Willie Maurice Barham Jr., 78, of Union City died 4:30 p.m. Feb. 2, 2009, at Union City Manor Nursing Home.

Services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Second Baptist Church in Union City. Burial will follow in Obion County Memorial Gardens. Brother Jerry Leggett and Brother Eddie Mallonee will officiate.

Mr. Barham was born Feb. 8, 1930, in Fulton County, Ky., son of the late Allie (Taylor) and W.M. Barham Sr. He married the former Rebecca Alexander April 14, 1951. She survives. He had been employed by Kroger for 11 years and had later worked at the U.S. Post Office in Union City, where he retired. He served in the Korean War in the U.S. Marine Corps. An ordained deacon, he was an active member of Union City Second Baptist Church until declining health prevented him from attending. He also served on the church's Long-range Planning Committee, which was responsible for the congregation's new facility. He was an active member of the Civitan Club for some time, with perfect attendance for 12 years, and was twice named "Mr. Civitan." He also held several local and district Civitan offices during those years and was awarded the District Honor Key . As a member of Civitan, he was instrumental in beginning a girls' softball league in Union City, which was sponsored by the organization.
He is also survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Nancy Louise (Barham) and Russell Dodson of Ripley and Joyce Leigh (Barham) and Bob Nipp of Bartlett; his son and daughter-in-law, David Wayne and Rhonda Barham of Cordova; six grandchildren and their spouses, Nancy Jean and John Barnes of Drummond, Joyce Ann Parker-Fegette and Sean Fegette of Munford, Becky (Nipp) and Bo Hicks of Tuscaloosa, Ala., Paul Nipp of Kalamazoo, Mich., Rae and Larry Clark of Memphis and Spc. Parks Barham currently serving in Afghanistan and his wife Jenny Barham of Clarksville; four great-grandchildren, Elisabeth Barnes and Joseph Barnes, both of Drummond, Addison Clark of Memphis and Miabella Barham of Clarksville; three sisters and his brother-in-law, Mary Bondurant of Fulton, Carolyn Faulkner of South Fulton and Monette and Joe Blackford of Murray, Ky.; his brother and sister-in-law, Tommy and Reba Barham of Jasper, Ala.; and several nieces, nephews and step-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends in the chapel of Edmaiston Mosley Funeral Home from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

Pallbearers to serve will be John Barnes, Sean Fegette, Billy Wayne Orr, Len Jorge, Maurice Carroll, Mark Ward and Brad Ward.

Honorary pallbearers to serve will be Dr. Chris Gooch, Joe Smith, Chris Petty, Marshall Speed, Leroy Perryman, Steve Pinion, Billy Emrich, James Powell, Jim Glasgow Jr., Dwayne Ervin, Danny McWherter, Don Garrison, Charles Dunn, Wayne Kimble, Birdie Hardin and employees of Extendicare Home Health Care.

Memorial contributions may take the form of donations to Second Baptist Church Building Fund, 831 N. Everett Blvd. Union City, Tn. 38261 or the charity of the donor's choice.

Edmaiston-Mosley Funeral Home (731) 885-1033