Thomas R. Ethridge

Thomas Ramage Ethridge, 92, died Sunday, August 29, 2010 at his home in Oxford. Funeral services will be Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 11:00 A.M. at First Presbyterian Church with Rev. John Semmes and Rev. Jonathan Scanlon officiating. Visitation will be today, August 31, 2010 from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. in the fellowship hall of First Presbyterian Church and again, preceding the service, from 10:00 A.M. until 10:45 A.M. in the fellowship hall. A private family graveside service will be held following the service at Oxford Memorial Cemetery. Waller Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Ethridge was born in West Point on May 2, 1918. He received his BA and MA from the University of Mississippi and his LLB from the University of Mississippi School of Law. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, UM Alumni Association Hall of Fame and former president of the Ole Miss Jazz Alumni Club. Mr. Ethridge was in the United States Marine Corps, 4th Marine Division, from 1941-1946 participating in battles in the Pacific at Roi-Namur, Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima and retired as a Major.
Mr. Ethridge was a MS State Senator from 1948-1954 and the first full-time United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi from 1954-1961. He was a partner in the law firm of Ethridge and Grisham and was of Council with Hickman, Goza and Spraggins and a professor of law at the University of Mississippi Law School. Mr. Ethridge has been an officer or a board member of many different bar associations and was the recipient of the 2007 Lafayette County Bar Association Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mr. Ethridge was a member, former Elder, Deacon, and Chairman of the Board of Deacons of the First Presbyterian Church. He was a former board member of the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce, former trustee of the Mary Buie Museum and former president of Friends of the Museum. He was also a former board member of the Oxford-Lafayette County Hospital.
Mr. Ethridge was preceded in death by his wife, Esther Lewis Ethridge; his parents, W.N. Ethridge and Laura Ramage Ethridge; and his brother, W.N. Ethridge, Jr.
He is survived by his two daughters, Lenore Ethridge Hobbs (Mit) of Oxford and Laura Ethridge Gresham (Walton) of Indianola, MS; five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the University of Mississippi Law School, c/o University of Mississippi Foundation, P.O. Box 249, University, MS 38677 or First Presbyterian Church, 924 Van Buren Avenue, Oxford, MS 38655.
In honor of Mr. Ethridge's service to his country, the flag of the United States Marine Corp is being flown at Waller Funeral Home.
For additional information, please call 662-234-7971 or visit our website www.wallerfuneralhome.com.