Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Mound Bayou with the Rev. Tony G. Anderson officiating. Burial will follow in Azion Church Cemetery under the direction of T.L. Redmon Funeral Home of Cleveland.
A visitation service will be held from 4-6 p.m. on Saturday at the funeral home.
Mr. Gant was the third of 13 siblings born to Clem Gant and Cora Bell Turner Gant on July 4, 1945 in Mound Bayou. He accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior, was baptized while in his youth, and remained a member of Azion until his demise. He was the chairman of the Deacon's Ministry and loved taking care of the church's business.
He had a passion for deer hunting, barbecuing, growing rutabagas, mustard and turnip greens, and sharing them with his neighbors.
He graduated from Mound Bayou High School in 1964, Coahoma Community College and Devry University. He was employed at Baxter Healthcare for 33 years, retiring on May 26, 2004, with perfect attendance and no tardiness. He was the owner of Gant's Electric, specializing in air conditioning and refrigeration.
Mr. Gant was a member of the Board of Directors — Bolivar County Rec-Con League, Board of Trustees Mound Bayou Public Schools, Lifetime member — Mound Bayou Public Schools Alumni Association, Planning and Zoning Commission City of Mound Bayou, and Mound Bayou Athletics Booster Club.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a son, Kevin Watkins.
Survivors include his wife of 29 years, Carrie Booth Gant of Mound Bayou; a daughter, Leilani Bradshaw of Memphis, Tenn., six sons, Ricardo Gant of Memphis, Tenn., Dimarco Gant and wife Carolyn of Columbia, Mo., Michael Daughrity and wife Katrina of Sherman, Texas, Quarta Watkins and wife Michelle of Denver, Colo., and Keoles Booth and wife Jamica of Memphis, Tenn.; 10 sisters: Shirley Gant McChester of Biloxi, Deborah Gant Walker and husband, Andrew Jr. of Mound Bayou, Lois Gant Toliver and husband, Pastor Samuel Keith Sr., of Mound Bayou, Yvonne Gant Williams of Jacksonville, Ark., Avis Gant Bingham and husband, Elder Reaver of Los Angeles, Calif., Selma Gant Brooks and Sandra Gant of Jacksonville, Ark., Linda Gant Gibson and her husband, Ronnie of Vicksburg, Shirley Fields, and Joyce Fields-Sansing of Mound Bayou; four brothers: Lewrence Gant of Chicago, Ill., L.C. Gant and wife, Brenda of Boyle, Van Gant of Hazel Crest, Ill., and Roy Gant of San Diego, Calif.; two aunts, Sarah Turner Williams of Chicago, Ill., and Betty Mae Campbell of St. Louis, Mo.; 21 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, eight sisters-in-law, four brothers-in-law, numerous nieces, nephews. cousins, and good friends.
Honorary pallbearers will be the male members of the Class of 1964 and the deacons of Azion Baptist Church.
Active pallbearers will be Rahmon McWilliams, Je'Ron Booth, Charles Edwards Jr., L.C. Gant Jr., Trent Franklin, Horace Pratt Sr., Reginald Thompson and Steven K. Toliver.
Flower bearers will be the female members of the class of 1964, deaconesses of Azion Baptist Church and nieces.