William Thomas Ishee

William Thomas "Bill" Ishee, 86 and long-time resident of Wiggins and Stone county, passed away Sunday evening in Gulfport. Bill was born April 10, 1933 in Sanford, MS, one of six children to Robert John and Mary Pauline (Skinner) Ishee. He grew up in the Sanford area as WWII was raging in Europe, taking a lot of the young men off to serve in the military. Bill was too young for the military and learned from an early age what work and the value of a dollar was all about, something he would carry with him throughout life. He made his way to Stone county in the logging industry, and the rest as they say, is history. His logging business grew pretty rapidly, with some saying that Bill possibly had the very first diesel engine log truck in this area. Logging wasn't his only venture however, as he loved to "dabble" in buying and selling things, fixing chain saws, or just about anything he could make a dollar doing. That was Bill Ishee, a determined, hard working man that was always busy. In what spare time he had, Bill loved to hunt and fish. He enjoyed family gatherings and cookouts and even enjoyed water skiing and skating. Over the past several years, he could be found most every day having lunch at Stone County Hospital cafeteria. At other times, Bill enjoyed offering his advice to solve the political issues from Wiggins to Washington, around the counter at Wiggins Auto Parts and other places, free of charge to whoever would listen. He was a loving father and grandfather, widely known around Stone county and beyond, who will be fondly remembered and sadly missed by so many. He was preceded by his parents, Bob & Mary Pauline Ishee, and four of his siblings: sisters Johnnie Merle Lee, Patsy Stephens and Shelia Ishee, and his only brother, Bobby Jean Ishee. Left to cherish his memories are: his children, daughters Brenda (Bobby) Allen of Long Beach, Linda (Ed) Brooks of Big Level and Connie (Ray) Branch of Charleston, MS; sons Gary (Liz) and Tim (Jeannine) Ishee, both of Wiggins; and his sister, Janet Owen of Wiggins. Bill leaves a legacy of nine grandchildren, all of whom he loved dearly, along with many great-grands, numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends over the years. The family has scheduled a Celebration of Life on Thursday evening, February 13th, 2020 at Trinity Funeral Services in McHenry, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, with a memorial service at 7:00 in the chapel. All who knew Bill are encouraged to come reminisce over the many fond memories shared through the years. In lieu of floral arrangements, the family requests donations be made to your favorite charity in Bill's honor, and spend some extra time with your family. Trinity Funeral Services is honored to serve the Ishee family in their time of need, and asks everyone to keep them in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of William Thomas Ishee, please visit our floral store.