Funeral Mass for Sam Sebastian Cefalu, age 96, of Greenville and formerly of Leland will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 29, at St. James Catholic Church, Leland. He died Saturday, November 25 at the Baptist Attala Medical Center in Kosciusko. Burial will follow in Leland-Stoneville Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Boone Funeral Home, Leland.
Sam was born in Biloxi, Mississippi and graduated from Leland High School. He married Ida Fratesi on January 18, 1942, and they were married for 67 years before her death in 2009. Sam served in the US Navy during WWII as chauffeur to Admiral Nimitz of the Pacific Fleet. After his discharge, he returned to Leland and was part owner in the 7-Up Bottling Company and Modern Furniture and Appliance Company. Sam was an avid fisherman and had a great love for music and dancing. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, the American Legion, the Leland Volunteer Fire Department, and the Leland Lions Club. He was a communicant of St. James Catholic Church.
Sam was preceded in death by his wife, Ida Fratesi Cefalu, a son, Phillip Andrew Cefalu (Cary) and a daughter, Mimi Gould (David.) He is survived by 3 daughters, Joanne Kaplan (Larry) of Greenville, Claire Mitchener (Bobby) of Brandon, and Gloria Norquist (Johnny) of Cleveland; brother, V. J. Cefalu (Carleen) of Leland; 9 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren; and a special friend, Nancy McCoy.
A visitation will be held one hour before services at the church on Wednesday. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.