Ed Bacot

In his last will and testament, dated September 4, 1975, E.H. Bacot of Pascagoula, MS expressed his gratitude for having been blessed with an accumulation of this world’s goods and desired to benefit the “good people of Mississippi” with any excess after ample provisions for the needs of his wife, Bertha Bacot.  He foresaw enhancement of education opportunities for Mississippians as the optimal method to accomplish this desire.

Accordingly, after Mr. Bacot’s death, Mrs. Bacot caused to be formed the BACOT FOUNDATION, INC.  The charter, dated December 4, 1978, states in part: “This corporation is organized and shall be operated exclusively for charitable, literary and educational purposes, including, but not limited to, the encouragement of art and furthering higher education in the State of Mississippi…”  This charter and its By-Laws authorize the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, which is a 501(C)3 exempt corporation, to receive tax deductible donations, and to grant distributions to worthy and needy applicants, which in its judgment, best fit with the stated purposes of the Foundation.

Jolly McCarty

Jolly P. McCarty was the beloved husband of Evelyn McCarty for 40 years. He certainly was one of life’s greatest champions. Known throughout the Gulf Coast for the generous donation of his time and energy for many charities and organizations to better individuals’ lives and ensure countywide educational progress, McCarty served on numerous boards of directors. At the time of his unfortunate death, he was enthusiastically serving as Secretary/Treasurer for the Bacot Foundation.

The family and numerous friends of Jolly McCarty noted the similarity and compatibility of the many areas of community outreach in which Jolly was contributing his personal leadership and effort with those causes supported by the Bacot Foundation.  Accordingly, as a way to perpetuate these mutual efforts, they were merged into the renamed Bacot/ McCarty Foundation, Inc.

°     Beloved husband of Evelyn S. McCarty-40 years
°     Proud father of sons Lance & Landon McCarty; daughter 
      Jennifer Garlich
°     Senior Vice-President Merchant and Marine Bank-24 years
°     1957 graduate University of Southern Mississippi
°     Member First Baptist Pascagoula

Served as:

°      Chairman Mississippi Department of Natural Resources-6
       years
°      President Jackson County Chamber of Commerce
°      Fundraising Chairman for Gulf Coast Youth for Christ
°      President Pascagoula Rotary
°      President of the Gulf Coast Development Foundation
°      Co-Founder of the Jackson County Economic
       Development Foundation
°      Fundraising chairman of the Jackson County Heart
       Association
°      Fundraising chairman of the Jackson County Cancer
       Society
°      Fundraising chairman of the Jackson County Easter Seals
       Society
°      Executive officer of the Jackson/George County United
       Way
°      2001-2003 Jackson/George County United Way Campaign
       Chairman
°      Chairman of the Annual Youth for Christ Golf Marathon -
       6 years
°       Board Member Bacot Foundation-Secretary/Treasurer
°       Board Member Home of Grace
°       Board Member Boy Scouts of America
°       Board Member Boys & Girls Clubs of Jackson County
°       In addition to numerous other civic and economic
       organizations/activities

Honored as:

°      MS Economic Council Man of the Year
°      2004 United Way Humanitarian Award Recipient
°      Namesake of the 2004 Jolly McCarty Memorial Golf
       Tournament benefiting the Home of Grace and the Boys &
       Girls Clubs of Jackson County
°      Namesake of the Jolly McCarty Old Train Depot Art
       Gallery
°      Namesake of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce
       “Jolly McCarty Man of the Year” Award
°      2003 Mississippi Press “Newsmaker of the Year”
°      In addition to numerous other awards and recognitions