Percy Somerville, 100, peacefully transitioned on December 31, 2022.  Born in Warren, NC, to William Somerville and Ester Height, he moved as a child to Mt. Vernon, in 1925.  Percy attended Ann. B. Davis High School and was skipped twice. At a young age, while still in high school he worked in sales for the Good Humor Ice Cream Company.  Percy went off to war in 1943 to serve his country and after an honorable discharge with a medal of honor, he went back to work for Good Humor Ice Cream for 17 years. He also worked at the U. S. Postal service where he retired in 1985 as a Postmaster after 34 years of service. He was also president of the postal union for 19 years.

Percy 's first wife, Mattie L. Herring, he met and married, right after the war and they resided in Mt. Vernon until her death. Percy later moved to Virginia in 2005 after reuniting with his first love and high school sweetheart, Mary Evelyn Braswell and they married December of 2005.

Percy was very active in the Civil Rights movement.  He was a former President of the Westchester , NY Chapter of the NAACP, where he held that position for over 24 years. He was a member of the Southern Poverty Law Center and very active in their National Campaign for Tolerance, of whom he was the founder. Percy received the Congressional Proclamation from member of Congress, Nita M. Lowey in 2002, for dedicating his life to human pursuits. He was a great humanitarian.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 13 years, Mary Evelyn Somerville.  He leaves to mourn, his granddaughter, Jocelyn Harrison (Joy), second cousin, Joan DeGrace and a host of great-nieces and nephews, great-great- nieces and nephews and friends.

A celebration of Percy's life will be held 4:00 PM Saturday, January 7, 2023, at Berceuse Funeral and Cremation Traditions, 2609 Cunningham Dr. in Hampton, 757-825-8070.

To view service online, at 4:00 PM, please CLICK HERE