Carl “Butch” Reginelli of Indianola passed away Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Indianola. Visitation will be at the church from 10 to 11 a.m. prior to services.
Butch was born Aug. 18, 1948. He graduated from Indianola High School, where he was a basketball standout, scoring 48 points in one game. He went to Christian Brothers College in Memphis on a basketball scholarship. He attended Mississippi Delta Junior College and graduated from Delta State University with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He taught school at Gentry High School and also at the Mississippi Department of Corrections. He was the owner of several nightclubs and restaurants, including Thunderbirds in Greenville and Chevys in Indianola, which was the most popular in the Delta. He hosted many well-known artists — Steve Azar, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Crackerjacks and Poonanny. He was a guest on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”
Butch was known for his kindness, his humor and his love of animals. He rescued many and took care of them.
He was predeceased by his parents, Carl and Ann Reginelli, and a sister, Beverly Reginelli. He leaves a sister, Martha Randall of Greenwood; a special friend, Christine Fontenot; and his beloved pet “B Boy.”
Honorary pallbearers will be Jeff Peaster, Tim Watkins, Curtis Griffin, Bobee Polasini and Leroy Frey.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Leflore County Humane Society or a charity of your choice.