William Franklin McCleese passed away on Monday, July 4, 2022 at Hospice Ministries in Ridgeland, Mississippi. He was 79. He was the son of the late Jess and Barbara McCleese of Maysville, KY. Mr. McCleese was a graduate of Mason County High School and the University of Cincinnati. He was a licensed Professional Engineer, and retired as a Program Manager for the Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg.  Mr. McCleese was an active member of St. Stephen's Anglican Church in Flowood, MS.  He was a Veteran of the United States Army and served as a volunteer for the Salvation Army, as a child abuse representative for CASA, and a Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 105.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 47 years, Barbara Lefeve McCleese.  He is survived by his two sons, Ed McCleese (Kim) of Lexington, KY and Wes McCleese (Melissa) of Clinton, MS; four grandsons, Andy McCleese, Will McCleese, Kyle McCleese, and Owen McCleese; sisters Ann Kissick of Maysville, KY, Shirley Hicks (Herb) of Zanesville, Ohio, Judy Howell-Hardman (Jim) of West Chester, Ohio, and brother Wayne McCleese (Sue) of Winchester, KY.

Services will be held at Fisher-Riles - Indiana Avenue Funeral Home in Vicksburg on Friday, July 8, 2022 with Richard Rankin of St. Stephen's Anglican Church of Flowood officiating. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Gardens Cemetery in Vicksburg. Visitation will be from 3:00 P.M. until 5:00 P.M. at the funeral home, with the service scheduled to begin at 5:00 P.M.

Pallbearers will be Andy McCleese, Will McCleese, Kyle McCleese, Owen McCleese , Wayne McCleese and Doug Lefeve.

Memorials may be made to St. Stephen's Anglican Church, 5049 Lakeland Drive,

Flowood, MS 39232 or the American Cancer Society, PO Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK 73123.