Jacob Davis Guice

Jacob Davis Guice, 93, died Sunday, August 23, 2009, in his home in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Mr. Guice was born in Biloxi, Mississippi on October 18, 1915 to William Lee Guice and Lee Dicks Guice and was a lifelong resident of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Jacob Guice was a native Biloxian who graduated from Biloxi High School as Valedictorian of the Class of 1932. Thereafter, Jacob Guice attended Tulane University where he was a member and president of Phi Kappa Sigma Social Fraternity and president of the Panhellenic Council. While at Tulane, Jacob Guice boxed on the Tulane Boxing Team which won the Southeastern Conference Championship, he had a record of twelve wins, one loss and was a member of the “T” Club for Tulane Lettermen. He was tapped into the Leadership Fraternity of Omarion Delta Kappa and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with top honors and was awarded membership in the Phi Beta Kappa Honorary Fraternity, Tulane Chapter. Thereupon, Jacob Guice began law school at Yale University and received his Juris Doctorate in 1939. The summer before his senior year at Yale, Mr. Guice took the Mississippi Bar Exam and was admitted to practice in the State of Mississippi in 1938, thus returning to Yale Law School as an admitted attorney. Jacob Guice, upon graduation from Yale Law School and receipt of his Juris Doctorate degree and having previously been admitted to practice law in Mississippi, returned to practice with his father in the law firm of Rushing & Guice. Shortly thereafter, the Second World War commenced and Jacob Guice served as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater. During that time he participated in the invasion and occupation of Tarawa, perhaps the campaign in which the Marine Corps suffered its greatest losses. Upon retirement from the United States Marine Corps, Mr. Guice returned to Biloxi in 1946 as a partner in the law firm of Rushing & Guice. During the course of his legal career, Jacob Guice was attorney for the City of Biloxi from 1946 to 1952, a member and president of the Biloxi School Board from 1953 to 1958, an attorney for Biloxi Housing Authority and was a member of various legal societies including the Biloxi-Harrison County Bar Association of which he served as president, the Mississippi Bar Association and the American Bar Association, the American Society for Legal History and the American College of Probate Attorneys. Jacob Guice was very active in civic affairs. He founded the Biloxi Jaycees and served as president of that organization. He was a member of the Biloxi Lions Club where he served in various offices including president (1965-1966) and at the time of his death wore Badge No. 1 representing the oldest member. Jacob Guice was awarded the Melvin Jones Award for the year 1999 which recognized his lifetime service and was honored in 2007 upon his 60 years of service. Jacob Guice was a member of the Military Order of World Wars, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion and the Retired Officers Association and never stopped being a Marine. Mr. Guice was a 32nd degree Mason, was a Deacon in the First Presbyterian Church of Biloxi and later attended the First Presbyterian Church of Ocean Springs. Jacob Guice was one of the initial organizers of the Republican Party in Mississippi in order to create a viable two-party system in this state and was a delegate to the 1960 Republican Convention. He remained active with the Republican Party. Mr. Guice was preceded in death by his parents, William Lee Guice and Lee Dicks Guice, his sister, Martha Guice Harrison, his brothers, William Lee Guice, Jr. and Steven L. Guice. Jacob Guice is survived by Jo, his beloved wife of 63 years, his brothers, Daniel Dicks Guice, John David Wynne Guice, Saul Edward Holmes Guice and his sister, Mariam Guice Howell. He is also survived by his four children, William Lee (Billy) Guice III and wife, Gayla L., Jacob Davis (Jakie) Guice, Jr. and wife, Fay, Virginia Ann (Ginger) Guice Clark and husband, Charles C. and Lee Dicks (Dixie) Guice; his grandchildren, William Lee Guice IV, Nathan Tyler Guice, Lee Dicks Clark, Virginia Ann Clark, Charles C. Clark, Jr., Monique Danielle Guice and four great-grandchildren and loving caregiver, Doretha Howard. Visitation is Wednesday, August 26, 2009 from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. at First Presbyterian Church of Ocean Springs, 921 Ocean Avenue, Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Funeral services are Wednesday, August 26, 2009 at 1:00 P.M. at First Presbyterian Church of Ocean Springs, 921 Ocean Avenue, Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Interment will follow in Biloxi City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations be made to the Jacob D. Guice Scholarship Fund, c/o Tulane University, P.O. Box 61075, New Orleans, Louisiana 70161. The Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford O'Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.