POPLARVILLE – Mitch Deaver, a fixture along the sidelines of Pearl River Community College athletic fields and courts, died Monday, June 1, at his home.

Deaver, 62, was the sports information director at PRCC, a position he had held since April 1996. He was known throughout the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges for his cooperation and by sports editors for the quality of his photography.

"As the dean of junior college sports information directors in Mississippi, Mitch excelled in such areas as photography, sports writing and graphic design," PRCC public relations director Chuck Abadie said. "His abilities have been recognized by the Mississippi Press Association for many years. He often shared his photography work with other schools around the state. That was the type of individual he was."

Deaver frequently posted galleries of PRCC sports photos on social media along with high school athletes he had photographed. As word of his death spread Wednesday, PRCC alumni and parents of athletes reposted some of those photos along with their thanks and memories.

"When I got the text early Tuesday morning, I was shocked and saddened," Northwest sports information director Kevin Maloney said. "First and foremost, Mitch was a friend. Second, he was a colleague in this league and a guy I could count on for photos without even asking in addition to any other info I requested. When you think of PRCC, you think of Mitch Deaver. His presence will be missed not only on that campus but in the entire MACJC."

Deaver graduated from Purvis High School in 1971 and then from Pearl River. He worked for a number of years at newspapers in Lamar and Pearl River counties and played with several South Mississippi bands, including Early Times. He returned to PRCC in April 1996.

He is survived by a brother, Mac Deaver of Madison; three sisters, Michele Slade of Purvis, Melissa Bourn of Columbia and Melanie Hanlin of Jackson; and a number of nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Hulett-Winstead Funeral Home in Purvis. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Hulett-Winstead's Purvis chapel. Burial will be at Slade Cemetery in Purvis.