William W. Dreher

William W. Dreher, M.D. was born on January 28, 1922 in Wilson, Louisiana and departed this life peacefully on Christmas Day 2016 at his home in Gulfport. Visitation will be from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Thursday, December 29, 2016 at Bradford O’Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street, in Gulfport followed by graveside services at Biloxi National Cemetery at 12:30 pm. with military honors by U.S. Air Force. Dr. Dreher was a graduate of Gloster, Mississippi High School, Mississippi State University, University of Mississippi Medical School and Louisiana State University Medical School. He served as an intern at Charity Hospital in New Orleans and was a staff physician at Mississippi State Hospital at Whitfield, Mississippi. Later he served as a resident at the V.A. Medical Center in Gulfport. He was a staff psychiatrist at the V.A. Medical Center in Augusta Georgia before serving as staff psychiatrist at the V.A. Medical Center in Gulfport for 32 years. After retirement for the Gulfport V.A., Dr. Dreher was a psychiatrist for the Gulf Coast Mental Health Center and Singing River Mental Health in Pascagoula and Ocean Springs. He was in private practice of psychiatry in Ocean Springs. Dr. Dreher authored several articles in the filed of psychiatry. He held an honorary Doctorate of Humanities degree from Trinity Bible College and was a Diplomat of the American Board of Forensic Medicine. Dr. Dreher was a World War II veteran of the United States Army and later served as a Captain at the 7505th United States Air Force Hospital in Burderop Park, England. He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph Johnson Dreher, Sr. and Eleanor Collins Dreher, his identical twin brother Robert Collins Dreher and brothers Richard Glynn Dreher and Joseph Johnston Dreher, Jr. He is survived by his wife of 68 years Edith Curtis Dreher, two sons, William Watson Dreher, Jr. (Melanie) and David Curtis Dreher (Sandra) of Gulfport, and his daughter Diane Dreher Ellzey (Burke) of Hattiesburg, 7 grandchildren, William Watson Dreher III (Veronica), Julie Dreher Spraggins (Craig), David Curtis Dreher, Jr. (Lynsey), Cynthia Diane Dreher, Margaret Ellzey Nichols (Jonathan), Suzanna Ellzey Nida (Andrew) and Burke Lee Ellzey, Jr., 9 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to his devoted caretakers Lisa Miskell and Tiara Carter and to Charlie VanPelt for his support and kindness. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. View and sign register book at www.bradfordokeefe.com