Jesse Edwin Megehee fondly known as “Mac”, of St. Louis, Missouri and Picayune, Mississippi,  passed away Wednesday, February 11, 2015 at St. Anthony’s de Greeff Hospice House St. Louis, after a battle with leukemia and lymphoma. He was 90.

Jesse Megehee was born January 30, 1925 to Jesse Wood and Wanda Tackett Megehee, the first of their three sons. A fifth generation Mississippian, he grew up on his parents’ farm near Picayune.

He entered the Navy in July, 1943, following his graduation the previous year from Industrial Consolidation High School in Pearl River County’s Yamacraw Community. During World War II, he was a crew member on a PBY-5 patrol bomber, also known as Catalina “Flying Boat”, which was designed for sea reconnaissance and rescue missions.

Jesse possessed a keen mind and a strong work ethic, which enabled him to master many trades. During the late 1940’s, he  found employment as a journeyman carpenter in New Orleans and later St. Louis, and within a decade, he established his own business – Megehee Construction Company. His company specialized in building new homes during the  booming post-war economic era and was also engaged in related real estate transactions. In later years, Jesse and his wife became dealers in antiques and traveled widely.

Survivors include his loving and devoted wife of more than 40 years, Helen Graves Megehee of St. Louis, MO; two brothers, Kenneth Rhea

(Doris) Megehee of Hattiesburg, MS and Terry L. Megehee of Newberry, SC. His is also survived by three children from his first marriage to the late  Lois Ludington Megehee: Lynda Rhea Stinson of Picayne, MS, Jacque (Wayne) Traylor of Simpsonville, SC and the Rev. Dr. Kent Wood (Ruth) Megehee of the Henleyfield Community located near Picayune, MS.

Jesse was the grandfather of

Melissa Traylor (Robert) Golom of Glen Allen, VA, Woody (Cathy) Megehee of Brandon, MS and Lisa Traylor (Luis) Valle of Greenville, SC. He had five great-grandchildren: Jordan and Lauren Golmon, Sawyer and  Kelly Megehee and Lila Valle.

Services will be held on Saturday, February 14, 2015 at 1 p.m. at KUTIS South County Funeral Home, 5255 Lemay Ferry Rd., Mehlville, MO. Visitation will take place from 11:30 a.m. until service at 1 p.m.. He will be buried beside his parents at Pine Grove Baptist Church Cemetery near Picayune, MS  with graveside services conducted on Tuesday, February 17, at 1:00 PM. Local arrangements have been entrusted to Picayune Funeral Home.