Tidwell Semmes' Obituary
GEORGE TIDWELL SEMMES, 92, passed away on Wednesday July 19, after a fall that occurred on Friday July 14. He was born in Memphis TN the only son of Charles Middleton Semmes and Martha Eugenia Tidwell Semmes. Tidwell attended parochial school in Morrilton AR, then attended his last two years in high school at Gulf Coast Military Academy in Gulfport MS, where he graduated in 1942. After attending a year at LSU, he entered military service during World War II as second lieutenant and served as a Platoon leader with the 9th Armored Division in Europe. He received three battle stars for the Battle of the Bulge, Battle of Germany, and the final stages at the Elbe River and was leader of an Anti-Tank Platoon on an attack in Czechoslovakia when the war ended. He also received the Purple Heart when wounded three days before his division captured the Remagen Bridge across the Rhine River. He later served as a First Lieutenant Company Commander of “C” Company, 56th Armored Infantry Battalion of the 4th Armored Division. He attended the Nuremberg trial during the early months of 1946 and returned home later that year. In 1948 he graduated from the University of Arkansas with a business degree. On June 7, 1947, he married Juanita Hamilton of Russellville, Arkansas. She died March 7, 1980 in Memphis, TN. From 1948 until 1954, he was associated with his father, C. Middleton Semmes, in the Ford dealership in Morrilton AR. On July 1, 1954 he obtained the Ford dealership in Decatur AL, where he served until 1962, then for three years he was a securities broker in Decatur. He owned Semmes Chrysler-Plymouth dealership in Memphis in 1966 till 1979. In 1981 he entered the commercial real estate business. He married Lucille Stephens Johnstone Cobb on February 21, 1981 in Memphis TN. Lucille died on September 11 of 2008. Over the course of his life he enjoyed golf, cattle ranching, tree farming, real estate investing & sales, stock trading, current events and his family. He was a man of great faith, enjoying and participating in many events at Holy Spirit Catholic Church of Memphis. He is survived by George Tidwell Semmes Jr of Laws Hill MS, Thomas Middleton Semmes of Millington TN. His granddaughter Elizabeth Semmes Dorrell along with great grandchildren Semmes Dorrell, and Logan Dorrell of Oxford MS.,His granddaughter Emily Semmes Peters along with great grandchildren Ava Jane Peters, Anna Beth Peters and Mary Nell Peters of Cassville MO.,His grandson Jason Hamilton Semmes of Portland OR.,His grandson Patrick Thomas Semmes of Clackamas OR. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The visitation will be held on Sunday, July 23 at Memorial Park Funeral Home from 5:00-7:00 p.m. The funeral mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, July 24 at Church of the Holy Spirit. Burial will follow the service at Calvary Cemetery. Please use the online guestbook here at https://www.memorialparkfuneralandcemetery.com/obituaries/
What’s your fondest memory of Tidwell?
What’s a lesson you learned from Tidwell?
Share a story where Tidwell's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Tidwell you’ll never forget.
How did Tidwell make you smile?