William McLarty

William McLarty

Jackson

William Andrew McLarty, 61, passed away at home on May 4, 2011, following a lengthy illness. Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Friday at St. Andrew's Cathedral Episcopal Church followed by services at 11 a.m. Inurnment will be in the church's All Souls' Walk Columbarium.

Born on September 3, 1949, in Laurel to Jane and Chester McLarty, Mr. McLarty grew up in Oxford and graduated with honors from Oxford High School where he served as drum major and lettered in golf.

Mr. McLarty earned his bachelor's degree in economics from Vanderbilt University, where he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. Following college, he served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam Conflict and was stationed at The Naval Security Station in Washington, D.C., and the Department of Defense, Camp Zama, Japan.

Upon completion of his military duty, he enrolled in Emory University where he earned his master's of business administration degree. He was also a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.

Mr. McLarty joined Trustmark National Bank in 1977 and was subsequently charged with starting a department for the special service needs of large companies, which became the Cash Management Department for the bank then known as First National Bank.

During his banking career with Trustmark, Mr. McLarty became a widely recognized authority on cash management systems. He was a Certified Treasury Professional and a member of the Association for Financial Professionals. An active member of Southern Financial Exchange, a not-for-profit payments association serving financial institutions in five states, Mr. McLarty served as board member and most recently as treasurer. He received the Payment Systems Excellence Award from Southern Financial Exchange for Outstanding Achievement in the Payment Systems Industry.

Since 2005, Mr. McLarty had served the bank as vice president and channel coordinator for Internet business services.

Mr. McLarty married the former Margaret Peters in 1976 and was the proud father of their sons, Andrew and Nathan. His wife and sons were the center of his life. An active member of St. Andrew's Cathedral Episcopal Church, Mr. McLarty was a dedicated member of the Parish Choir and a member of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew.

His life was a tribute to a lifelong love of Scouting. He was given the Governor's Award as Outstanding Eagle Scout in Mississippi while in high school and attended the National Boy Scout Jamboree at Valley Forge in 1964. He continued by serving as Scoutmaster and Assistant Scout Master of Boy Scouts of America, Troop 1, 1998-2008. For the numerous years of dedication he was presented the St. George's Award for distinguished service leading toward the spiritual, physical, mental and moral development of youth by the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church and the Andrew Jackson Council. He was the Andrew Jackson Jamboree troop assistant scoutmaster for three separate trips. Mr. McLarty was a Vigil member of the Order of the Arrow and served in many capacities in that regard.

Known as KM5GE, a holder of an Amateur Extra amateur radio operator license, Mr. McLarty served as treasurer of the Jackson Amateur Radio Club. He led and participated in providing communications support for numerous charitable walks and cycling events. The club worked extensively with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency on severe weather reporting and other natural disasters.

Mr. McLarty served on the Parent's Council of the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee. He also served for several years as director and treasurer of the board for Friends of the Jackson Zoo.

Mr. McLarty is survived by his wife, Margaret Peters McLarty; sons William Andrew McLarty, Jr., of Jackson; and Nathan Peters McLarty of Atlanta. He is also survived by his parents, Jane Herring McLarty and Dr. Chester Andrew McLarty of Oxford; sisters Martha Jane McLarty of Oxford and Hermine McLarty Granberry of Hattiesburg; brother-in-law William S. Granberry, Jr. of Hattiesburg; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Natalie and Jack Rollier of Dallas; nephews Jackson Harris McLarty of Baton Rouge and W. Senton Granberry III of Hattiesburg; nieces Jacqueline Rollier and Esther Rollier Cormier of Dallas and Hermine Herring Granberry and Clara Jane Granberry of Hattiesburg.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations will be made to The Boy Scouts of America, the Cathedral Church of St. Andrew, or St. Andrew's Episcopal School.