June 9, 1919 – June 26, 2014

NATCHEZ — Services for Elmer Edgar Carby, 95, of Natchez, who died Thursday, June 26, 2014, at Promise Rehab Hospital, will be at 11 a.m. today at Grace United Methodist Church with the Rev. Nance Hixon officiating.

Burial will follow in Natchez City Cemetery under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time today at the church.

Mr. Carby was born June 9, 1919, in Houston, the son of Louis John Carby Sr. and Anita Buch Carby.

He was know as “Papa” to one and all and graduated from Reagan High School in Houston in 1937.

He served as an aircraft mechanic in the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II. After the war, he was employed as a burner at Bludworth Shipyards in Galveston. Later he joined McCollough Tool Company in the oilfield service industry, moving from Houston to Natchez with his family in 1955, where he served as district sales and branch manager until his retirement in 1984.

He was a devoted member of Grace United Methodist Church. He also was a member of the Santa Claus Committee for more than 50 years, never missing a parade.

Many knew him from his role on the refreshment committee of the Confederate Oil Tournament.

He was a member of the First Presbyterian men’s prayer breakfast for many years and the Comfort Suites men’s coffee club. He was a member of the Grace Methodist domino club.

He was involved with the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society and loved attending its fundraisers. He was the guest of honor at the NACHS party in 2010.

He loved raising tomatoes, regularly complaining of too much or too little rain and delivering the fruit to friends all over the county.

He loved reading Bluffs and Bayous and the Natchez Digest.

He adored his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, attending all their events with great enthusiasm.

Mr. Carby was preceded in death by his adored wife, Phoebe Carby; his parents; one brother, Louis Carby Jr.; one sister, Margaret Carby Fones; and a special friend, Ginny Combs.

Survivors include two sons, David Carby and wife, Barbara, and Philip Carby and wife, Stella; one daughter, Melinda Carby Everett and husband, Charlie; six grandsons, Paul Carby and wife, Samantha, Bishop Carby and fiancé, Celeste Ballard, Gaston Carby and wife, Mollie, Hyde Carby and wife, Lee, Joey Everett and wife, Julie, and Stephen Everett; one granddaughter, Bettye Jane Carby Roberts and husband, Charlie; six great-grandchildren, Cate Carby, Jane Carby, Kathryn Carby, Stella Roberts, Philip Carby and Walker Carby.

He will be missed by his adopted daughter, Ruth Nichols, the Tillman and Combs families, close friends, Toni Murray, Dianne Smith, Rose Williams, Margaret Holmes, his neighbors, the Loncars.

He had many friends, too many to mention. He visited his friends on his daily rounds all about the city and county.

Pallbearers will be his grandsons.

Special appreciation is expressed to the loving care and consideration provided by his doctors, Randy Tillman, Barry Tillman, Angela LeTard and Jeff Clark.

Special appreciation is also expressed to his kind and attentive caregivers at Promise Hospital in Vidalia including Karen, Donna, Donna, Caroline, Mia, Josh, Trey, Romanda, Carlyn, Susan, Heather, John, Franchessca, Mark, Missy and Margaret. Their attention to him in his last days was a thing of beauty.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society, P.O. Box 529, Natchez, MS 39121.

Online condolences may be made to lairdfh.com