printed Tupelo Daily Journal Jan 15 1949

Fulton- (Special)- Srvices for Dr. William Thomas Collum will be held at 3 pm Saturday from the Fairview Baptist Church with the Rev. AM Overton, pastor of the Fulton Baptist Church, in charge. Burial will be in the Benefield Cemetery with Deaton Funeral home of Belmont in charge of the arrangements.
Dr. Collum for many years one of Itawamba County's leading physicians and land owners, died at 10 am Friday at the Tupelo Community Hospital after being confined there for the past 10 days. He had been in ill health for about 15 years. Dr Collum refused to retire and even after becoming ill was elected supervisor of the First District in 1939, in which office he served two terms. He was not a candidate for a third term.
He was 72 year of age, and always brought a smile when he said that everyone in the United States celebrated his birthday-- he was born on July 4th.
A graduate of old Oakland College which was near his home in Itawamba County, he taught school for a few years at Liberty in Itawamba County before attending school at the University of Tennessee School of Medicine in Memphis from which he graduated in 1904. Immediately upon his graduation he returned to his home near Fairview and began the practice of medicine. He lived in the same community in which he was born all of his life but his influence reached through out all of this section of Mississippi.
Although he never united with any church Dr Collum was widely known for his many Christian acts, and philanthropic actions among the people with whom he made his life.
His father Robert Sanford Collum was one of the early settlers of the Northeastern part of Itawamba County. His mother Mary Johnson Collum was also a member of a pioneer Itawamba family. He was at one time one of the largest land owners of the irst District of Itawamba County hold more than 2000 acres of farm lands. A large amount of the lands have been sold or deeded to his children since he became sick.
His wife Belle Funderburk Collum preceded him in death by about 5 years. He leaves one brother Dave Collum of Jefferson Texas who arrived here Tuesday to be at his brothers bedside.
Dr Collum leaves 12 children, six sons Dr T.B. Collum of Iuka, T.M. Collum of Ada Oklahoma, T.L. Collum of Zion Illinois, T.E. Collum of Golden Rt 1, T.C. Collum of East Central State College in Ada Oklahoma and B.T. Collum who is a student of the University of Mississippi. Also six dauhters: Mrs Ethel Hall of Fort Worth Texas, Mrs Geore Williamson of Red Bay Alabama, Mrs Elmer Collier of Tupelo Ms, Mrs Elton Bostick of Golden Ms, Mrs A.J. Jones of Fort Worth Texas and Mrs Fred Davis of Pickwick Tennessee.