Newton Perry Gautier

Newton Perry Gautier, age 83, of Gautier, MS, passed away on Wednesday, April 1, 2009. He was a native of Gautier, MS and a 1948 graduate of Perkinston Junior College, majoring in Professional Accountancy. He attended Mississippi State College and Mississippi Southern College receiving a B.S. Degree in Business Education in August 1951. Continuing his education, he received an M.E. degree in School Administration and Supervision on August 20, 1961, from the University of Southern Mississippi. He was a student council representative during his tenure at Perkinston Junior College and the University of Southern Mississippi. A participant in college sports and a member of many organizations, he was an active member of Pi Omega Pi Business Education Fraternity. While at the University of Southern Mississippi, he was an active member of Phi Delta Kappa Fraternity. He was a United States Navy Veteran of World War II and an active participant on many local, state and national educational organizations and boards throughout his many years of public service. He was a teacher at Vancleave Consolidated School; Pascagoula High School and Ocean Springs High School between 1949 and 1966. He served with distinction as Jackson County Superintendent of Schools from 1960 to 1964. From 1954 to 1959 he served as Principal of the Ocean Springs High School and again from 1965 to 1966. From 1966 to 1974 he was Superintendent of the Pascagoula Municipal Separate School District. In July of 1974, he accepted the position as Principal of Our Lady of Victories Central High School in Pascagoula. Later in 1976 he accepted the position of Principal at Canton Public High School in Canton, Mississippi. He was a member of the first Board of Trustees for the Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College District from 1960 to 1964. He was a past member of the Pascagoula Rotary Club, a past president of Jackson County Heart Fund and many other community projects until his retirement. After retiring in 1979, he continued to be active in public education circles, was a volunteer for the Ocean Springs Senior Citizen Center and the American Red Cross. As a Methodist, he served on the administrative boards of Gautier United Methodist Church and St. Paul United Methodist Church. Mr. Gautier was preceded in death by his parents, Newton Houston Gautier and Mayo Golden Gautier, sisters, Eleanor McGrath and Mayfax Barlow. Survivors include two daughters, Choyce Mayo (Chris) Cochran of Ocean Springs and Elizabeth Ann (Jim) Stewart of Hickory Flat, MS; three grandchildren, Cathleen Sanford, Chad and Corey Cochran of Ocean Springs, two great-grandchildren and his special friend and mother of their two daughters, Dixie Ann Wieder Gautier of Ocean Springs; three sisters, Katherine Loper of Moss Point, Dorothy Gautier and Ruby Brown of Gautier; as well as one brother, Earl D. Gautier of Pascagoula. Visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. on Friday, April 3, 2009, at the Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home. Funeral Service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 4, 2009, in the chapel of the Funeral Home. Burial to follow at Gautier Cemetery.