Funeral services were held for Percy Lavallet Maples, 78, of Lucedale, on Thursday,
November 3, 2016, at 11 a.m. at Lighthouse Worship Center in Lucedale, with visitation
Wednesday, November 2, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Lighthouse Worship Center. Interment was
in Hilltop Cemetery next door to his home in the Basin Community.
He passed away Friday, October 28, 2016, at University of South Alabama Medical
Center from injuries incurred in an automobile accident that had happened the previous day.
Maples was a longtime member of the Mississippi Legislature serving in the House of
Representatives 1982-2003, during which time he served on numerous committees. Some of his
strongest work was for highway safety including the 1987 Moving Ahead bill to improve
roadways across Mississippi comprising the state's eastern corridor along Highways 63 and 45.
In 2003 he was named Legislator of the Year by the Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation
Association for his contributions to conservation. He also served six years in the U.S. Army
Reserve. He was a Mason and Past Master of Daisy Lodge #421, a strong Christian and
permanent board member of Lighthouse Worship Center, an avid blood donor for the American
Red Cross, and much, much more.
Born September 23, 1938, at Tiger Branch in the Broome Community of southwestern
George County, Miss., Maples was educated at Broome High School, Mississippi Gulf Coast
Community College and the University of Southern Mississippi. He enjoyed working in his
blueberry patch and was best known for quiet, kind acts as a public servant who kept serving his
community long after he left political office.
He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Mary Fisher Howell Maples; two step-children,
Ricky (Beverly) Howell and Sharon Howell Grey; three brothers, Darwin McRae Maples of
Lucedale, Dudley Moss Maples of Meridian and Florian Maples, Jr. of Mobile, Ala.; and one
sister, Jo Lee Maples Notman of Miami, Fla.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Florian Seal Maples, Sr. and Mackie Vee Mixon
Maples; sisters Mary Virginia Maples and Nona Vee Maples; and brothers Winston Seal Maples,
Francis Gerald Maples and Guy Talmadge Maples.
Pall bearers were Dylan Mason, Logan Mason, Wyatt Gray, Hoss Mason, Stephen
Maples, Mark Maples, Raymond Davis, Jr. and Darwin Davis.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Lighthouse Worship Center,
Tupelo Children's Mansion, the American Red Cross, or the charity of choice. Sigler Funeral
Home was in charge of arrangements.