William Ellis "Will" Renfro

Click here to view Video TributeWILLIAM ELLIS "Will" RENFRO, 78, FORMERLY OF SOUTHAVEN AND SENATOBIA, MS DIED SEPTEMBER 18, 2010 IN PENSACOLA, FL, AFTER A BRIEF ILLNESS. HE WAS BORN MARCH 15, 1932 IN THE CROWDER COMMUNITY IN PANOLA COUNTY, MS. TO JESSIE AND EVELYN RENFRO. HE ATTENDED CROWDER HIGH SCHOOL UNTIL HE WAS A JUNIOR AND THEN TRANSFERRED TO BATESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL FOR HIS SENIOR YEAR. HE WAS AWARDED A FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP TO MEMPHIS STATE UNIVERSITY (UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS). WILL WAS THE FIRST FOOTBALL PLAYER FROM PANOLA COUNTY, AND THE FIRST GRADUATED FOOTBALL PLAYER FROM MEMPHIS STATE TO BE DRAFTED BY THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. HOWEVER, UNCLE SAM DECIDED THAT WILL WAS NEEDED IN THE ARMY AND DRAFTED HIM. HE SERVED TWO YEARS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. BEFORE BEGINNING HIS NFL FOOTBALL CAREER. HE PLAYED FOR THE WASHINGTON REDSKINS, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AND PITTSBURG STEELERS FOR 7 YEARS. WHEN THE AFL WAS ESTABLISHED WILL WAS SENT TO THE NEW YORK JETS WHERE HE SUSTAINED A SHOULDER INJURY WHICH TERMINATED HIS FOOTBALL CAREER. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE MEMPHIS STATE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1994. HE RETURNED TO THE MID-SOUTH AREA WHERE HE COACHED AT SEVERAL HIGH SCHOOLS. DURING THIS TIME WILL AND HIS FAMILY MOVED TO THE NEW COMMUNITY IN DESOTO COUNTY CALLED SOUTHAVEN. WILL AND HIS WIFE ONIA BECAME VERY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AND WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN STARTING A SPORTS PROGRAM FOR THE YOUTH OF THE AREA. WILL RAN FOR AND WAS ELECTED TO THE DESOTO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO REPRESENT SOUTHAVEN AND HELD THAT POSITION FOR EIGHT YEARS. WHILE HE WAS SUPERVISOR HORN LAKE DECIDED TO ANNEX SOUTHAVEN. WILL AND A GROUP OF CONCERNED CITIZENS HIRED A LAWYER AND FOUGHT THE ANNEXATION. THE COURTS RULED IN FAVOR OF SOUTHAVEN AND THUS THE CITY OF SOUTHAVEN WAS ESTABLISHED. WILL AND HIS FAMILY MOVED TO THE SENATOBIA AREA WHEN HE ACCEPTED A POSITION AT NORTHWEST COMMUNITY COLLEGE. HE RETIRED FROM NORTHWEST TO TAKE CARE OF HIS WIFE, ONIA, WHO HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH TERMINAL CANCER. AFTER ONIA'S DEATH WILL MOVED TO LAKE WASHINGTON IN GLEN ALLAN, MS, WHERE HE ENJOYED FISHING EVERY PRETTY DAY. HE WAS MARRIED TO THE LATE ONIA HATHCOCK RENFRO AND LEAVES THREE DAUGHTERS; DEBBIE RENFRO CONNER (CARROLL) OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA, JALEA RENFRO HENSON OF LAS VEGAS, NV, AND ANGEL RENFRO NICKENS (TIM) OF SENATOBIA, MS. HE ALSO LEAVES FIVE GRANDCHILDREN; CLAYTON CONNER, CARIE CONNER, GARRETT NICKENS, MADISON NICKENS, AND ANNA NICKENS. HE LEAVES A BROTHER ROBERT RENFRO OF SUTTER CREEK, CA, AND SISTERS ANNETTE CLARK OF SOUTHAVEN AND BETTY VAUGHAN OF NASHVILLE, TN. HE ALSO LEAVES A SPECIAL FRIEND, JANE COOPER OF GLEN ALLAN, MS VISITATION WILL BE WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2010, FROM 5 P.M. TO 8 P.M. AND AGAIN FROM 11:00 A.M. TO 1 P.M. THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2010 BEFORE THE SERVICE AT WELLS FUNERAL HOME IN BATESVILLE, MS. BURIAL WILL BE IN MAGNOLIA CEMETERY IN BATESVILLE. IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, THE FAMILY REQUESTS MEMORIALS BE MADE TO THE SENATOBIA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH -GOOD SAMARITAN FUND.