Formby issues proclamation for former city employee
Published 7:00 am Tuesday, February 7, 2017
REMEMBRANCE: Family members of the late William “Buntsy” Sheffield gathered at City Hall in Picayune Friday to hear a proclamation from Representative Mark Formby. From left are Jerry Sheffield (brother), Ann Sheffield, John Marquez, Ann Sheffield Marquez (daughter), Representative Mark Formby, Billy Sheffield (son), Linda Sheffield and Mayor Ed Pinero.
Photo by Jeremy Pittari
Friday evening city leaders and Representative Mark Formby gathered with the family of the late William B. “Buntsy” Sheffield in the Council chambers at City Hall to issue a proclamation in his memory.
Born on Sept. 22, 1926, Sheffield was a veteran of WW II, serving in the Army, the National Guard as the company commander of 890th Engineers in Picayune and of the Korean Conflict, according to the proclamation read aloud during Friday’s event.
For almost 30 years, Sheffield worked for the city of Picayune. During nine of those years, from 1979 to 1988, he was the public works director, the proclamation states.
Sheffield also served on the Picayune School Board of Trustees from 1967 to 1975 and was president of that Board from 1969 to 1972, the proclamation states. He attended the First Baptist Church of Picayune, was married to Betty Belle Bunker Sheffield for 56 years, and “engaged in the civil affairs of Picayune as a Master Mason with 63 years of experience,” the proclamation states.
During his life, he and his wife had three children, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Billy Sheffield, one of William Sheffield’s sons, said the proclamation was unexpected but the fact city leaders asked Formby to draft it means a lot to the family.
“To me is was very deserving. He gave his life to the city,” Billy Sheffield said.
Billy Sheffield said his father began his career with the city as a meter reader. He would later leave employment with the city to take a job working for General Electric at Stennis Space Center before returning to city employment as the public works director.
“I remember as a boy going with him to read meters. As he got older he could point out things about the infrastructure people may not have known about,” Billy Sheffield said.
Formby said that providing proclamations to recognize deserving people is one of the fun parts of his job.
Mayor Ed Pinero said that people tell him they remember “Buntsy” and are quick to say, “Buntsy did things like this…,”
Pinero said that William Sheffield was the first director in Picayune to start paving ditches to ensure the best possible flow of rainwaters.
Sheffield passed away on Sept. 5 of 2016.
