Obituaries

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.

Robert Douglas Eady, 66, of Youngstown, Florida went to be with the Lord on June 19, 2020. He was born July 12, 1953 in Hammond, Louisiana. He served in both the United States Army and Navy. He worked for multiple police departments and retired after 25 years of service.

He is survived by his wife, Elsie Eady; two children, Dawn Harris and Thomas Eady (Priscila); two step daughters, Melissa Ellis (Mike) and Melanie McMillan (David); six grandchildren, Christian, Aubrey, Mason, Jaxson, Liam, Levi; two great grandchildren, Landon; Isabella, two brothers, Herman Eady, John Eady; five sisters, Margaret Wintz, Georgia Canton, Rosemary Majesty, Francis Eady, Theresa Wilkerson and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, June 27, 2020 at 2 p.m. at the home of Herman Eady, 214 Bourgeois Street, Amite, LA 70422.

Krystal Gayle Morgan, 42, of Dodson, LA was born on February 18, 1978 and passed from this life on June 14, 2020. Griffin Funeral Home, West Monroe, LA.

Funeral services for Ilalene W. Howard were held on Monday, June 22, 2020, in the Chapel of Hixson Brothers Pineville, with Reverends Tim Hisaw and Charles Hutzler officiating. Burial will follow in Liberty Chapel in Williana.

Ilalene Williams Howard, of Tioga, born June 15, 1930 in Williana, passed peacefully from this life on Thursday, June 20, 2020 at Tioga Community Care Center, at the age of 90.

Mrs. Howard was a native of Williana, La. She was a member of Alpine Baptist Church. She worked at AT&T as a Telephone Operator where she retired after 30 years. After retiring she worked another 13 years at Cleco as a Dispatcher. She had many hobbies such as gardening, quilting, cooking and many more. She truly loved being in her yard working. She will be missed dearly by her family and friends.

Mrs. Debra K. Zimmerman, age 61 of Coushatta, Louisiana passed away in Shreveport after a long illness on Wednesday, June 10, 2020.

Born Tuesday, December 9, 1958 in Spring Hill, Louisiana, she was preceded in death by her parents, Orland and Lillie Jordan.

Those left to cherish her memory include her husband, Mike Zimmerman; children, Brandon “Bo” DeBusk (Megan), Jennifer Roberts (Hardy), Brent Zimmerman (Heather) and Josh Zimmerman (Jamie); brother, Mike Jordan; nephew,Clint Jordan (Bailey); nieces, Harley Glaze (Kevin), Kim Statham (Jason), and Krystal Jordan; and seven grandchildren, Cole, Annalynn, Ali, Aiden, Andrew, Caston and John Orville; special lifelong friend, Derlene Warren-Barnett and her loved fur babies, Mattie, Sadie, Zoe and Beaux.

The family received friends on Saturday, June 13, 2020, at Southern Funeral Home, from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM , and again on Sunday, June 14, 2020, at Southern Funeral Home, from 12:00 PM until time of services.

Mrs. Johnnie Jeraline Canerday Shelton, 86, passed into the loving arms of her Savior on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Graveside services with Rev. Lamar Carpenter and Rev. Billy Verhoef officiating was held at Bethlehem Cemetery under the direction of Southern Funeral Home of Winnfield.

Pallbearers were Ronald D. Canerday, Ricky Blake, Wayne Moore, Jake Roberts, Dane Files and Aaron Mueller.