Retired Services for Louis Irvin Vick will be held today at 2 p.m. at Stephens Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Sephus Garrett and Tommy Jones officiating. Burial with full military honors will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Mr. Vick, 87, of Meridian, died Monday, Dec. 1, 2008, in his home.

He will be remembered as a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. His talent for carpentry was well known and he inherited this from his father, Mose, who died at a young age leaving 15 children who were raised by their mother, Georgia. He was born in Kemper County but lived most of his adult life in Meridian. He retired from Owens Corning after more than 35 years. He was a lifelong Methodist and was a 40 year member of First Independent Methodist Church. Even in declining health, he continued to attend worship services with his wife of more than 62 years. He especially enjoyed visits from all of his family and loved to talk about the "old days" growing up in Kemper County. Mr. Vick was a highly distinguished veteran of the U.S. Army and served in World War II. He served in Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland and in the Central European Theatre of operations and achieved the rank of Staff Sgt. He served in Company B, 314th Infantry from 1942-1945. He was the recipient of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart on multiple occasions.

Survivors include his wife, Ida Brown Vick; a daughter, Beth Vick of Meridian; grandchildren Apryl Williams Hatcher and her husband, David, Kelly Williams and his wife, Traci; great-grandchildren, Noah Hatcher, Kenleigh Williams and Lane Williams; a brother, Oscar Vick of DeKalb and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Mose and Georgia Vick; brothers, Will Vick, Curtis Vick, Lester Vick, Thurman Vick, Earl Vick and Jack Vick; sisters, Helen Beddingfield, Stella Massey, Carrie Mae Frazier, Maudie Frazier, Mary Ella McCall, Bertie Bounds and Ola Kate Temple.

Pallbearers will be Ronnie Massey, Elwood Vick, Mose "Bub" Vick, Larry Vick, Jason Mowdy, Bill Evans, Ken Kinard and Boyd Williams. Honorary pallbearers will be Raymond Vick, George Vick and Carlton Lafferty.

Memorials may be made to First Independent Methodist Church, 2412 State Boulevard, Meridian, MS 39307 or the Veteran's Resource Facility, P.O. Box 205, Meridian, MS 39302.

Published in The Meridian Star on 12/3/2008