus , MS . He attended Columbus schools and was a 1942 graduate of S. D. Lee High School . A member of the Greatest Generation, he served as a pilot in the U. S. Air Force during World War II and completed his basic training at The University of Tennessee. He married Betty Ann Carter on June 9, 1945 in Savannah , GA , and they were married for 55 years until her death in 2001.  He remained in the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserves until his retirement in 1974. Following World War II, he was a sales representative for The Russell Company for several years before joining the U. S. Postal Service in the 1950’s in Columbus . Later, he served as Postmaster in Brooksville , MS from 1971-1973 and in Philadelphia from 1973 until his retirement in 1984. Mr. Nation was a charter member and former deacon of Fairview Baptist Church , Columbus , MS in its formation in 1958 and was a member of First Baptist Church , Philadelphia , MS where we was a deacon and former president of the senior adult ministry. He was a member of the Philadelphia Rotary Club for 35 years and had served as a regional representative. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Betty Ann Carter Nation and his brother, Guy Manson Nation, Jr. He is survived by three children: Cheryl Nation Guyton and her husband, Gene of Columbus, MS; Margaret Nation Bowers and her husband, Paul of Madison, MS; and William R. Nation, Jr. and his wife, Betsy of Jackson, MS; two grandchildren: Ginger Guyton Karl and her husband, Travis of Vail, CO; and Kelly Stanton Gunter and her husband, Steven of Memphis, TN; three great-grandchildren: Jordan Paige Gunter and Julie Renee Gunter of Memphis, TN and Vivienne August Karl of Vail, CO. The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff of The Beehive Home, Jana Mayatt, Rebecca Pitts, Dorothy Turner and Olivia Peeples for their kind, compassionate and loving care. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to First Baptist Church Building Fund, 414 Pecan Avenue, Philadelphia, MS  39350; Fairview Baptist Church, 127 Airline Road, Columbus, MS  39702;  Fondren Renaissance Foundation, 3318 North State St., Jackson, MS  39216 or to your favorite charity.