Joe Blount

UNION:
Funeral services for Joe Blount of Union will be held Monday, October 7, 2024, at First Presbyterian Church of Union at 2pm with burial in the Union City Cemetery. Visitation will take place prior to the service also at the church from 12-2pm.
Joseph Lamar Blount was born on December 25, 1946, in Philadelphia, Mississippi, and was called home to his Redeemer on October 3, 2024. Joe was diagnosed with Lewy Body dementia in September of 2022, and endured the illness with grace, humor, and humility. He is survived by his cherished wife of 55 years, Rosalie Luke Blount; their son Ken and his wife Cathy, daughter Jennifer and her husband Aaron; grandchildren Ben, Emma, Joseph, and Coralyn; sisters Lynn Mayo and her late husband Buddy, Jackie Blount and her partner Fred Hamilton; and loving cousins, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and dear friends. He was preceded in death by his parents Lamar and Naomi Blount and his beloved brother Kenny. Joe was a gifted provider and seemed to love nothing more than caring for his family and friends.
Joe grew up in Decatur, spending a lot of time on the family dairy farm where he learned that cows don't care when it's your birthday or Christmas. He entertained generations with stories from his childhood - from Bandit the pet raccoon to Champion the crazed Shetland pony and tales of three course home cooked dinners delivered by his mother out of the trunk of her car to hungry workers on the farm. Many summers Joe, his girlfriend Rosalie, brother Kenny, and friend Jim Parkes hauled pulpwood together. Joe was the hardest and strongest worker any of us have ever known. Even Mr. Thames, owner of Mr. Thames' service station, complained that a very young Joe did too good of a job at his job. This was the theme of Joe Blount's life.
Joe played high school football beginning in the 7th grade. He also played basketball throughout high school, but he had more fun fouling out than playing ball, a fact that he enjoyed recounting to his family with a playful grin later in life. Joe earned the rank of Eagle Scout and was inducted into the Order of the Arrow. His grandchildren enjoyed the benefits of his scout training as they learned to make lanyards, potholders and whittle with their Papa Joe.
After graduating from Decatur High School, Joe attended the University of Mississippi on an athletic scholarship. He played football under Coach Johnny Vaught, earning football letters in 1967-1969 as a linebacker for Ole Miss, and forged a brotherhood of friendships and unbelievable tales that would last a lifetime. After earning an undergraduate degree in mathematics, Joe continued his education earning a juris doctorate degree from The University of Mississippi School of Law while coaching freshmen for the Ole Miss Rebels. He also served six years as a Mississippi Air National Guardsman.
Joe's work history matched his work ethic and included a private law practice in Union, high school math teacher in Decatur, State Representative from 1976-1984 where he served as a member of various committees, lobbyist for the Bankers Association, Legal Department Director at MP&L, corporate attorney at Entergy Nuclear, and finally Chairman and Commissioner of Revenue for the state of Mississippi from 2004-2008. Joe served as a member of the Mississippi Board of Education, Board of Directors of People's Bank of Mississippi, and as a member of the Mississippi Bar Association. During his free time, Joe built a barn, bush hogged, baled hay, built fences, mended fences, cut trails, and faithfully and personally cheered on his children at every sporting, musical, and academic event in which they were involved.
Joe retired in 2008 in order to spend more time with his wife and grandchildren. After an unnerving jigsaw puzzle phase upon his retirement, he enjoyed reading history and theology and he found a renewed joy and motivation for life in Christ and the beauty of the Scriptures. Papa Joe's generosity of spirit continued as he supported his grandchildren at every event that he and Rosalie could feasibly attend, which was almost all of them. After countless memories of bottle rockets, swimming in troughs, water parks, gardening, glow worms, camping in blue jeans, tire swings, barn swings, dirt piles, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, pets, hiking, road trips, beach digging, amusement parks, swimming, suckers, movies, Mexican Train, visits on the porch, Monday Night Bridge Clubs, more hilarious quotes than we can ever describe, and ordinary wonderful meals together, we've come to understand that there will never be enough time with this dear man who was truly fearfully and wonderfully made and who has loved us so well. He exemplified Jesus' love with his selfless, determined care for his family. We will miss his crisp and cross-genre whistle, his bright and beautiful smile, and the twinkle in his eye. Although we grieve with certain hope, Christmas will never be the same.
Pallbearers for the service include Ralph Freeman, Robert Blount, Jack Rhea Tannehill, Kevin Rash, Bobby Blount, and Matt Griffin.
Mike McMahen is honorary pallbearer.
The family would like to thank Ralph Freeman for the time, support, love, and friendship that he gave to both Joe and Rosalie during the last several difficult months. You were a godsend. We would also like to thank Quality Hospice and Servant's Heart Home Care for their timely and compassionate care.
The family requests that memorials be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association at https://www.lbda.org/donate/ or 912 Killian Hill Road, SW Lilburn, GA 30047, or to the following churches: First Presbyterian Church, Union, MS (804 E Jackson Rd, Union, MS 39365), or All Saints Presbyterian Church, Brentwood, TN (101 Creekside Crossing, STE 1700 PMB 212, Brentwood, TN, 37027).