Obituaries

A kind and generous person sadly missed by his friends, especially those at the Barber Shop.

Inez Smith, age 87 of Goldonna, Louisiana passed away on Sunday, July 19, 2020.

Born Saturday, June 3, 1933 in Chestnut, Louisiana, she was preceded in death by her parents, Rosa Lee Regions Stewart and Alex Lee Stewart; daughter, Theresa Gwen Nugent; granddaughter, Kelly Rowell Nevels; and brothers, LeVelle Stewart, Bill Stewart, Huey Stewart and Monroe Stewart.

Those left to cherish her memory include her daughters, Betty Rowell, Barbie Stewart, and Ruby Lee Clift; brother, Tom David Stewart; 5 grandchildren; 6 great grandchildren; 5 great great grandchildren; and 6 great great great grandchildren.

The family received friends on Monday, July 20, 2020, at Goldonna Assembly of God, from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM , and again on Tuesday at the church from 11:00 AM until time of services.

Mrs. Ernestine Willis, age 89 of Bossier City, Louisiana passed away on Sunday, July 5, 2020.

Born Friday, December 5, 1930 in Joyce, Louisiana, she was preceded in death by her parents, Minnie Beasley King and Hamp Smead King; sisters, Leola Isaacs and Doris Parker; brothers, Orlynn and Melvin King; and husband,Johnny L. Willis.

Mrs. Willis was a past member of the former South Bossier Church of the Nazarene and retired from the medical field as an LPN. She loved cooking Sunday and Birthday dinners for her family and especially loved spending time with her grandchildren.

Those left to cherish her memory include her children, Terry Willis (Kathy), Kenny Willis, and Kathy Willis Thomisee (Darrell); 8 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mr. Kris Copeland, a native of Dodson, Louisiana, and longtime resident of the MS Gulf Coast, passed away July 5, 2020, at Merit Health in Biloxi at the age of 43.

Kris was born November 21, 1976, in Ruston, LA, the son of the late Gary Edward and Rhonda Sue (Browning) Copeland. He was a graduate of Dodson High School in Dodson, LA. And he obtained his Bachelor’s Degree from Northwestern State University in Natchtoches, LA., he also obtained a Master’s Degree from William Carey College near Biloxi.

Reverend James Wright Simons, born March 22, 1925 in Franklin Parish, LA and died June 22, 2020 in Winnfield, LA at the age of 95. He was preceded in death by his wife Audie Ulmer Simons; son, Wendell H. Simons; daughter, Colonel Hedy C. Pinkerton; parents, Marion Simons and Ola Hatten Simons; and sisters, Margaret Herring and Marion Ozment. He is survived by his sister Frankie Boswell of Little Rock, AR; his son-in-law, Colonel James Pinkerton, of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL; five grandchildren: Gregory Simons of Olla, LA; Lieutenant Colonel Jason Pinkerton of San Antonio, TX; Ashlee Simons Cherry of Old Hickory, TN; Holly Delaney of Jacksonville, FL; Michael Pinkerton of Colorado Springs, CO; and sixteen greatgrandchildren. He is also survived by sister-in-law Agnes Andrews of Clayton, LA and a number of beloved nieces and nephews.

Olive Ann Willis went to meet her Lord and Savior on June 22, 2020 due to complications of stroke-related dementia. Olive Ann was born in Sikes, LA on November 15, 1936 to Jewel Geneva Abrams and Stanley James Smith, both of Sikes, LA. She was the oldest of their four children, and is survived by her three sisters, Sandra Sue Smith Williamson, Mary Ellen Smith, and Martha Jane Smith Jordan. Olive Ann graduated from Sikes High School in 1954 and went on to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Northwestern State College in 1957. She later met William Lawrence (Bill) Willis who became her husband on November 25, 1959. They were married 41 years when Bill preceded her in death.

Claude Howard Mathis was born in Mansfield, Louisiana on July 15, 1947 to Claude Thomas Mathis and Lucy Hilda Burlingham Mathis. He went to be with our Lord on June 10, 2020 in Jonesboro, Louisiana after a lengthy illness.

Claude was preceded in death by his parents, Claude T and Lucy, also by his brother Adrian Thomas Mathis.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Jennifer Jo Mathis, 4 children; Claude Howard Mathis II (Duck) and wife Michelle, Constance Victoria Mathis Helmick (Tina) and husband Joe, Monica Ann Bourque Hill and husband Michael, and Nathan John Mathis and wife Brandi, 2 stepchildren; Joshua Aucoin Jr and Mark Aucoin, 11 grandchildren; Matt and wife Valarie, Bree, Courtney, Bridget, Chelsea, James, Brooke, Dalton, Howie, Tristan, and Alyssa and 5 great-grandchildren; Brody, Baylor, Olivia, Ella and Ren, 2 brothers; Frankie Mathis and wife Pam and John Mathis and wife Sharon, also numerous nieces and nephews and many many friends.

Nita D. Reeves, age 88, of Winnfield, La., was peacefully carried away from this earthly life into the presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Friday, June 26, 2020.

Funeral services, celebrating Nita’s life, were on Monday, June 29, 2020 at 10:00 AM at the East Winnfield Baptist Church in Joyce, La. Bro. Dick Debusk, Bro. Jack Miller, and Bro Bob Tuggle officiated. The family received friends on Sunday, June 28, 2020 from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM, at the East Winnfield Baptist Church, and on Monday, June 29, from 9:00 AM until time of service. FACIAL MASKS WERE REQUIRED.

Brother-in-law, Velton Jordan, shared special words at a graveside service at the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Winnfield, La., under the direction of Southern Funeral Home.

Marjorie Beth Shires Price, age 87 of Winnfield, Louisiana, passed away peacefully June 16, 2020 at Forest Haven Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Jonesboro, Louisiana. Marjorie was born on January 8, 1933 in Gordonville, Texas. She was the third of four children born to Fred and Mary Shires. She lived with her family on her grandfather’s farm until the construction of Lake Texoma when the family moved to Pottsboro, Texas. Marjorie enjoyed telling stories of life on the farm, herding and milking cows, and walking six miles barefoot through the snow to school one way. The family had a happy life despite the difficult economic times. Upon beginning school in Pottsboro, Marjorie skipped two grades and matriculated as a 5 ^th - grade student. Her father, Fred, helped her learn all of the multiplication tables in a single night. She graduated from high school in Denison, Texas as a cute and spunky Denison Yellow Jacket.

Brenda Gregory Wood, 70, of Burkburnett, passed away Thursday, June 18, 2020.

The family received friends between 6:30 and 8:00 p.m. Monday, June 22, 2020 at Owens & Brumley Funeral Home in Burkburnett. Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 23, 2020 in the chapel of Owens & Brumley Funeral Home with Rev. Ronnie Lawson, officiating. Interment followed at Burkburnett Memorial Cemetery under the direction of Owens & Brumley Funeral Home in Burkburnett.

Brenda was born on August 27, 1949 in Winnfield, Louisiana to the late Alon Gregory and Myrtle Creel Gregory. She served our county proudly in the United States Air Force. During this time, Brenda met the love of her life, Lee Wood, Jr. They married on July 25, 1969. Brenda graduated from Midwestern State University in 1998. She enjoyed therapeutic coloring, traveling, going on cruises, and spending time with her family.