David Nelson Hathcock

David Nelson Hathcock was born March 20, 1994 in Gulfport, MS to Stephanie Anne Nelson and Mark P. Hathcock, Jr. and passed away Thursday, December 19, 2024 in Gulfport, MS.

A most loving son, grandson, step-son, brother, nephew, uncle, cousin, friend, and teammate of anyone who ever met him will be forever missed by his huge family and all those whose life he touched with his contagious smile, warm greeting, most loving bear hug, and fierce love he had for all those he came into contact with throughout his short journey on this earth.

David graduated from Gulfport High School where his prowess as a two-sport letterman will be fondly remembered by all of his teammates who he so fiercely defended on and off the field. He lettered in football at Gulfport High School as well as being a multi-purpose player on both sides the football contributing to his team’s success reaching the South State Championship. Offensively, David started the Regional Champion team as Center, and defensively as Linebacker, and on special teams as Punter and Kickoff Coverage. Equally as good in baseball, he lettered as Catcher and Second Baseman for both Gulfport High School and as a junior, played on the championship team at St. Stanislaus High School in Bay St. Louis, MS. His athletic career reached its pinnacle when David received a baseball scholarship to attend Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL. In retrospect, David recalled his fondest memories growing up on the ballfields of Gulfport being coached by his grandfather and father as a perennial all-star throughout his youth in both baseball and football. His athletic youth reached its pinnacle as he led St. James Trojans football team to the Youth State Championship in Jackson, MS.

Not to be overshadowed with just sports, David’s talents were equally as successful in theatre and song as he starred in the leading role at St. James Catholic School. He recalled to his grandfather that his fondest memories of school growing up were the years he attended St. James Catholic School while playing sports, running on the playground, starring in musicals, and attending the safe confines of the church and school. These were his safest memories of his childhood growing up. Also, while attending middle school at Bayou View Middle School, David was the recipient of the Scott Kenneth Peterson Award as selected by his peers.

After graduation, David obtained several welding certificates through MGCCC. Professionally, he was a journeyman member of The Laborers International Union of North America Mid Atlantic Region. He also became a journeyman Pile Driver while continuing his work in heavy civil construction. David worked on multi-million-dollar infrastructure jobsites in Washington, DC, North Carolina, Virginia, and was scheduled to move to Ohio.

David’s hobbies could easily be observed as you would find him somewhere outdoors, whether it be on the golf course with his Pap, Mark, Sr. or the boat headed to Horn Island with his dad, Mark, Jr., or on his favorite body of water, the Rainbow River in Dunnellon, FL, where he fished, swam, canoed, floated, and jumped out of cypress trees with his Uncle Saxon and Aunt Savanna under the oversight of his other grandfather, who he lovingly called Poppa!

David was preceded in death by his great-grandparents, Thelma Peralta Nelson and Harold M. Nelson, Dorothy and James Louis Putnam, Sr., Edith Anderson and F.L. Anderson, Sr., and Catherine Pollard Hathcock and Roy C. Hathcock.

David is survived by his mother, Stephanie Anne Nelson; father, Mark P. Hathcock, Jr.; stepmom, Cindy L. Hathcock; grandparents, Judith Putnam Terranova, Stephan M. Nelson I, Janice A. Hathcock, and Mark P. Hathcock, Sr.; siblings, Raegan Nicole Hathcock and Mitchell D. Nelson; great aunts, Mary Kate Putnam Walton and Margie Putnam Thompkins (Gary); great uncle, James Louis Putnam, Jr.; aunts, Savanna A. Nelson (Chandler), Sophia J. Nelson, and Carolyn Hathcock James; and uncles, Stephan M. Nelson II (Rachael), Saxon F. Nelson, and Adam Hathcock.

Services will be held at St. James Catholic Church on Friday, December 27, 2024 in Gulfport, MS. Public visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. with services to begin at 2:00 p.m. Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street, Gulfport is honored to serve the family of David Hathcock.