SENATOBIA — John Powell Champion, 77, passed away Monday, Dec. 9, at Baptist Memorial Hospital Desoto.
Services were held Thursday, Dec. 12, at First Baptist Church Senatobia. Burial followed in Senatobia Memorial Cemetery. Pate-Jones Funeral Home had charge of the arrangements.
He graduated from East Tallahatchie High School. Mr. Champion was a former Ole Miss football player and a member of the 1962 undefeated National Championship Team. He went on to graduate from the LSU School of Banking. After graduating, he began his banking career in Clarksdale and ended his career in Senatobia with Peoples Bank and Sycamore Bank. He was a former board member of Magnolia Heights School. Mr. Champion was also a longtime member of First Baptist Church Senatobia.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John Henry Champion and Anthia Agnes Bonds Champion; siblings, Edith Ilene Champion, Eugene Victor “Gene” Champion, Charles H. Champion, Geneva Champion Brunson, Earnest Clifton “EC” Champion, Owen Perkins Champion, Hazel Champion Beavers, and John Robert Champion.
He is survived by his wife, Sondra B. Champion; son, Chris Champion (Tonya) of Senatobia; daughter, Theresa C. Holley (Rodney) of Oxford; siblings, Helen Champion Davis (Charles) of Cascilla, Billy Ray Champion (Patricia) of Charleston and Nell Champion Mann of Scobey; grandchildren, John Connor Champion of Senatobia, Kathleen L. Holley of Jackson and Abigail R. Holley of Oxford; and many nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be sent to a charity of choice.
