Stephen Louis Guice

Mr. Stephen Louis Guice, 88, of Diamondhead, MS, died Friday, January 2, 2009, peacefully at home. Mr. Guice was born in Biloxi, MS and remained a lifelong resident of the Coast. He attended Lopez Elementary School and was a graduate of Biloxi High School. He attended Mississippi State University before completing undergraduate education at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, and graduated from Cumberland Law School, Cumberland University, in Lebanon, Tennessee. He was a member of the Mississippi Bar since 1947 and practiced law in Mississippi, Idaho and California. Mr. Guice was a WW II Veteran of the U. S. Marine Corps, serving in the Southwest Pacific Theater from 1941 through 1945. He was a former Adjudication Officer with the Veterans Administration, a member of the American Legion Post 139 in Waveland, MS and the Miracle Tabernacle United Pentecostal Church. Mr. Guice was preceded in death by his sons, Steven Patrick Thompson and Daniel Evans Guice; his first wife, Genevieve Evans Guice; parents, William Lee Guice (one of the founders of the law firm of Rushing & Guice, 1910) and Lee Dicks Guice; sister, Martha Guice Harrison; and brother, William "Billy" Guice, who was lost in the sinking of the USS Barton in WW II. Survivors include his wife of 33 years, Judith Smith Guice; sons, Michael (Kathleen) Thompson of Arleta, CA, David (Magi) Guice of Fresno, CA, and Stephen (Elaine) Guice of Torrance, CA; sister, Miriam Guice Howell of Biloxi; brothers, Jacob (Jo) Guice of Ocean Springs, Judge Daniel Guice of Biloxi, Professor Emeritus John (Nancy) Guice of Laurel, MS, and Saul (Anne) Guice of Ocean Springs; granddaughters, Stephanie Guice, Leigh (John) Dewsnap, Melissa Guice and Kelly (Eddy) Rigotti; grandsons, James (Melissa) Guice, William Lee Guice, Danny Guice, John Guice, Steven Thompson, Jr., Jeffrey A. Thompson, Todd Thompson and Matthew Thompson; five great grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews. Interment is Tuesday, January 6, 2009, at 10:30 a.m. at the Guice family section in Biloxi City Cemetery. Officiating at the services will be Rev. Frank Kendrick, Rev. Shad Barnett, Rev. J. B. Sims and Rev. "Bo" Roberts. Pallbearers are his sons and grandsons. Honorary pallbearers are Elmer Scheeff, Paul Barnett, Jerry Wallace, Kris Reed and Gerald Nelson (in absentia). A memorial service will be held at Miracle Tabernacle, Old Spanish Trail and Arnold Streets, in Waveland, MS, at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, January 6, 2009. In lieu of flowers and in appreciation for their compassionate care, memorial contributions may be made to Camellia Ministeries (Hospice), P. O. Box 1267, Hattiesburg, MS 39403. Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home, Howard Avenue, in Biloxi is in charge of arrangements.