Jones College Mourns Loss of S.S. ‘Buck’ Anderson Jr., 91

ELLISVILLE — S.S. “Buck” Anderson Jr., a former Bobcat and Jones County Junior College alumnus, died Saturday, July 25, 2026, in Fitzgerald, Georgia. He was 91.

Anderson grew up in Jones County and attended Petal High School. He earned a football scholarship to the college, where he was a member of the 1955 state champion Bobcats. That team went undefeated in the regular season and played Compton College in Pasadena, California, marking the first time an all-white team from Mississippi faced an integrated team. The game was recognized in 2018 with a historical marker on the Jones campus, installed by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

He was known for his philanthropy and leadership at Jones College. Anderson contributed significant gifts to the college’s Foundation, helped fund yearbook workshops, campus beautification projects, and scholarship endowments. He donated the oaks in front of Jones Hall, each with a plaque sharing historical information. He also donated a swing project near the walking trail by the lake, and Anderson Hall is named in his honor.

According to the college, Anderson wrote the first pledge to the Jones Foundation on a napkin, which helped the organization award over 582 scholarships. He was an active supporter, serving on the Bobcat Club, the Foundation Board, and was a 2024 inductee into the JC Athletics Hall of Fame. His legacy includes numerous contributions to college life and athletics.

Funeral services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, July 30, at Central Wesleyan Church in Fitzgerald. Officiants will include Rev. Mike Tullis, Rev. Don Thompson Jr., Rev. B.J. Funk, Rev. Dr. Buddy Cooper, and Dr. Jesse Smith. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery. The family will receive friends Wednesday evening from 6 to 8 at Paulk Funeral Home.

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