Samuel Murry Tumey

Samuel Murry Tumey of Liberty, Mississippi died at his home on July 31, 2017. Brown Funeral Home in Liberty is in charge of the arrangements. Visitation will be from 5:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 2, and from 1:00 p.m. until the time of the service on Thursday. The funeral service will be at Brown Funeral Chapel in Liberty on Thursday, August 3 at 2:00 p.m., with Rev. James Sadler and Rev. Walt Gaston officiating. Interment will follow at Midway Cemetery in Meadville, Mississippi.

Sam was born on June 26, 1948 in Kosciusko, Mississippi to Ben R. Tumey and Frances Adalene Weeks Tumey, both professional educators who moved several times during his youth. He was raised a Baptist and graduated from Greenville High School in 1966 and then entered Ole Miss where he completed his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy in 1971. Facing the likelihood of the draft, Sam enlisted in the U. S. Air Force and served from 1972-1976, primarily in Thailand as an Electronic Warfare Technician. After his discharge, he re-enrolled at Ole Miss and received his Master of Science in Pharmacognosy in 1978. He continued his education thereafter by enrolling in Law School and received his Juris Doctorate from Ole Miss Law in 1981.

Sam returned to his father's childhood home in Liberty, Mississippi when he was admitted to the bar in 1981, spending more than fifteen years practicing with T. F. Badon. Afterward he continued his practice solo in the old family home in rural Amite County until his retirement. He was admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in Mississippi; the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (1991); and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (1999). A learned advocate for the protection of veterans' rights, Sam briefed more than fifty cases for the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and served as the Amite County Veterans Services Officer from 1984-2004. In additional to a well-rounded law practice in both civil and criminal matters, Sam served his community as Amite County Youth Court Prosecutor from 1981 to 1990 and as Youth Court Referee (Judge) from 1991 to 2004.

Ever the Renaissance man, Sam spent his leisure time in activities other than the law. Satire coming naturally to him, he entered the prestigious Faux Faulkner writing contest sponsored by Ole Miss at least three times, winning first place in 1994 and 1999 and placing second in 1998. On the family lands adjoining his country office, he maintained a vast array of native ferns that he carefully cultivated to re-establish them to the area. Reliving the enjoyment of his high school band days, he often listened to instrumental music and went to concerts when the opportunity presented itself. Most enjoyably, he taught his young protégé and neighbor, Ben Weathers, everything he knew about baseball and traveled to watch Ben play in all of his games. Sam was truly an example of a life well-lived.

Sam is survived by his loving wife of almost thirty-three years, Gayle Halford Tumey; his mother-in-law, Mamie Halford; his brother-in-law, Bill Halford, Jr. and wife Debbie, niece, Morgan Halford Poore (Dain), and nephew, Will Halford, all of Meadville; and his special friend, Ben Weathers, who he considered a son, together with Ben's wife Candace and their four sons.

Pallbearers will be Dr. Gordon Cliburn, Dr. Pat Larkin, Brad Weathers, Max Weathers, Bernell McGehee, Benny Stevens, Reggie Jones and Wayne Smith. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Southwest Mississippi Bar Association.

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