Rev. David A. McIntosh, Sr.
Rev. David Alexander McIntosh, Sr., of Madison, Mississippi, fully entered the presence of his Savior on his 94th birthday.
Born September 16, 1927, in McComb, Mississippi to William Franklin McIntosh, Sr. and Ruby Holmes McIntosh, he was the third born of four children and the last survivor of his generation. He was a gifted athlete at McComb High School in multiple sports, leading his teams to state championships in football and track.
Called to the ministry as a young man, he attended Millsaps College to prepare for that ministry, declining athletic scholarship offers in three sports from numerous Southeastern Conference schools. When he entered Millsaps in 1945, sports had been discontinued due to the war effort. When football was reinstituted before his junior year, he was persuaded to play by his beloved Coach Doby Bartling. He was by all accounts a phenomenal player, was twice named Little All American, and was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams. He turned down that offer to begin his seminary studies at Emory University's Candler School of Theology. He remains the only ordained minister inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame (1973). He loved Millsaps College and served 16 years (1969-1985) as a member of its Board of Trustees.
He was an inaugural member of its Athletics Hall of Fame (1969), both for football and for basketball, and was named Alumnus of the Year (1996). While at Emory he served a pastorate at Smithville, Georgia.
Upon his return to Mississippi he served United Methodist churches, in succession, at Scooba, Ridgeland, Morton, Alta Woods (Jackson), Central (Meridian), Christ (Jackson), Crawford Street (Vicksburg), and First UMC of Laurel. After retirement from being a senior pastor he became a hospital minister for Christ UMC (for another 20 years) where he was ultimately named Pastor Emeritus.
He is survived by his faithful bride of 72 years, Rosemary; son, David Alexander McIntosh, Jr., (Debra) of Brandon, Mississippi, grandchildren Kate McIntosh Graham (Will)of Birmingham, Alabama, and Alex McIntosh (Chelsea) of Starkville, Mississippi; Daughter and faithful caregiver Maura McIntosh Fields of Madison, Mississippi, and grandson Zach Fields of Oxford, Mississippi; and son Mark Franklin McIntosh (Martha) of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, grandson John Mark McIntosh (Elizabeth) of Tupelo, Mississippi, granddaughter Mamie McIntosh Crawford (Allen) of LaGrange, Georgia, and granddaughter Lizzie McIntosh of Atlanta, Georgia.
He is survived by great grandchildren, Elodie Graham, Rose Graham, William Graham, George McIntosh, David Alexander "Tripp" McIntosh, III, Poppy McIntosh, Frances Crawford, Maggie McIntosh, and expected baby Crawford. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.
Celebration of Life Service was held at Christ United Methodist Church, Jackson, Mississippi September 20, 2021.