Arthur W. "Buzzy" Lang, Jr.

Arthur W. "Buzzy" Lang, Jr., age 83 , a native and lifelong resident of Gulfport died Saturday, July 22, 2006 in Gulfport. He was the son of the late Mrs. Carrie Cowan Lang and Arthur W. Lang, Sr. He was a graduate of Gulfport High School and Gupton-Jones College of Mortuary Science in Nashville, Tennessee. He was a veteran of World War II , having served as NCO in charge of the Army Mortuary in Honolulu, Hawaii. Mr. Lang was a member of the First Baptist Church in Gulfport, an honorary life member and past exalted ruler of BPO Elks, Gulfport Lodge 978, a past president of the Gulfport Businessmen's Club. He was a past president of the Mississippi Funeral Directors Association, a member of Joe Graham Post No. 119 American Legion , and an honorary life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Alfred Alleman Post 2539, was a past president of Gulfport Gridiron Club, a member and past president of the Hardwood Club and he served on a committee to raise funds, promote and organize Pee Wee Football, Pee Wee Basketball, and Little League Baseball in Gulfport and was an avid supporter of athletics at Gulfport High School. One of his favorite pastimes was playing bridge. A member of the Gulfport Police Reserve for over 25 years, he went on the inactive list in January 1975 with the rank of major. He was elected Mayor of Gulfport on March 4, 1975 and was the owner and president of Lang Funeral Home in Gulfport until 1977. From 1980 to 1990 he served as Utility Investigator with Mississippi Public Service Commission and was a consultant with Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home since 1990. Other than his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Doris May Lang; a sister, Lillian Lang Garner; and a great-grandson, Michael Christian Lang. He is survived by three daughters, Elizabeth Jane Welford and husband, Kemon,of Ponchatoula, LA , Doris Ann Lang and her fiance, Robert Walters, and Kathryn Lang Carlson, all of Gulfport; a son, Arthur W. "Bubba" Lang, III and his wife, Debbie of Gulfport; two sisters, Nell Lang Davis and Carrie Lang Walker both of Gulfport; six grandchildren, Chris Ryle and his wife, Brittany of Gulfport, Arthur W. "Kippy" Lang, IV and his wife, Christi of Gulfport, Jayna Welford of Ponchatoula, Amanda Carlson, Adam Carlson, and Cory Carlson, all of Gulfport ; and eight great-grandchildren. Visitation will be held Monday evening from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home, O'Neal Road, Gulfport. The funeral service is Tuesday, July 25, 2006, at 11:00 a.m. at St. James Catholic Church, Gulfport, where friends may visit from 10:00 a.m. until the service. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery, Gulfport. Buzzy's children would like to thank Memorial Hospital at Gulfport Hospice for their care and compassion during his illness. The family prefers memorials to Operation We Care, P. O. Box 1306, Ponchatoula, LA 70454 ( a care package provider to our troops overseas) or St. James Elementary School Endowment Fund, 603 West Avenue, Gulfport, MS 39507.