Obituaries

Mr. John Glyn Jackson, age 94 of Winnfield, Louisiana passed away at his home on Tuesday, November 24, 2020.

Born Friday, August 20, 1926 in Winnfield, Louisiana, he was preceded in death by his parents, Marion Pugh Jackson and Shirley Jackson; his wife, Betty Joe Purser Jackson; sons-in-law, Benny Wayne Long and James Michael Spangler.

Mr. Jackson was a charter member of the Crusaders for Christ Sunday School Class at the First United Methodist Church of Winnfield. He was a member of the Winnfield Rotary Club, the Northwestern State University “N” Club, and the Northwestern State University Hall of Fame.

Those left to cherish his memory include his three daughters, Joe Llaine Long, Lynn Spangler, and Dorothy Jeanne Brewton; 9 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Mr. Jackson was a member of the Louisiana Oil Marketer’s Association and was a 50-year Conoco Oil Jobber.

Mr. John Anthony “Tony” Sandifer, age 54 of Winnfield, Louisiana passed away on Tuesday, November 24, 2020.

Born Thursday, May 26, 1966 in Winnfield, Louisiana, he was employed with Double K Logging, LLC and was a member of Beulah Baptist Church. He enjoyed truck driving, family gatherings and holidays but above all spending time with his boys.

Mr. Sandifer was preceded in death by his grandparents, C. M. and Mae Robinson, Matthew Sandifer and Cloutie Gaspard; aunts, Inez Vaughn and Alice Bell; uncle, C. M. Robinson, Jr.; cousin, Susanne Martin.

Those left to cherish his memory include his sons, John Colton Sandifer and Jonathan Caleb Sandifer; parents, James E. Sandifer, Sr. and Carrie Robinson Sandifer; siblings, Rita S. Malone (Mark), James E. Sandifer Jr. (Carla), and Calvin W. Sandifer.

The family will receive friends on Friday, November 27, 2020 at Laurel Heights Baptist Church, from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM.

John Burton Simons, John Simons age 78, a resident of Brandon, MS passed away Tuesday, October 13, 2020 at his home in Brandon, M S . Funeral services were held Saturday in Brandon, MS with an interment in Chatham Cemetery.

Mr. Simons was born November 13, 1941 in Columbia, Louisiana to Henry Silas Simons and Dorothy Bratton Butler. He was married to Shelby Jean Ledbetter on September 10, 1960 until her death on August 24, 2009. In 2010 John married Bobbie Davis and returned to live in his home in Sikes. Mr. Simons was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He proudly served in the United States Air Force for 8 years and retired from the United States Air Force Reserves in 2010, after 20 years of service. He loved his family very much and spending time with them brought great joy to his life. He will be missed by all who loved and knew him.

Miss Betty Jean LeBaron age 82 of Atlanta, Louisiana passed away on Tuesday, November 17, 2020.

Born on March 28, 1938 in Mars Hill, Louisiana, she is preceded in death by her parents Clifton LeBaron and Marie Dewitt LeBaron, her siblings and best friends, Alice and Bobby Wayne Horne, Susie and Frayne Smith, Bobby LeBaron and Charles LeBaron.

Those left to cherish her memory include her sister, Jennie Annette LeBaron Stevens, sisters-in-law Joyce LeBaron and Vickie LeBaron. Betty was most proud of her many nieces and nephews as well as a host of great nieces and nephews.

Ms. Myrtle Ruth Allen, age 84 of Calvin, Louisiana passed away on Sunday, November 15, 2020.

Ms. Allen was born Friday, July 10, 1936 and enjoyed attending church, singing hymns and spending time with her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lloyd and Edith Rasberry Allen; brother, Leonard Allen; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Those left to cherish her memory include her cousins, Alice McNaughton, Kerry McNaughton, Joy Marie Freeman, Jerry Allen and R.A. McNaughton as well as her numerous nieces and nephews.

Graveside funeral services were held at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 at Sanders Chapel Cemetery with Rev. Lamar Carpenter officiating. Interment followed under the direction of Southern Funeral Home of Winfield.

The family received friends at the funeral home on Tuesday from 10:00 AM until 1:30 PM.

Mrs. Sylvia Gilcrease Bland was born in Winnfield on Sunday, November 1, 1928 to John Benjamin and Lillian Bertrice Chambers Gilcrease Sr. passed on Sunday, November 1, 2020 her 92nd birthday and 73rd anniversary to her husband, Lee Osban Bland, who preceded her in death. She was also preceded by six brothers Charles, James, Fred, Blanchard, Donnie and Benny Gilcrease.

Momma, Mamaw, Nanny, Great Nanny, Sister, Lena and friend are some of the names she was known by. Lunch lady was also one of her names as she had worked for many years and retired from the school food services where she probably fed most of the kids growing up from the 1960s thru the 1990s at Westside, Career Center and Winnfield Middle School.

To know her was to be loved, to be taken care of, maybe sewed your clothes for some of us - she may have fed you, she probably told you what to do and then how to do it, and she loved her family beyond measure.

Tyler Colby Pray, age 43 of Bossier City, passed away on Tuesday, November 10, 2020.

Tyler was born in Alexandria, Louisiana, February 15, 1977 and grew up in Winnfield. He was a graduate of Winnfield Sr. High School and earned a B.A. degree in Business Administration at Louisiana Tech University. He developed a love of caring for animals when he worked for several years with his father at the Winnfield Animal Clinic. Later Tyler managed a GNC store and was more recently accepted into a graphic art design school. He will be remembered by family and friends as an outstanding artist and musician. These atributes are continuing through his children who also excell in the arts.

Tyler was preceded in death by his father Dr. Wayne D. “Butch” Pray, brother Trenton Cole Pray, maternal grandparents Dan Page and Opal Kelley Page, paternal grandparents D.O. Pray and Cornelia Long Pray.

Francis “Tess” Marlene Frederick, age 83 of Winnfield, Louisiana passed away on Wednesday, November 11, 2020.

Mrs. Frederick was born on Monday, February 8, 1937 in Winnfield, Louisiana. She was preceded in death by her parents, Sam Pizzuto and Hazel Scott Pizzuto; life partner Arnold Hunter; sister, Marion Lanell “Nell” Frederick and a brother, Richard Cox.

Those left to cherish her memory include her daughter, Stacey Crain (Bruce); son, Tony Frederick (Daina); step-brother, Morris Cox; half sisters, Barbara Pizzuto and Beatrice Pizzuto Schlosser; 3 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

Ms. Tess as many friends called her had a babysitting service at her home for many years. She was also a long time member of the South Winnfield Baptist Church.

The family received friends on Saturday, November 14, 2020, at Southern Funeral Home in Winnfield from 12:00 PM until 1:30 PM.

Hazel Laverne Howell Bevill, age 89 of Montgomery, Louisiana passed away on Friday, November 5th, 2020 at Winn Parish Medical Center.

Mrs. Bevill was born Sunday, April 19, 1931 in Montgomery, Louisiana. She was preceded in death by her parents Oliver Howell and Nora Futrell Howell, her husband John Dwaine Bevill Sr., grandson Skye Kuhlmann, two sisters Lorene Doughty and Helen Land, and brothers Elmore Howell, R. C. Howell, Raymond Howell and O. M. Howell.

She was a member of First Baptist Church of Montgomery and the Pressure Club.

Those left to cherish her memory include her daughters Linda Lonadier, Janet Kuhlmann, and Judy Hale, and two sons Bo Bevill and Shane Bevill. She is also survived by nine grand children and twenty great grandchildren.

Graveside services were held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, November 8, 2020 at Hargis Cemetery with Rev. Lloyd Whitman officiating. Services will be under the direction of Southern Funeral Home of Winnfield.

Mrs. Martha Virginia Rodgers, age 97, went to be with her Heavenly Father on Saturday, October 31, 2020. Virginia was a native of Athens, Georgia. She went on to become a registered nurse at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. It was here that she met and married her late beloved husband of 53 years, Dr. George M. Rodgers.

Virginia is survived by her son, Dr. George Rodgers of Salt Lake City, Utah, daughter Patricia Michelli of Long Beach, Mississippi, granddaughter Madeleine Michelli and fiancé Brandon Payne of Gulfport, Mississippi, grandson Jimmy Michelli and wife Beth of Chicago, Illinois, and granddaughter Georgia Lowery and husband Carl of Biloxi, Mississippi. Virginia is also survived by her two loving great-grandchildren Alexandra and Eli Lowery.

Virginia was an active member of the First Baptist Church as well as it’s oldest member. She loved participating in luncheons, excursions, and all the other activities the church offered.