Obituaries

Mr. Maurice Lee Nix, age 81 of Goldonna, passed away Tuesday, July 21, 2020.

Mr. Nix worked for Kansas City Railroad for 22 years and was retired from Fleetwood Trucking. He was a US Navy and US Army veteran and loved his horses. He grew up a member of the 8 and 10 Riding Club. He was preceded in

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lonnie Nix and Berta Frasier Nix; and sister, Dorothy King.

Survivors include his son, Maurice “Bo” Nix (Jessica) and daughter, Lisha Ann Nix; honorary daughter, Teresa Green Jurgens (Joe); and seven grandchildren.

Graveside funeral services were held at 11:00 AM on Friday, July 24, 2020 in the Coulee Double Churches Cemetery with Rev. Bobby Bates officiating. Interment followed under the direction of Southern Funeral Home of Winfield.

Services for Benny Wayne Long were held at 4 o’clock, Sunday, July 19, 2020 at Couley United Methodist Church, 14245 Hwy. 84 W., Winnfield, with Reverends Kevin Smith and Lori Spangler officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery under the direction of Southern Funeral Home. Mr. Long was born December 21, 1943, in Winnfield, Louisiana, and died July 17, 2020. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clifford T. and Vivian “Pete” Long. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Joe Llaine Jackson Long; his son, Kirk Wayne Long of Zachary; his daughters, Leah Long and Maggie Long Bryant and her husband Carl; six grandchildren, Avery, Meredith, and Cliff Long of Zachary; Ellie Joe and Leo Bryant; and Tessa Jane Long; and his sister, Mary Ann Long Saucier of Shreveport.

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.