William (Bill) Wilder Webb

William (Bill) Wilder Webb, 96, died on December 22, 2019, at Sanctuary Hospice House in Tupelo, MS. He was born to Raymond and Flora Brite Webb on his family farm in Cottage Grove, TN, on December 17, 1923. Bill was a handful (10 lbs.) from the day he was born.
A natural athlete, Bill competed at every opportunity. After returning from WWII, where he served in the U.S. Army in France and Belgium, he attended The University of Tennessee Martin Junior College on the GI Bill. Bill played basketball and football at UT Martin and later earned a scholarship to Mississippi State University in 1950 where he played football and ran track.
Bill was carried away with a sassy redhead named Tommye Lancaster while at UT Martin. They married on May 25, 1948, and lived in Starkville while attending MSU. Upon graduation from MSU, they lived in Metropolis, Illinois, for twenty years where Bill managed D & W Auto Parts. Their family grew with the birth of three daughters while living in Illinois. In 1968, the family moved to Selmer, TN, for Bill to fulfill his lifelong dream of coaching and teaching. Bill was the first Athletics Director for the newly opened McNairy Central High School, and also served as Assistant Principal, head baseball coach for nine years, track coach, and was the designer/builder of the MCHS football and baseball fields. After retirement, Bill was appointed Selmer City Judge. Bill and Tommye were McNairy County Citizens of the Year in 2005.
As a faithful Christian servant and a community minded and patriotic citizen, Bill was active in The Gideons International, Meals on Wheels, McNairy County Retired Teachers, American Legion, and an inaugural member of the Selmer Museum. The Webbs were members of First United Methodist Church in Selmer where they were active in numerous ministries until moving to Tupelo in 2011.
If you were in his presence for any length of time, you knew Bill truly loved his family, loved life, and was a jokester and prankster. He was known for his TALL tales and also for shooting his age at golf when he was 80. His lifetime talent for woodworking gave him much pleasure even up to weeks before his death. Bill also loved being around young people and influenced a generation through coaching and teaching swimming lessons.
Survivors include three daughters, Becky (Jack) Peebles, Molly (Ed) Meisenheimer, Amy (Jack) McFerrin; six grandchildren, Drew Meisenheimer (Kate), Tyler Meisenheimer (Lindsey), John Blythe Peebles, Kendall Schoborg (Todd), Anna Grace Phifer (Grant), Maggie McFerrin; eleven great grandchildren, Webb, Murphy, Mae and Eli Meisenheimer; Miller, Aaron and Bennett Meisenheimer; Beau and Dorothy Schoborg; Jewell and Jack Phifer, and a host of relatives and friends.
Bill was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Tommye (2018), his parents and a sister, and two great grandchildren.
The family wishes to express their appreciation to Traceway Retirement Community, Sanctuary Hospice House and our wonderful sitters for their excellent care.
Visitation will be Saturday, December 28, 2019, from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. with the funeral service at 1:00 p.m. All services will be held at First United Methodist Church, 1122 West Cherry Avenue, Selmer, TN. Graveside services with full military honors will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery. A memorial service will be held on Friday, December 27 at 2:00 p.m. at Traceway Manor Retirement Center in Tupelo, MS, where Bill and Tommye spent their final years with many wonderful new friends.
Pallbearers will be his three sons-in-law, Jack Peebles, Ed Meisenheimer and Jack McFerrin and his three grandsons, Drew Meisenheimer, Tyler Meisenheimer and John Blythe Peebles. Honorary pallbearers are his former players, students, Retired Teachers, Horner Drive neighbors, Gideons, Christian Voyagers Sunday School Class and fellow Veterans.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 1122 West Cherry Ave, Selmer, TN 38375; Traceway Retirement Community, 2800 West Main St., Tupelo, MS 38801; Sanctuary Hospice House, P.O. Box 2177, Tupelo, MS 38803 and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 1907 Dunbarton Drive, Suite C, Jackson, MS 39216. Online sympathy may be expressed at www.shackelfordfuneraldirectors.com.