Emil Arthur Lagg, age 74, died Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017, at the University Medical Center.

He was born in Savannah, Ga., on Nov. 10, 1943. He attended Carr Central and graduated in 1961 from H. V. Cooper High School where he was a multi-letter winner.  He graduated from Mississippi State University in 1966 with a degree in business administration.  He served in the National Guard from 1964 to 1966.

He worked for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers at the Lower Mississippi Valley Division as Supervisory Procurement Analyst and as Chief, Contracting Division.  He retired on June 28, 1993, after 30 years of service.

He was very active in his community, serving on the Mayor’s Advisory Council and coaching and refereeing youth sports at the YMCA.

He was a member of First Baptist Church where he served in many leadership roles including the Medical and Dental Ministry, head of the Red Cross Disaster Relief, taught Sunday School in the youth group for 25 years, Deacon, Chairman of the Executive Committee, Finance Committee, Upward Basketball, the Homebound Ministry and taught the Cecil Knox Sunday School class.

He received the YMCA Man of the Year Award and also in 1978 he received the Service to Youth Award from the YMCA. On December 5, 1996, he received the Meritorious Civilian Service Award; on June 22, 1987, he was the first recipient of the Ernest P. Blankenship Professional Award and he was the inaugural winner of the Vicksburg Evening Post’s Superstar Competition as the area’s Best All-around Athlete.

He is preceded in death by his father, Emil Arthur Lagg Sr. and his mother, Ada Mae Muirhead Lagg; his sister, Marjorie Montgomery; and stepfather Edgar Earl “Da” Anthony.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Catherine Coe Lagg of Vicksburg; his sons, Bryan Arthur Lagg of Madison and Barry Anthony Lagg of Mountain Home, Ark.; his daughter, Frances Coe Chisolm of Clinton; his sister, Carol Guion of Baton Rouge, La.; grandchildren, Landon Arthur Lagg, Nicholas Graham Lagg, Mary Katherine Chisolm, Charles Mitchell Chisolm, Lydia Alice Olene Lagg, Judah Arthur Hendrik Lagg, Elijah Anthony Lagg, Noah Klaas Lagg and Ezra Emil Lagg.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017, at First Baptist Church with Dr. Matt Buckles officiating. Burial will follow in Greenlawn Gardens Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Glenwood Funeral Home and also from 10 a.m. Wednesday until the hour of the service at the church.

Pallbearers will be Douglas Hassell, Fred Baldwin, Donald Davidson, Everett Gibson, Robert Peters, David Baldwin, Col. Tom Supler and Clark McNair.

Honorary pallbearers will be Cecil Knox Sunday School Class, Joe Loviza, Tom Hill, Randy Oswalt and Calvin Pugh.

Mr. Lagg was a resident of Vicksburg for over 70 years.  He was an avid reader and loved running, golf and attending Mississippi State sporting events with family and friends.

He was a beloved husband, father, brother, grandfather, friend and dedicated man of faith. He is truly loved and missed.