Rev. Leroy Dee

PORT GIBSON, MS: Funeral services for Rev. Dr. Leroy Dee, 70, who passed away on Wednesday, February 18, 2024, at is residence in Vicksburg, MS, will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, February 28, 2024 at White Hall M.B. Church, with Rev. Kendrick McDonald officiating. Burial will be in the Philadelphia M.B. Church Cemetery with Thompson Funeral Home, Inc. of Port Gibson in charge of the arrangements. Visitation will be Friday, from 1p.m. until 5 p.m. at the Thompson Funeral Home Chapel and Saturday, from noon until service time at the church.

Rev. Leroy Dee was the oldest of ten children born to the late Kelly and Jewel Dee of Pattison, Mississippi. His "lovely wife" as he called her, was the former Daisy Dorsey and they were the parents of two sons, Kelvin and Leroy Jr., and the proud grandparents of a grandson, Carmelo. Rev. was a lifelong member of the Philadelphia M. B. Church of Pattison, MS.

Rev. Dee received his elementary and high school education in the Claiborne County Public School System. After graduating from high school in 1973, he attended the Alcorn State University where he received a B. S. Degree in Pre-Med Biology. While in college he did his intern with the Corp of Engineers which resulted in a career lasting 40 years. After 40 years in the workforce, he retired from his position as Environmental Specialist with the Vicksburg Corp of Engineers but was asked to return to assist with special projects, working until he was challenged with issues regarding his health.

On June 1, 1986, Rev. Dee received his license to preach and was ordained on February 8, 1987. He has been ministering the word of God for 38 years. After serving as assistant pastor to three ministers, Rev. Dee later became the spiritual leader of each of the three churches where he was assistant pastor: In 1992, he was installed as pastor of Philadelphia; 1994, as the pastor of Hickory Flat M. B. Church and on October 20, 2002, he was installed as the pastor of Whitehall M. B. Church.

On June 7, 2003, he received an Associate of Divinity Degree from the MS Baptist Seminary. On September 19, 2010, Pastor Dee was bestowed an honorary doctorate from the Mississippi Baptist Association. On June 30, 2012, Pastor Dee received his Bachelor of Theology Degree from the Mississippi Baptist Seminary. He was an instructor of classes at the Vicksburg Mississippi Baptist Seminary for many years.

PRECEDED IN DEATH: His Lovely Wife, Daisy Dee; Parents: Kelly and Jewel Dee; Grandparents: Timothy Jeremiah and Willie Mae Claiborne; and a brother, Willie Gibson.

He is survived by two sons, Leroy Dee, Jr. of Jackson, MS and Kelvin (Darlinda) Dee of Vicksburg, MS; a grandson, Carmelo Dee of Vicksburg, MS; seven brothers, Eddie Lee Dee (Ella) of Port Gibson, MS; Kelly Dee, Jr.; Robert Earl Dee; Daniel Dee (Yvonne); Joseph Dee (Virginia); Bobby Joe Dee (Tracy) all of Pattison, MS; Jacob Dee of Phoenix, AZ; two sisters, Jeanette Dee of Jackson, MS; and Jewel Lisa Gronosky (John) of Las Vegas, NV; One uncle, Garlee Claiborne (Josie) of Pattison; Two aunts: Nora Sayles of Phoenix, Arizonia; and Helen Davis (Bill) of Texas. A host of other relatives and friends.