Reed Stoney Salley Jr.

1924 - 2022

Reed Stoney Salley, Jr.
April 12, 1924 - December 4, 2020
Cleveland, Mississippi - Reed S. Salley, Jr. (Bud) passed away on December 4, 2020 in Cleveland, MS. Due to the COVID pandemic, the dispersal of his ashes as well as the ashes of his wife, Mary, was postponed. A celebration of life for the couple will be held at Trinity Anglican Church in Grahamville, SC on Wednesday, June 1, 2022 from 5 - 8 p.m. His ashes will be dispersed in the waters of Beaufort, County, SC. by his close family on June 2, 2022.
Born in Orlando, FL during his father's military service, he returned as a young child to Columbia where he spent his youth and young adulthood. He met and married Mary Faith Scarboro at Trinity Episcopal Church (now Trinity Cathedral) on October 15, 1954.
Mr Salley was a graduate of Dreher High School where he lettered in baseball. His talent in baseball led him to play ball for the Columbia semi-pro team and the Cincinnati Reds Organization. After suffering a shoulder injury, he worked primarily as a salesman in numerous fields.
During World War II, he served as a high speed radio operator in the 310th Bomb Group, 57th Bomb Wing of the 12th Air Force in North Africa and Italy, attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant.
He was a devoted South Carolina son. He was the great-great grandson of the late Joseph Daniel Pope of St. Helena's Island who was a signer of Articles of Secession, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for the Confederate States, and first full-time dean of the USC School of Law. He was also a descendant of the Pickens, Pinckney, and Stoney families. Mr. Salley was a proud member of the Society for the First Families of South Carolina - 1670-1720, the Sons of the American Revolution and the Sons of the Confederacy.
He spent much of his childhood as a river rat in the lowcountry of South Carolina fishing and crabbing with his good friend Beau Sam McGowan of St. Helena's. Upon retirement, he returned permanently to his beloved Chechessee Creek in 1986 and received his inland waters Captain's License. In declining health, he moved to Cleveland, MS in 2013 to be near his daughter.
In addition to his hobbies of fishing and sports, he was an expert instrument rated pilot. His greatest joy and his most interesting stories came from his thousands of hours of flying.
Mr. Salley was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Faith Scarboro Salley, his parents Reed Stoney Salley, Sr and Rosalie Fleming Salley, and his sister May Pope Salley Ross. He is survived by his son Thomas Pickens Salley, II (Noriada) of Orlando, FL, daughter Mary Catherine S. Koehler (Ron) of Cleveland,MS, and estranged daughter Suzanne Trunck of Naples, FL, six grandchildren Michael Koehler (Katy), Adam Koehler, Sarah K. Casbergue (Daniel), Rebecca Koehler, Thomas Reed Salley, and John Serrano (Gabby).
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Salley/Koehler Art Scholarship at the Delta State University Foundation (Cleveland, MS), The Miss Mitchell Commemorative Air Force, or a charity of your choice.