Obituaries

Nora Lee Carter, age 87, of Calvin, Louisiana passed away on Monday, March 6, 2023.

Born August 17,1935, in Calvin, Louisiana, she was preceded in death by her parents, G.B. and Linnie Carpenter Carter; her brother, Garlon Lee (Bud) Carter; and grandparents, Luther and Mary Collins Carpenter and David F. (Seed) and Elizabeth (Betty) Chandler Carter.

Those left to cherish her memory include her aunt, Mary Lou Carpenter; sister-in-law, Kathy Carter; nieces, Robbin Willis (Alan) and Lisa Haymon (James); nephew, Jamie Carter (Cristy); great nephews, Austin Willis (Katy), Tyler Haymon (Nicole), Matthew Haymon, John David Huckaby and Wayne Curtis Huckaby; great, great nephews, Gus Haymon and Jake Haymon; great, great nieces, Harper Willis and Graysen Willis; and special family friend, Vickie Kelley.

Mason Lee Chandler was born November 2, 2016 arriving a whole month before expected weighing 5 lbs. 3 oz. and 19½” long. Taryn and Kyle were over the moon to be his parents, and he brought them so much joy and happiness. Mason Lee went to be with Jesus after a brief illness leaving us entirely too soon on Tuesday, February 28, 2023.

As Mason grew up, it was clear he was going to be a firecracker constantly on the go and doing everything little boys love to do. He grew up with many cousins he loved to spend time with. Mason Lee loved visiting his grandparents often; he loved power shopping and running the roads with his Popi, watching dinosaur shows with his Nana, wrestling with his Mimi and squirrel camping with his Pawpaw. Mason Lee also loved his baby sister, Maggie, as well as his dog brother, Odie, very much.

Ms. Elizabeth Louise (Poe) Wright was received into Heaven on Monday, February 20, 2023. Betty, as she was affectionately known, was born to the union of Lesley Earle Poe and Bessie Marie (Thompson) Poe in Jena, Louisiana on January 18, 1925. After finishing high school in Nacogdoches, Texas, she attended LSU where she met Hiram James Wright. They were married in June 1945 after Hiram returned from WWII.

While attending LSU, Betty studied business and was named a Darling of LSU in 1945.

Betty lived in LaSalle Parish and Texas for some of her early years, but always called Winnfield home after she and Hiram settled there in 1948. After moving to Winnfield, she worked as Hiram’s secretary when he established his law practice, and retired from that position when he was elected City Judge in 1969.

Funeral Services for Mrs. Thelma Vail Jarnagin, age 89 of Winnfield, Louisiana were held 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 11, 2023 at the South Winnfield Baptist Church with Reverends Jack Miller and Billy VerHoef officiating. Interment followed in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Winnfield under the direction of Southern Funeral Home. Friends visited with the family at the church on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until time of services.

Golda Mae Taylor, age 90 of Winnfield, Louisiana passed away on Tuesday, January 31, 2023.

Born Thursday, November 17, 1932 in Winnfield, Louisiana, she was preceded in death by her parents, Lillie Ioala Mathews Smith and John Luther Smith; maternal grandparents, Robert E. Lee and Frances Ophilia Mathews; brothers, James Lee Smith and an infant brother; sister, Gloria Inez Smith; son, Darryl Taylor; and husband, Leonard Ray Taylor.

Those left to cherish her memory include her son, Mike Taylor; daughter, Patricia Ferrier (Clinton); daughter, Melody Bartley (Gary); special friend, Donna Bland; 11 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; 2 great great grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family in Alaska.

James Douglas Harris was born March 18, 1938 in Cottonport Louisiana. He left this earth on Friday January 6, 2023 at 84 years of age to go to his Heavenly home.

Doug was raised in Goldonna Louisiana. He graduated from Goldonna High School in 1956. He continued his education and graduated from Northwestern State in 1961 with a BS in Agriculture.

Doug married Ella Marie Johnson, better known as “Sissie” in 1958, and they had four children.

Doug’s first job after graduating college was at Evergreen Vocational School in Minden. He worked for Dow Badisha in Freeport, Texas for five years before the opportunity presented itself for Doug and Sissie to move their family back home to Goldonna taking a position with Placid Oil in 1967,ultimately retiring as Plant Superintendent in 1993 from Nerco Oil & Gas, who had bought out Placid Oil.

Mrs. Taylor Lawren Diercks, age 28 of Brewton, AL, passed away Thursday, December 29, 2022 at the Brewton hospital.

Mrs. Diercks was born in Ruston, LA and had been a resident of the Brewton area since 2000. She attended T.R. Miller High School, Jefferson Davis Community College, and earned her BSN at Auburn University at Montgomery. She worked as a Registered Nurse at Andalusia Hospital. Taylor loved to read, going to the beach, boating, Auburn University Football, and spending time with her family and friends. She attended Brewton First United Methodist Church. She was preceded in death by her grandfathers, Leslie Griffin and Fred Zimmerman.

A service to celebrate the life of Morgan Bruce Dugas was held at 10 am on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home. Burial ed at Couley Methodist Church Cemetery near Winnfield, LA. The family received friends from 5 pm until 8 pm on Monday, January 9th at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home.

He is survived by his mother, Joanne Foshee Pierce; father, Scott Dugas and wife Jennifer; sisters, Taylor Sullivan and husband Wyatt and their son, Wade and Jescey Pierce and fiancé Thomas Gourdon; his girlfriend, whom he adored, Madison Reynaud and her parents Steve and Lisa Reynaud; step siblings, Austin and Alayna Dees; grandfather, Earl Dugas; and an uncle, Robert Lane Gay; as well as numerous other uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family and friends.

Tommy Lee Wooten was born in Union, Mississippi September 14, 1947. He passed away December 23, 2022 at Winn Parish Medical Center in Winnfield.

Tommy was a Baptist, a U. S. Army Veteran and a retired Corrections officer. He was an avid fisherman and sports fanatic. He was especially passionate about college football with LSU being his favorite team. No one dared to cut off the TV or change channels when he was watching the Tigers play.

Mr. Autrey Earl Jordan Sr., age 85 of Winnfield, Louisiana, passed away Wednesday, December 28, 2022, at Jena Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Jena, La after a lengthy illness.

Mr. Jordan was a native of Oxford, Ms., was a retired electrician and plumber, and was Baptist. He was a beloved grandfather who loved to fish and eat ice cream.

He was preceded in death by his parents Prentiss K. Jordan and Nina May Welch Jordan as well as two sisters.

Mr. Jordan leaves to cherish his memory his loving wife of 62 years Mary Nell McDaniel Jordan, son Autrey Earl “Bubba” Jordan Jr. (Debra), daughters Casanda Lanette Lang and Misti Jordan Kyle (Michael). He is also survived by nine grandchildren, 18 grandchildren and one sister Geraldine Billings.

Graveside funeral services for Mr. Jordan were held at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, December 30, 2022, at Union Cemetery in Joyce, Louisiana under the direction of Southern Funeral Home of Winnfield.