Joseph Allen LaCour, Jr.

Joseph Allen LaCour, Jr., 93 was born on March 7, 1924, in Memphis, Tennessee.  He passed away on Friday, February 23, 2018.  He graduated from Canton High School on June 2, 1942, and was sworn into the V5 Flight Training Program the next day.  After negotiating three basic flight training school’s he was selected for advanced flight training at Pensacola NAS and subsequently selected for Squadron 4 – Fighter flight training.  On September 10, 1943, he became Aviator #P-5998.  He served as an instructor pilot before serving in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters flying the F4F-5 Super Wildcat, F6F Hellcat, F8F Bearcat, F4U Corsair, as well as other aircraft.  He served aboard The USS Corregidor, CVE 58, an “escort” aircraft carrier in the Pacific.  These escort carriers were primarily used to support the larger Essex, Hornet, and Yorktown class carriers with replacement planes and pilots in the Pacific.  After this service he returned to Canton where he attended Millsaps College, playing on the football team, and earning his bachelor’s degree in History.  He furthered his education by attending The National Hardwood Lumber Association’s Inspection School in Memphis, Tennessee.  He returned to Canton in 1949, married Helen O’Bannon of Canton, and joined with his father starting J. A. LaCour & Company; where he continued to be active in the business until his death.  J. A. LaCour & Company is engaged in international business which took him to Europe, The Far East, Africa, The Near East, South America, and Central and North America, importing and exporting hardwoods.  Mr. LaCour continued in the active naval reserves in a variety of surface and air assignments and commanded the Air Wing 82 intelligence group comprised of 35 intelligence officers in 1968-71.  He retired at the mandatory age of 60 years old in 1984 with the permanent rank of Commander.  He elected to remain on the officer recall list for life and has been on that Naval Officer list for 76 years.  Mr. LaCour served his community and church as past president of Canton Country Club, past president of Canton Academy School Board, served several terms on the Vestry of Grace Episcopal Church, he also served as Madison County Election Commissioner.  He was a member of NHLA, Southwestern Lumberman’s Club, Memphis Lumbermen’s Club, and The International Trade Club of Mississippi.  He was an advocate for the Boy Scouts of America where he earned the rank of Eagle Scout.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph Allen LaCour, Sr. and Gladys Anderson LaCour, and his brother, Paul Anderson LaCour.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Helen O’Bannon LaCour; children, Irving Allen LaCour (Robyn), David Holt LaCour (Perry), and Janet LaCour Snow (Mark); grandchildren, Joseph Allen LaCour (Kelly), Michael Parker LaCour (Kimberly), Madeleine LaCour Moseley (James), Erin Louise LaCour, Ian Holt LaCour (Leslie), Benjamin Alan Snow (Sarah), and Whitney Snow Hull (Joey); great-grandchildren, India, Rohan, Landon, Bryce, Grace, Margaret, Davis, Sally Kate, And Owen.

Visitation will be at Grace Episcopal in Canton on Wednesday, February 28 from 10:00 am until the 11:00 am funeral service.  Burial will follow at Canton Cemetery.

The family requests that donations be made to Grace Episcopal Church, P. O. Box 252, Canton, MS 39046; Palmer Home for Children, 912 11th Avenue S, Columbus, MS 39701 or The Salvation Army, 110 Presto Lane, Jackson, MS 39206.

A guestbook is available at breelandfuneralhome.com.

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