Obituaries

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.

Martha Cecile Ray (known as Cecile), age 78, passed away on September 7 ^th , 2020. She was living in Lodi, California but was born and raised in Winnfield, Louisiana.

Born February 24, 1942, she was preceded in death by her father Charles William Ray, mother Mary Clyde Ray, brother Roger, sisters Charlene and Vee.

Ms. Cecile Ray lived her adult life in Concord then Stockton, California and became a Marriage and Family therapist and then went on to become a probation officer for teenagers.

Ms. Cecile is survived by her daughter Susan Owen and family, granddaughter Aurora Jade Boxton, daughter Allyson Hitchcock and family, grandson Jasper Mathias Samuel Hitchcock and brother Donald Ray and his wife Daisy and their children and grandchildren, cousin Benny Canerday.

Cecile loved her garden, her pets and a good BLT with home grown tomatoes. She is missed and may she rest in peace.

Dylan Scott Parker, age 30 of Winnfield, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, October 20, 2020 at Winn Parish Medical Center.

Born on May 30, 1990 in Arlington, Tx, he was raised in Winnfield, LA. He cherished his family and enjoyed spending time with friends. Dylan was a student at Central Louisiana Technical Community College with a major in Forestry. He attended United Baptist Church and was a volunteer firefighter at Winn Parish Fire District for thirteen years. Dylan was able to light up a room with his smile and caring attitude. He was loved by many and will be missed dearly by all those that had the opportunity to meet him.

Dylan was preceded in death by his Paternal Grandparents, Jimmy and Cleo Parker and his Maternal Grandparents, Leon and Violet Condley.

Mr. William Henry Shows, age 85 of Winnfield, Louisiana passed away on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

Born Monday, April 15, 1935 in Natchitoches, Louisiana, he was a member of Central Assembly of God Church. He loved his daily walks, singing gospel music, gardening, his family and grandchildren.

Mr. Shows was preceded in death by his parents, Walton Arnon Shows and Velma Barnes Shows; brother, Tommy Shows.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife of 64 years, Betty Sue Shows; children, Debbie Shows and Larry Shows (Ida); grandchildren, Brittany Shows and Jamie Dodson (Mike); great-grandchildren, Noah Shows, Jamen Dodson, Jaden Wyatt and Myah Dodson; nieces and nephews, Mike Shows (Liz), Kim McFarland, Martha Finch (Dave), and Jeff Shows (Mary); brother, Deloy Shows.

Kenneth Folden, age 57 of Goldonna, Louisiana passed away on Friday, October 30, 2020 at his residence.

Born Wednesday, July 3, 1963 in Jonesboro, Louisiana, he was preceded in death by father, Rufus Folden and mother, Faye Wilkerson Folden and a son Joseph Folden.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife Renee Lawson Folden, children: Debbie Kay, Christie Lawson, Daniel Folden, Amber Kelly, Emily Morrison (Austin), Dakota Corley, Anastasia Austin, and Steven Williams. He is also survived by twenty-two grandchildren and a brother Rufus Folden Jr.

The family received friends on Wednesday, November 4, 2020, at Southern Funeral Home, from 12:00 PM until 2:00 PM.

Funeral services for Mr. Folden weree held at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, November 4, 2020 at Southern Funeral Home with Rev. Lamar Carpenter officiating. Interment followed in Goldonna Cemetery under the direction of Southern Funeral Home.