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Tuesday, 15 July 2008 |
William Wright Sorrels, 83, passed away July 12, 2008, at Mississippi State Veterans Home, Kosciusko. He was born July 28, 1924, in Cordova, Tenn.
He is survived by his wife, Joyce Cade Sorrels; two children: Deborah Sorrels Webb (Randy) and John Clark Sorrels; three grandchildren: Shannon Williams (Charles); Clare McCreery; Logan Sorrels; two great grandchildren: Leven Williams and Catherine Williams; two brothers: C.H. Sorrels and James Sorrels; and a sister, Cathrine Crosby.
He is preceded in death by his parents, M. Lorene Wright Sorrels and Chelsea Howard Sorrels Sr.; one brother, Ed Sorrels and two sisters, Margaret Smith and Virginia Williams.
After finishing high school in West Point, he joined the United States Navy where he served from 1943-1946 with the Seventh Fleet in the Southwest Pacific. After returning from his tour of duty, he attended Mississippi State University, then transferred to the University of Missouri where he received his Bachelor of Journalism. He was an honor graduate and a Kappa Tau Alpha and Sigma Delta Chi Scholarship winner. In 1969, he received his Master of Arts degree from Memphis State University. He was also an exchange journalist in Venezuela.
He was an accomplished newspaper journalist. He worked from 1949-1953 at his hometown newspaper, the Daily Times Leader. His next assignment came from Honolulu, Hawaii, where he worked with the Honolulu Star Bulletin. From there he went to Memphis and worked for the Commercial Appeal for 23 years. He served as their managing editor from 1969-1977. Then he went to Evansville, Ind., and worked for the Evansville Press, where he was their editor and president until his retirement.
His second career began at Mississippi University for Women in 1984 where he held the Harriet Stark Gibbons Distinguished Professor of Journalism Chair. He loved his time spent with his students, who called him „Wild Bill.‰ On many occasions, he was known to say that when he began teaching at the W, his mother told him that she had never been prouder of him.
He was the author of seven published books, including The Maroon Bulldogs and The Ole Miss Rebels. He also worked for Life magazine as their Mid-South correspondent from 1956-1960, and was the editorial advisor to the Craft and Art Market magazine.
He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church EPC. Graveside services will be Wednesday, July 16, 2008, at 11 a.m. at Greenwood Cemetery with the Rev. Steve Davis officiating. Visitation will be Wednesday from 10-11 a.m. at Robinson Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be John Sorrels, Randy Webb, Joey Vallarian, Bill Cade, L.Q. Patterson, Charles Williams and Lee Coleman.
Memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church EPC, P.O. Box 366, West Point, Miss., 39773. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 16 July 2008 )
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