Arthur Durward “Dub” Barfield

Published 4:36 pm Saturday, November 21, 2015

Arthur Durward “Dub” Barfield, 56, died Nov. 18, 2015, in Jackson.

Mr. Barfield was born July 2, 1959, in Vicksburg and graduated in 1977 as salutatorian of Cruger-Tchula Academy, where he was captain of the football team and Mr. CTA.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Mississippi State University in 1981, when he began a 34-year career with Entergy Corporation at Grand Gulf Nuclear Station.

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Mr. Barfield took pride in being part of a team that constructed and operated the plant, helping build its legacy of nuclear excellence in roles including design and systems engineer and manager, maintenance manager, nuclear safety assurance director and engineering director. He received his senior reactor operator certification while at Grand Gulf.

In 2009, he joined the transmission organization as director of transmission and distribution configuration management. For the past two years, he served as director of transmission grid operations.

A masterful and meticulous builder, Mr. Barfield always had a new project underway, planning for the next effort even before finishing the last. He also had a love for the land and for cultivating wildlife. But his special joy was reaping the fruits of his labor while hunting and fishing with his family and faithful friends, and celebrating their success with a feast around his table.

Mr. Barfield was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Vicksburg, where he enjoyed fellowship and discussion with the Faith and Practice class in pursuit of the church’s mission, to know Christ and to make him known.

Mr. Barfield is survived by his wife of 29 years, Kelle Jo Banks Barfield; three children, Arthur Durward Barfield IV and his wife Candace Maxine Giles Barfield of Atlanta, Allie Ann Yates and her husband Ryan Andrew Yates of Metairie, Louisiana, and William Waid Barfield of Austin, Texas; his parents, Billye Ann and Alfred Leist Barfield Sr. of Vicksburg; and three brothers, Alfred Leist Barfield Jr., Lanny Brian Bowie Barfield and Jason Brent Barfield.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to The Dub Barfield Family Medical Fund of First Presbyterian Church, 1501 Cherry St., Vicksburg, MS, 39180. Mr. Barfield established this resource for families in need of assistance with medical costs. He also established the Dustin H. Coley Special Needs Trust and Jonathan Matthew Coley Special Needs Trust to ensure their ongoing quality of life, with Carolyn Coley serving as trustee.

Memorials payable to either special needs trust can be mailed in care of Blake Teller, attorney, Teller, Hassell & Hopson LLP, 1201 Cherry St., Vicksburg, MS, 39183.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 23, 2015, at First Presbyterian Church in Vicksburg with the Rev. Tim Brown officiating. Visitation will begin one hour before the service, and interment will follow the service at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Pallbearers are Charles Steven Flemming, Prince Vernon Lehman, Joe Fuller Leist, Michael Dean Meier, Dennis Howard Ratliff Jr., Emmett Gray Roan, John Robert Scott, Henry Christmas Waterer III, William Thomas White and Arthur Richard Woods.