Louisiana, Ouachita Parish Obits, Week of January 22, 2004
David Wesley Eldridge
Services for Mr. David Wesley Eldridge, 73, of Monroe, were held Jan. 19 in Mulhearn Funeral Home Chapel, Monroe, with Rev. W.A. "Dub" Massey officiating.
Masonic Service followed the funeral service.
Burial was in New Light Cemetery.
Eldridge, a resident of Monroe for over 70 years, died Jan. 17 at St. Francis Medical Center. He was a member Good Hope Baptist Church, West Monroe Masonic Lodge #419 F&AM, Monroe Scottish Rite, Barak Temple and Eastern Star.
Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Creola Fletcher Eldridge of Monroe; brother and sister-in-law, Sam and Doris Eldridge of Bastrop; sisters and brothers-in-law, Ida and Jim Hicks of Carmichael, CA, and Agnes and Stone Martindale of Jasper, TX.
Pallbearers were members of Lodge #419.
Lee Ezernack
Services for Lee Ezernack, 89, of Monroe, were held Jan. 16 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Swartz with Father Job Edathinatt officiating.
Interment was held at the Monroe Memorial Park Mausoleum under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Home in Monroe.
Ezernack was born Jan. 16, 1914 in Winnfield and passed away Jan. 14 in Monroe after a lengthy illness.
Ezernack was retired from International Paper Company of Bastrop, a veteran of the U.S. Army, a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church, The Knight of Columbus and American Legion Post #13.
Survivors include his wife, Mamie Ezernack of Monroe; sons, Dr. David Ezernack and wife Grethen of Monroe and Daniel Ezernack of Houston, Texas; daughters, Judy Steen of Monroe, Kim Melvile and husband Gary of Shreveport, Jean Frith and husband Ronnie of Monroe; brother, Andrew Ezernack of Monroe; nine grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Ray Slack, Wiley Gates, Trey Gates, Norvel Lightsey, Bobby Scott, Bill Poindexter.
Honorary pallbearers were Brian Ezernack, David Ezernack, Jr., Ronnie Frith and Brian Frith.
Lena Scalia Funderburg
Services for Mrs. Lena Scalia Funderburg, 86, of Monroe, were held Jan. 17 at St. Matthew Catholic Church, with Rev. Joseph Robert Inzina and Msgr. Edmund Moore officiating.
Burial will be in St. Matthew Catholic Church Cemetery under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home, Monroe.
Funderburg, a member of Jesus the Good Shepherd Catholic Church, died Jan. 14, at Avalon Nursing Home.
Her parents, Joseph and Mary Scalia; husbands, Buddy Falk and Ralph C. Funderburg, Sr.; son,Leonard Funderburg; brother, Frank Scalia; and sister, Virginia Morrell preceded her in death.
Survivors include her sons, Ralph Funderburg, Jr. and wife Judy of Monroe and John Funderburg and wife Celeste of Monroe; daughters, Brenda Taylor and husband P. Charles Taylor, Jr. of Monroe, Virginia Falk FMM, and Frances Falk FMM; sister, Frances Fontana and husband Mike of Monroe; grandchildren, Rachael Causey and husband Clay Causey of Monroe, Amber Funderburg of Monroe, Ralph Funderburg III of Monroe, John M. Funderburg of Monroe, Jason Funderburg of Monroe, Katherine Funderburg of Monroe, Jay C. Middleton of Monroe, Tiffany M. Cowell and husband, Louie of Lamar, AR, Daniel Vanderberg of West Monroe and great grandchildren, Kaylee Cowell, Hunter Cowell, Hunter Trichell, and Kori Causey.
Pallbearers were Howard Middleton, Tom Quinn, Jerry Day, Mark Mathieu, Vince Dispenza, and Tom McCandlish. Honorary pallbearers were Cliff Worley and Joe Scalia.
Ronny G. Griggs
Funeral services for Ronny G. Griggs, 45, of West Monroe, were held Jan. 20 in the chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home with Rev. Billy Taylor officiating.
Interment followed in the Chatham Cemetery.
The family would like to say a special thank you to Terri Sue Kelly for the special care she took of Ronny.
Griggs passed away on Jan. 17 at St. Francis Medical Center. He was a member of Immanuel Worship and Fellowship Church in West Monroe and Hoods Mill Hunting Club.
He is survived by his companion and best friend, Lynn York; brothers, Tommy Griggs and his wife Diane, Larry Griggs and his wife Robin, Ricky Griggs and his wife Judy, Jr. Griggs and his wife Lisa; stepmother Virginia Martin Griggs; two nieces, Courtney Griggs and Alicia Griggs; three nephews, Petey Griggs and his wife Buffey, Darren Griggs, and Joshua Griggs and three great nieces.
Pallbearers were Bert Willis, Jason Hutchinson, Mike West, Steve Summerville Mike Bell and J. R.Taylor.
Honorary pallbearers were James Kelly, Jim Bo Perkins, Bill Avant, Ricky Bell, Tommy Chatham, Jay Griggs, and members of Hoods Mill Hunting Club.
Susan Kay Hinckley
Memorial service for Susan Kay Hinckley, 50, of Monroe, were held Jan. 19 at Covenant Presbyterian Church with Rev. David Laverty officiating.
Interment was in Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home, Sterlington Road, Monroe.
Hinckley died Jan. 16 in Minden. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Monroe and was a former employee of Ford, Bacon, and Davis for 18 years.
Survivors include her mother, Susan Hinckley of Monroe; sister, Jill Korn and husband Fred of Monroe; and brother, David Hinckley.
Donald Joseph Hocutt
Services for Donald Joseph Hocutt, 51, were held Jan. 17 at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church with Rev. Sebastian Kallarackal officiating.
Interment followed at St. Matthew's Catholic Church Cemetery.
Hocutt was a resident of Stones River Center, Murfreesboro, TN, and a former resident of G.B. Cooley Home.
Survivors include his mother Mary Ruth Hocutt of Murfreesboro,TN; sister Catherine McCall of Murfreesboro, TN; two brothers William Hocutt of Murfreesboro, TN and George Hocutt of Monroe; niece Rebecca McCall of Murfreesboro, TN.
Pallbearers were Martin Lewellyan, James Lewellyan, Brian Lewellyan, Raymond Lewellyan, Ben Lewellyan, and Charles LaCroix.
Maggie Lee Knight
Services for Maggie Lee Knight, 102, of Swartz, were held Jan. 16 in Mulhearn Memorial Park Mausoleum Chapel, with Rev. Collin Wimberly and Mrs. Knight's grandson, Charles Miller, officiating.
Interment was in Mulhearn Memorial Park Mausoleum under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home, Monroe.
Knight died Jan. 14 at The Oaks. She was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church of Swartz, where she was church clerk for 45 years.
Survivors include her son, Earl M. Knight, Jr. and wife Hilda of Monroe; daughter, Vestal K. Miller of Cleveland, TX; sisters, Eunie Cudd of Pineville, Jesse V. Montgomery of Pineville, and Ruth McDonald of Flatwoods; five grandchildren; thirteen great grandchildren; and three great-great grandchildren.
Mr. Zeke (Bud) Leake
Funeral services for Mr. Zeke (Bud) Leake, 88, of West Monroe, were held Jan. l6 in the Feazel Chapel at First Baptist Church West Monroe, with Dr. David Uth and Rev. Mark Fenn officiating.
Burial was in Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery, under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home in West Monroe.
Leake died Jan. l4 at the Glenwood Regional Medical Center.
Leake was a member of the First Baptist Church in West Monroe, where he served as an usher for many years and was a member of the Senior Adult Men's Sunday School Class. He was retired from Tenneco-Mid Louisiana Gas Company after 34 years of service. Mr. Leake was a veteran of World War II, serving as a sergeant in the Army Air Corp. He flew 50 missions as a B-25 radio operator and wing gunner in the Central Pacific with the 7th Air Force. For the service he gave his country, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with two bronze oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with one silver oak leaf cluster and one bronze oak leaf cluster, the Asiatic-Pacific Service Ribbon with two bronze stars, the Good Conduct Medal and the American Defense Service Ribbon.
Patricia Atchley McKeithen
Graveside services for Mrs. Patricia Atchley McKeithen, 77, of Mandeville, formerly of Monroe, were held Jan. 17 in Mulhearn Memorial Park Mausoleum Chapel, with Rev. Boby Alex officiating.
Interment was in Mulhearn Memorial Park Mausoleum under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home, Sterlington Road, Monroe.
McKeithen, a native of New Orleans and resident of Monroe for over 50 years, died Jan.13.
She was secretary of St. Joseph Catholic Church Altar Society and taught CCD while in Monroe. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ted Landrith McKeithen, Jr. and sisters, Mabel A. Reed and Nell A. Leingang.
Survivors include her children, Sharyn M. Orr and husband Joe Orr, Jr. and Terry McKeithen and wife Barbara Bacon McKeithen; sisters, Doris A. Olliff, Irene A. Adolph, and Marilyn A. Jackson; brother, Jack Atchley; grandchildren, Joe Orr, III, Kelli O. Lane, Kimberly O. DeAgano, Christopher B. and Corey L. McKeithen; and four great grandchildren.
Archie E. (Gene) Redden, Jr.
Services for Archie E. (Gene) Redden, 67, of West Monroe, were held Jan. 21 in the Chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home in West Monroe with Rev. David Maxwell officiating.
Burial was in the Roselawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Calhoun.
Redden died Jan. 18 at Glenwood Regional Medical Center in West Monroe.
Redden was retired from Riverwood International after 26 years. He enjoyed playing his guitar, woodworking and drawing.
Survivors include his wife, Margaret Redden of West Monroe; daughter, Joyce Redden of Monroe; son, Larry Redden and wife Shelley of Sibley; brother, Church Redden and wife Pam of West Monroe; four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Brandon Pace, Gerald Lawrence, Elbert Lawrence, Aubrey (Red) Simpkins, Bobby Lemoine and Dennis Hill.
Alex Marvin Sikes
Services for Mr. Alex Marvin Sikes, 72, of West Monroe, were held at Jan. 17 in the chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home in West Monroe, with Rev. Larry Linson officiating.
Burial was in the Hasley Cemetery in West Monroe.
Sikes died Jan. 15 at his residence in West Monroe after a lengthy illness.
Sikes was a member of the Edgewood Baptist Church in West Monroe, a Army veteran of the Korean Conflict and retired from LP& L/ Entergy after 30 years.
Mr. Sikes is preceded in death by his parents, Alex and Viola Sikes and brother, Burvon Sikes.
Survivors include his wife, Susie Sikes; daughters, Dawn Fowlkes and husband David, Nancy Canoy and husband Andy; son, Mark Sikes and wife Stephanie; brother, Jerry Sikes and wife Clara; grandchildren, Jacob Greer, Justin Fowlkes, Hunter Fowlkes, Katie Canoy, Anna Katherine Sikes and Alex N. Sikes; special cousin, Dorothy Antley and a host of nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers were Jacob Greer, Justin Fowlkes, Hunter Fowlkes, David Fowlkes, Andy Canoy and Alex D. Sikes.