Louisiana, Ouachita Parish Obits, Week of January 29, 2004
Nayton Joseph Bourgeois
Funeral Services for Mr. Nayton Joseph Bourgeois, 75, were held Jan. 26 in the chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home West Monroe with Rev. Michael Stravata officiating. Burial was in the Roselawn Memorial Gardens in Calhoun.
Bourgeo is attended Family Church in West Monroe. He was a retired Parts Manager for Southern Equipment and Tractor Company with thirty-eight years of service. Mr. Bourgeois was a U.S. Naval Veteran serving on the USS Shangri, which took part in the Atom Bomb Testing during WWII. He was an avid Duck Hunter and Sportsman. He was a devoted husband, loving brother, caring father and grandfather. Mr. Bourgeois was preceded in death by his parents, Edwin and Elida Bourgeois and by his sister, Eunice Beavers.
Survivors include his wife of fifty-three years, LaRaye Volentine Bourgeois; sons, Terry Bourgeois and wife Sandra and Jody Bourgeois and wife Elisa; grandchildren, Chad, Emily and Erin Bourgeois; step-grandchildren, Shawna Grant and husband Cleve and Robert Smith; step-great grandchild, Vivien Grant; sisters, Velma Edwards, Ethel Hatten and Doris Copeland and husband Nathan; numerous nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers were his nephews, Nelson Lane, Danny Redding, Jerry Redding, Dr. Harold Williamson, Dexter Adams and Mike Colvin.
Honorary Pallbearers were Steve Hatten, Don Hatten, Tommy Hatten, Joe Hatten, Eddie H. Edwards, Joey Cowan, James Beaver, Walter Bailey, and special friends, Ivy Redding and James Tarkington.
ARDEN ANDERS CAMPBELL
Services for Arden Anders Campbell, 57, Monroe, were held Jan. 24 at Mulhearn Funeral Home with Reverend Bruce Rux and Reverend Michael Hawley officiating.
Campbell died Jan. 18, at Lincoln General Hospital in Ruston after a lengthy illness.
Campbell was the daughter of Hoy and Diana Anders, who predeceased her.
She was a long time member of Covenant Presbyterian Church and recently became a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church while living in Ruston. Campbell was an honors graduate of both Neville High School and the University of Louisiana at Monroe, and was a long time educator of English and History. She was a member of Phi Mu Sorority, Phi Alpha Theta Honorary History Fraternity and the Alpha Lamda Delta Honorary Society. Ms. Campbell was also selected to be a member of the Mortar Board at ULM, and was a member of the Junior League and PEO.
She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Richard and Tanya Campbell of Tallahassee, Fla.; grandson, Logan Campbell of Tallahassee, Fla; uncle, Beverly Powers of Arkansas; cousin, Sandy Caston of California.
Mr. Glenn Wayne Edwards
Funeral Services for Mr. Glenn Wayne Edwards, 54, of West Monroe, were held Jan 28 in the chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home West Monroe with Rev. Robert Spicer and Rev. Tuck Roberts officiating.
Burial was in the Twin Cities Memorial Gardens in West Monroe, LA.
Edwards was born on Oct. 17, 1949. He was a member of the Cheniere Baptist Church in West Monroe, LA and was also employed with Entergy for Twenty-Seven years. Mr. Edwards was preceded in death by his father, Dexter Edwards and also by his grandparents, Ben and Bertha Stringer and George and Dollie Edwards.
Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Willie Lee Smith Edwards; son, Jodey Edwards; mother, Marilyn Stringer Edwards and one sister, Sandra Edwards Simon and her husband Rene� Simon; numerous aunts, uncles,nieces and nephews and a special sister-in-law, "Little Johnnie" Smith.
Pallbearers were Dustin Simon, Ryan Simon, Mitchell Smith, Jamie Smith, Greg Cox, Timmy Elrod, David Roberts, Fredrick Jones and Derek Daniel.
Samuel Abdalla Elias,Jr.
Services for Mr. Samuel Abdalla Elias, Jr., 75, of Monroe, were held
Jan. 28 at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, with Msgr. Edmond
Moore, Rev. Mark Watson, Rev. Bob Inzina, and Rev. Sebastian Kallarackal. Officiating.
Burial was in St. Matthews Catholic Church Cemetery, under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home, Sterlington Road, Monroe.
Elias passed away, Jan. 24, at St. Francis Medical Center, Monroe. He was born Nov. 10, 1928. He was a self employed builder, retailer and rental income property owner continuing the retail business founded by his grandfather at the turn of the century. He served as president of Sam Elias Builders and Elias properties. He served in the National Guard during World War II and was a member of Jesus the Good Shepherd Catholic Church.
Survivors include his wife Mabel Naman Elias, Monroe, two daughters, Dr. Teresa Elias Hooper and husband James of Ridgeland, MS and Cynthia Elias of Monroe, two sons, Stephen Elias and Gregory Elias and wife Anja, all of Monroe, brother, Albert Elias and wife Marcella of Monroe. two sisters, Wadel Abide and husband Paul and Louise Mansour and husband Phillip all of Greenville, MS, three grandchildren, Sydney Elias, Samuel Elias, and Arielle Hooper, and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.
EVERETT GEORGE HELLER
Services for Everett George Heller of Monroe were held Jan. 21 at First United Methodist Church in Monroe with Reverend Terry Love officiating.
Burial will be in the Mulhearn Memorial Park Mausoleum under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home, Monroe.
Heller died Jan. 19. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Monroe. He was born on October 9, 1916, in Hartford, Connecticut and lived there until he enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1942. He later served in the Pacific Theatre. He received an Honorable Discharge from the Service on Jan. 9, 1946. He then made Monroe his home.
He became a Certified Public Accountant in 1951 and was a partner in a CPA firm until his retirement in 1982. He served as President of the Monroe Chapter of CPAs and President of the Society of Louisiana CPAs. He was a member of the Council of the American Institute of CPAs. He was awarded life membership in the Society of Louisiana CPAs and also in the American Institute of CPAs.
His various civic activities included: President of Monroe Kiwanis Club; member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Quota and Admissions Committee of the United Way; member of the Silver Waters Girl Scout Council and Chairman of the Finance Committee; and member of the Advisory Board of the Monroe YWCA. In the mid-1970's, he served as chairman of a Citizen's Finance Committee appointed by the mayor to study and report on the city's financialcondition.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Marjorie Lucky Heller;daughter, Sandy Heller DeCelle and husband Malcolm Jr.; grandchildren, Michael Denis DeCelle, Leah DeCelle Sumrall and husband Kevin Lee Sumrall; and brother, Robert Weston Heller and wife Catherine of Manchester, Connecticut.
Pallbearers were James B. Bradley; R. Ben Harrison; R. Jim Howard; William G. Kelly; William E. Ligon, Sr.; and I. Sackman Marx. Honorary pallbearers will be W. L. Howard, Joe E. Marx, and George Riser.
Mary Edna Nolan Hill
Funeral services for Mary Edna Nolan Hill, 92, of Monroe, were held Jan. 25 at Kilpatrick Funeral Home Chapel in Monroe with Rev. William Earl Nolan officiating.
Burial will follow in Riverview Cemetery, under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Home.
Hill was born Nov. 26, 1911 in Oak Ridge. She was on of 11 children and was reared in the Baptist faith. She graduated from Oak Ridge High School and received her formal education in music and voice at the University of Arkansas. As a young woman, she sang professionally, touring with orchestras and performing on radio shows before marrying Cecil Morgan Hill, Sr. After her marriage, she was dedicated to a life of music and taught piano to area children for many years.
Hill loved people and entertaining. During her husband's tenure as Director of the Louisiana Bond and building Commission, she was known throughout Baton Rouge as a gracious hostess, entertaining governors, legislators, and their wives who often gathered around her piano to join her as she played and sang. She loved gardening, raising beautiful flowers which she and her sister Glayds arranged for parties for friends and family.
Her dedication to her family was utmost and she played an active part in the lives of her brothers and sisters children and loved each as if her own.
She was a member of Parkview Baptist Church, and was active in the Monroe Music Guild, La Ving Book Study Club, the Monroe Garden Club, and the Abram Morehouse Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. She was preceded in death by her parents, Mary Francis "Molly" Stokes Nolan and Jessie Nolan; her husband, Cecil Morgan Hill; her brothers, Bill, Jack, Earl, Jessie, and Bobby Nolan; her sisters, Gladys Fleischmann, Elbie Brown, Frances Thompson, and Katie Reitzell; sister in law Georia Hill Kellogg and Carrie Hill Youngblood.
She is survived by her son, Cecil Morgan Hill Jr. and wife Annetta; granddaughter, Susan Amanda Hill Sims and husband George, great granddaughters, Mary Elisabeth Barham, Georgia Morgan Barham and Susan Louise Sims; sister, Dorothy N. Hhernandezl sister in law, Earline Nolan and brother in law, Urlah Milsaps Youngblood.
Pallbearers will be Jackie Nolan, Johnny Nolan, Bobby Dhu Thompson, Clyde Thompson, David Thompson, Francis Thompson, Mike Thompson and Hugh Youngblood.
Bobby Brandon McCall
Services for Bobby Brandon McCall, 23 of Oak Grove were held Jan. 25 at Cox Funeral Home in Oak Grove.
McCall was a construction worker. He was preceded in death by his step father, Tokey Caston.
Survivors include his father Bob McCall; his mother, Jeannie Caston McCall; one sister, Carla McCall; four brothers, Jessie James Cason, Frank James Caston, Sonny James Caston and Cookie Caston and a host of nieces, nephews, uncles, aunts, and cousins.
Lorene Opiel
Funeral services for Mrs. Lorene Opiel, 78, of West Monroe, La. were held Jan 25 in the chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home in West Monroe with Rev. Carl Austin officiating. Burial was in Roselawn Memorial Gardens.
Opiel died Jan. 23, at St. Francis Medical Center.
Opiel was a member of the Jehovah Witness Kingdom Hall. She was preceded in death by her husband, Peter Opiel and grandson, Colby Buchanan
Survivors include Children- Danny Opiel and Dianne Olivo of West Monroe,and David Opiel of Choudrant; Grandchildren, Serena, Clay, and Starla Opiel, Shawna Buchanan, Stanley Opiel, Amy Hutto and Beau Opiel; Sister, Cheryl Martinez of Calhoun, numerous nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers were Michael Edwards, Huey Edwards, Billy Younse, Brandon Younse, Stanley Opiel and Beau Opiel.
J. Ray Rabun
Services for J. Ray Rabun, 89, were held at The First Baptist Church in Charleston, S.C. on Jan. 13.
Interment was in Live Oaks memorial Gardens.
Ruben was born March 2, 1914 and was the son of Joseph Franklin and Dessie Stapleton Rabun.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Charleston. A graduate of Athens Business College. He served in the Navy during WWII and retired from Burroughs Corporation as a sales representative and then worked as a realtor with Joseph P Riley Agency. He was a long time member of the Exchange Club in Charleston, Distinguished Club President 81-82, Exchange of Year 79-80, 88-89, 97-98, Dedicated Service Award in 1995, Dependability, Truth, Integrity Award 1997, for many years served as the Health and Welfare Chairman, Lifetime Member of the Charleston Elks Lodge 242, former member of Charleston Jr. Chamber of Commerce, and honorary member Deutscher Brunderliche Bund.
He is survived by his wife Bernice Bunny Harbenson Rabun of Mount Pleasant, S.C.; one daughter, Patricia Ann Rabun of Mount Pleasant, S.C.; two sisters, Vera R. Culbreath of Atlanta, GA., and Bernice R. Bartlett of Louisiana.
Howard Spillers
Services for Howard Spiller, 95, of West Monroe were held Jan. 24 at the Kilpatrick Funeral Home in West Monroe with Rev. Huey Difey and Rev. Jerry Salisbury officiating.
Interment was held at Roselawn Cemetery in Calhoun under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Home in West Monroe.
Spillers died Jan. 22 in Monroe.
Spillers was preceded in death by his parents, Jeff and Ida Spillers; wife, Mary Bagwell Spillers; sons, Elbert, Jeff and Jack Spiller and son-in-law Wayne Ervin.
Survivors include five children, Howard Spillers and wife Vel of Minden, Harold Spillers and wife Lena of West Monroe, Mary Ann Lenard and husband Bob of West Monroe, Helen Ervin of West Monroe, Anna Moody and husband Pat of Slidell; brother, Boyd L. Spillers of West Monroe; sister, Mary Rogers of Stonewall; 22 grandchildren, 49 great grandchildren; five great great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews and friends.
Pallbearers were grandsons.
Alma Louise Turnage
Funeral services for Mrs. Alma Louise Turnage, 83, of West Monroe were held Jan. 28 at McClendon Baptist Church in West Monroe, La. with Revs. Rick Crandall and Herman Savoie officiating.
Burial was in Hasley Cemetery under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home in West Monroe.
Turnage died Jan. 26 following a lengthy illness. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dillard Turnage; brothers, W.A. Covington Jr. and Travis Covington; sister, Marion Thomas and by her step-grandsons, Kenneth and Mickey Turnage. Mrs. Turnage was a longtime member of McClendon Baptist Church and a former member of Mrs. Elzada Rogers Girls Sunday School Class.
Survivors include, daughters, Patsy Vallery and husband Mark and step-daughter, Gaye Thornton and husband Bo; sons, Edwin Turnage and wife Jackie all of West Monroe, step-son, Bobby Turnage of Bovina, MS; sister, Joyce Browder of West Monroe; granddaughters, Tanya Coon and Erin Turnage both of West Monroe, step-granddaughter, Janis Cobb of West Monroe; grandsons, Chad Turnage of West Monroe, and step-grandson, Eugene Thornton of Anchorage, AK; several great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers were Ron Barfield, Doug Cobb, Danny Barrett, Ralph Owens, Dr. Wayne Cranford, and Clyde Self.
