William Jerry Tait, U.S. Navy (Ret.)

LCDR William Jerry Tait, U.S. Navy (Ret.), 79, of Vancleave, died October 4, 2014 in Ocean Springs. LCDR Tait was a graduate of Perkinston Jr. College, now MGCCC, U.S. Navy flight training, and U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. He served 22 years in the Navy as a helicopter pilot, flight deck officer, air traffic control officer, and commander of Naval Reserve Center Huntsville, AL. After retirement Mr. Tait enjoyed making memories with his children and grandchildren, and traveling with his wife to all fifty states in the U.S. He is preceded in death by his parents, William F. and Bettie Mae Drummond Tait; son, COL William J. Tait, Jr., U.S. Army (Ret.); and brother, Jimmy Tait. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Erline Cunningham Tait; daughters, Elizabeth Ezell of Murfreesboro, TN and Catherine Endt of Vancleave; daughter-in-law, Rebecca Tait of Harker Heights, TX; grandchildren, Catherine, William and Christine Ezell, Mary Beth (Nathan) Tait Farrell, Carol Ann Tait, and Jamie, Houston and Lucas Endt; three great-grandchildren, Ibi Ezell, Sagan Ezell, and Aubrey Endt; brothers, Larry Tait and Sidney Tait; sisters, Cynthia Ciaburri and Carol Cowan; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. Visitation will be on Monday, October 6, 2014 from 10:00 am until 11:00 am with and 11:00 am chapel service, all at the Vancleave Chapel of Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home. Burial will be at 2:00 pm in New Zion UMC Cemetery in Stone County. Pallbearers are Houston Endt, Lucas Endt, Sidney Tait, Mark Endt, Milton Ezell, and David Cunningham. Honorary pallbearers are Larry Tait and Jerry Tait, Jr. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations be made to Wounded Warrior Project, (www.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate) or to MS Chapter, National Ataxia Foundation, 103 Timberton Dr., Hattiesburg, MS 39401.