William McMahon IV

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, November 20, 2007

FERRIDAY – Mass of Christian burial for William James “Little Bill” McMahon IV, 30, of Lafayette, La., formerly of Ferriday, who died Saturday, Nov. 17, 2007, peacefully in his sleep at a hunting camp on Dobbs Bay after having enjoyed a loving family early Thanksgiving celebration, will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, in Ferriday, with the Revs. Louis Sklar and Anthony Dharmaraj officiating.

Burial will follow at Calhoun Family Cemetery, in Ferriday, under the direction of Comer Funeral Home in Ferriday.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home with a prayer service at 7:15 p.m. and the Rosary at 7:30 p.m.

Bill was born March 9, 1977, in Natchez. He went through the Ferriday School System from pre-school until his graduation from Ferriday High School. He also attended Monterey High School and Huntington School. Bill was so very blessed to have special teachers along the way who showed compassion and kindness and helped him blossom.

Bill played in the Dixie Youth League with all of his childhood buddies from T-ball through the majors, making the all-star team a number of times. He and his teammates would pile into the back of his momma’s Bronco and head out to the all all-star tournaments. He was lucky enough to be coached by his daddy and many wonderful family friends who instilled in him the love of the game. Bill and his teammates, on both sides, always looked forward to the hot dogs after each game. They never cared who won the game.

Bill was an avid golfer and fisherman. He loved to go to Grand Isle with the Resweber family to fish and eat Cajun food. He grew up playing golf at Panola Woods with his daddy and later with his brother, Ryan, and their friends from Huntington. Bill won many trophies in golf, tennis and baseball. He loved the outdoors, camping, restoring his Mustang and sitting around a campfire with his family and friends. Bill loved spending time with Tarra’s family whom he considered his family, too. Bill was quiet and introspective and warm and the best friend anyone could ever have. He loved deeply from his soul. He especially enjoyed hearing all the stories of the humorous antics of his childhood growing up in Woodland with this little brother, Ryan, and their many wonderful friends around the neighborhood. Little Bill would laugh the loudest when hearing the story told again of how he chopped up his brother’s first birthday cake and then hid the knife in a shoe box.

Bill was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, in Ferriday. He was baptized, confirmed, received his first holy communion and was an alter server for many years. Bill grew up in the church. His first years were spent in front of the church on his momma’s hip as she directed the church in song. He entertained himself by sticking his tootsie roll pop in his momma’s hair or by lying with his feet propped up on the alter eating sweet tarts. During high school, Bill worked at the church helping Sister Barbara Gooding with the alter and the bulletin.

He was employed by Evans Equipment and Environmental of Broussard, La. Bill worked with wonderfully supportive and understanding people.

He was preceded in death by his grandfather, J.T. Jacobs Jr.; and his great-grandparents, Lee and Stella Calhoun and Joshua and Lillian Jacobs.

Survivors include his finance’, Tarra Foreman and their unborn child; his momma, Sherrie Jacobs; his second momma, Rachel Resweber, both of Broussard, La.; his daddy, Bill MaMahon and wife, Linda, both of Bastrop, La.; brother, Ryan Calhoun Jacobs McMahon of Baton Rouge; grandmother, Maudine Calhoun Jacobs; his grandparents, Bill and Beverly McMahon, both of Staten Island, N.Y., his special family, Bubba and Fonda Collins of Coteau; uncles, Jamie Jacobs and J.L. Jacobs and wife, Katherine; uncle and aunt, Kevin and Noreen McMahon, both of Staten Island, N.Y.; cousins, Jake Jacobs, B.J. Jacobs, both of Vidalia, Nicole Jacobs and Stella Jacobs, both of Lafayette, Candace Jacobs Browning of Hattiesburg, Stephanie Jacobs of Harvey, La., Kevin McMahon and Cheryl McMahon, both of Staten Island, N.Y.; great-aunt, Polly Jacobs Barnette; godparents, Bubba and Becky Gremillion; and many other family and friends in St. Martinville, Coteau, Lafayette, Monterey and Ferriday.

Pallbearers will be Andrew Foreman, Jake Jacobs, B.J. Jacobs, Barry Peek, Jarrod Hewitt, Chad Windham, Rob Clayton, Lance Smith, Lee Johnson and Chad Carroll.