Derek Curtis Pouncey Funeral services for Derek Curtis Pouncey will be held Sunday, November 9, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. at Northcrest Baptist Church with Dr. Danny Lanier officiating. Burial will be Monday, November 10, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. at Fellowship Baptist Church Cemetery in Jasper County with Robert Barham Family Funeral Home in charge of the arrangements. Mr. Pouncey, age 39, of Meridian, passed away Thursday, November 6, 2014 at the University Medical Center in Jackson. Derek Curtis Pouncey was a native of Meridian and Lauderdale County, where he lived most of his life. A graduate of West Lauderdale High School, he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology at Mississippi College in Clinton and later a Master's Degree in School Leadership and Administration from Mississippi State University. Shortly after graduating from M.C. he felt the hereditary pull to teach and coach football in the Public School System. He was born to be a teacher. During the span of his career he impacted students' lives at Kate Griffin Junior High, Northwest Junior High, Meridian High School, Philadelphia High School, Kemper County High School, East Central Community College, and West Lauderdale Middle and High Schools. Classroom subjects he proudly taught included Speech and Debate, Theater, and English Language Arts. He was the recipient of numerous awards including the prestigious Coca-Cola Educator of Distinction Award. Always humble about his honors, Pouncey mentored students too numerous to list. Each of them was special to him, and he remained in contact with them long after their time in his classroom or on the football field passed. He had a rare gift for honestly coaching students and athletes in areas where improvement was needed while simultaneously motivating them to persevere. He expected individual accountability and responsibility with the knowledge that the fight was bigger than one person. It was in the same vein that he lived his life outside of the school system, where he shared his gifts with his family, friends, and community. At the Meridian Little Theater he enjoyed acting and was loved and honored for his work on that stage. He reveled in physical comedy and challenged himself to make the audience laugh harder each night than it had the night prior. He was active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, organizing sports camps for students during Summer months. He was a member at Northcrest Baptist Church where he sang in the choir. The talents he possessed were vast. His most important legacy, though, was the example he provided daily for his beloved family, friends, and students. He taught us all through his beliefs and actions of preparation, love, perseverance, and using one's God given talents to glorify Him. He will be greatly missed. Survivors include his father, James Curt Pouncey; mother, Cythia Everett Pouncey; brother, Brent Everett Pouncey and wife, Heather; sister, Jennifer Pouncey Chappell and husband, Jonathan; nephew, Jon Chandler Chappell; niece, Mattie Jewel Chappell; aunt, Beverly Lynn Everett; and uncles, Don Pouncey and Alvin Pouncey. He was preceded in death by his uncle, Ken Pouncey; maternal grandparents, Douglas and Jewel Everett; and paternal grandparents, Pete and Helen Pouncey. In lieu of flowers the family request memorials be made to Melanoma Cancer Research or your favorite charity. Pallbearers will be the West Lauderdale High School coaching staff, Stan McCain, Bill Clay, Daniel Calvert, Brock Clay, Dane Milling, Austin Buchanan, Daniel Young, Glenn Boothe, Darrell Theall, and Jason Smith. Honorary pallbearers will be the 2014 West Lauderdale Knights Football Team. Family and friends may sign the online guestbook at robertbarhamffh.com. Visitation will be held Sunday, November 9, 2014 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. at Northcrest Baptist Church.
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