COLUMBIA — Lance Christopher Logan, 24, a senior at the University of Southern Mississippi, died Thursday July 14, 2011. He was the victim of a homicide. Lance was born in Memphis, Tenn. He was the beloved son of Jim and Judy Ward of Columbia, Miss., and of the late Hubert Logan and Sandy Logan of West Memphis, Ark.

He graduated from St. Aloysius High School in Vicksburg, where he was president of the student body. At St. Al., he was also co-captain of the basketball team, a section leader in the marching band and member of the track and quiz bowl teams. He was voted “Most Likely to Succeed” by his classmates. He participated in Boys’ State, where he was elected speaker of the House of Representatives, and received the “Best Representative” award.

While on active duty with the United States Army, he received the National Defense Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and qualified as a sharpshooter. He graduated from the United States Military Academy Prep School and attended the United States Military Academy at West Point. At West Point, he completed cadet basic training, and was a member of the drum-line and the inline hockey team.

At USM, he was an international business major, with a minor in German. He served as the 2010-2011 vice president of the Student Government Association. He had planned to graduate in December 2011 and to attend law school following graduation. He was an alumnus of the Kappa Alpha Order, and a recipient of KA’s Maltese Cross for military service. He was a graduate of the Kappa Alpha Emerging Leader’s Academy at Washington and Lee University. He was also a member of Delta Sigma Pi professional business fraternity.

During periods when classes were not in session, he was employed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg District.

Lance was a communicant of St. Michael Catholic Church in Vicksburg and a past member of the Board of Directors of the Jackson Diocesan Youth Council. In Hattiesburg he worshiped at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church.

Lance was an accomplished musician and played piano, guitar and drums. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, travel and performing stand-up comedy. He was an avid runner and had completed two half-marathons.

He is survived by his fiancée, Allie Barfield of Vicksburg; his brother, Jared Myers, sister-in-law Crystal Myers and nephew Grayson Myers, all of Catonsville, Md.; and a host of other family and friends.

A funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. on Monday, July 18, 2011 at the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Hattiesburg. The burial, with military honors, will follow the service at 1 p.m. at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Columbia. The Revs. P.J. Curley and Martin Gillespie will officiate.

A memorial service will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20, at St. Michael Catholic Church in Vicksburg.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 tonight at Hathorn Funeral Home in Columbia and on Monday, from 9 a.m. until the time of service at the church.

Memorial contributions may be made to: Lance Logan Memorial Boys’ State Scholarship, P.O. Box 688, Jackson, MS 39205; Wounded Warrior Project, 4899 Belfry Road, Suite 300, Jacksonville, FL 32256; and West Point Association of Graduates, 698 Mills Road, West Point, NY 10996.

Arrangements are under the direction of Hathorn Funeral Home of Columbia.