Obituaries

Mrs. Betty Faith Wagoner Howell, age 90 of Winnfield, Louisiana passed away on Wednesday, March 13, 2019.

Born Tuesday, October 16, 1928 in Winnfield, Louisiana, she was preceded in death by her parents, Ida Hendrix Wagoner and Marion E. Wagoner; husband, D. M. Howell, Jr.; great grandson, Tristan Howell; daughter-in-law, Tami Howell; and siblings M. Fulton Wagoner, Francille Jordan, Eunice Whisonant, Juanita Eagles, Richard L. Wagoner, and Thomas N. Wagoner.

Betty was a homemaker, and that is her legacy. She made a home where her three boys could grow and thrive. That home was a safe, nurturing, loving place for those boys and later for their children and grandchildren. It was a home that was built on the firm foundation of her faith and maintained by her unconditional love.

Betty loved cooking for family and friends, always ready for a fish fry. She loved flowers, working in her yard, and “front porch sitting” with her friends.

Ms. Patricia Diane Dentici, age 68 of Weatherford, Texas passed away on Thursday, March 7, 2019.

Diane was the most loving, unselfish person you could meet. She would help others to her own detriment. She saved many people’s lives as a nurse and nurse practitioner. Diane was greatly admired in Ft. Worth where she was a nurse and nursing administrator. She received her RN at Cameron University in Lawton, OK; her BSN at Midwestern University in Wichita Falls, TX; and her nurse practitioner degree at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS. Diane worked in all fields of nursing: school nurse, floor nurse, charge nurse, nurse administrator; here in Winnfield she served as a home health nurse as well as a nursing instructor at Huey P. Long Vocational-Technical School. At the time of her death she was residing in Weatherford, TX.

With profound sadness we announce the passing of Goldie Faye Wise Shows, our loving and devoted sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She passed through Heaven’s gates on March 9, 2019. On this same day she spent doing exactly what she loved-a fish fry with plenty of friends and family to love on her. Mrs. Shows was reunited with loved ones in Heaven including her parents Tom Wise and Ona Simons Wise, her husband James Ernest Shows, and her son James Dalton Shows.

From Heaven she will be watching her sons; Michael Shows and James Darren Shows; her daughters Fae S. Sanders, Sandra S. Jones, Tonya S. Fletcher, and Nancy S. Hyde; 13 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. She will also be missed by her siblings, John P Wise, Gerald Wise, Charles Wise, and Barney Wise; her sisters Betty Joe Deen and Gerlene Jowers; and other special loved ones; Julia McLain, Pat James, John and Mindy Wise, Isa Arnold, and many numerous others.

Mr. Marvin Ray Folden, age 63 of Winnfield, Louisiana passed away on Tuesday, March 5, 2019.

Born Thursday, September 8, 1955 in Monroe, Louisiana, he was preceded in death by his parents, Carlie Ray Folden and Marilyn Shows Folden; wife, Ruth Thompson Folden; brothers, Jimmy Dale Folden and Thomas Harry Folden.

Those left to cherish his memory include his daughters, Amy Jennings and husband Brandon of Calvin, Stacy Creel and husband Matt of Winnfield, Christy King and husband Buddy of Dodson; son, Donnie Folden of Winnfield; grandchildren, Brooklyn Jennings, Casey Creel, Maci Creel, Ally Jennings, Nathan Folden, BJ King, and Cody King; siblings, Brenda Wright and Hank Folden and wife Debra of Winnfield; sister-in-law, Becky Folden of Winnfield.

Funeral services were held at 2:00 PM on Friday, March 8, 2019 at Southern Funeral Home with Rev. Arthur Robinson and Rev. Lamar Carpenter officiating. Interment followed in Corinth Cemetery in Jordan Hill.

Gregory Allen Shawver was born on April 18, 1950, in Valhalla, Westchester County, NY, where his father was a nursing student and his mother was a RN in the medical surgical ward.

He spent his youngest days in a Levittown house on Long Island, NY. His father was in the Army Nurse Corps and Greg spent his youth growing up in Japan, the Presidio, San Francisco, CA, and the Upper Bronx where he attended De Witt Clinton HS. He enlisted in the Army in 1967, and served as a helicopter mechanic and crew chief in Vietnam. He was awarded a Purple Heart after surviving several helicopter crashes in Vietnam. He was honorably discharged in 1970. After serving he attended American University in Killeen, Texas, and received a degree in business aviation.

Dr. Wayne Douglas “Butch” Pray was bom in Winnfield, Louisiana on October 12,1945, to Daniel Oscar and Cornelia Long Pray, who preceded him in death. He passed away on February 23, 2019, due to an accident.

Butch was an honor graduate of Winnfield High School, LSU and Texas A & M University from whence he got his Veterinarian degree. For many years he owned and operated the Winnfield Animal Clinic, then he retired to do what he most loved; work on large animals particularly horses. Butch was the consummate cowboy, who never wore cowboy boots nor cowboy hats. He loved funny stories and was known to tell a few himself, but often he said that one of his greatest pleasures was not the hunt, but the woods.

Landon Delane Wright, age 17 of Winnfield, Louisiana passed away on February 26, 2019 at Christus St. Francis Cabrini Hospital in Alexandria.

He was a student at Winnfield Sr. High School. Landon never met a stranger and loved all his friends and family.

Landon was preceded in death by his grandfather Robert Daniel Wright and an uncle Jessie Fowler. He is survived by his mother and step-father Betty L. Snelling and Jay Hennigan, one brother Robert Daniel Wright; his fiancé Hanna Smith, two step brothers Aiden Hennigan and Nathan Folden, grandparents Ellis Snelling and Brenda Wright, aunt Irene Fowler and her son Dalton, two uncles Red Snelling and Clint Snelling, and his father Jessie Wright. He is also survived by numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

Mr. Franklin Odell Lunsford, age 91 of Winnfield, Louisiana passed away on Wednesday, February 27, 2019.

Born Saturday, May 14, 1927 in Rison, Arkansas, he was preceded in death by his parents, Willie Sue McRae Lunsford and Ervin Lunsford; wife, of 32 years, Una Vee Lunsford; wife, of 32 years, Georgia Ann Lunsford; son, Franklin Odell Lunsford, Jr.; step-daughter, Victoria Hampton; son-in-law, Richard Wayne “Ricky” Spangler; granddaughter, Laronda Nicole Spangler; great grandson, Caleb Shayne Jones; and brothers, T. J. Lunsford and Bobby Joe Lunsford,

Mr. Lunsford was retired from Hercules Powder with over 35 years of service. He was a Mason and served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II in the Pacific Theater. Mr. Lunsford loved to fish and was an avid fan of LSU.

Mr. Doyle Wade Kyson, age 84 of Winnfield, Louisiana passed away on Thursday, February 28, 2019 at his residence.

Mr. Kyson was born Saturday, November 17, 1934 in Winnfield, Louisiana, he was preceded in death by his parents, Wade Kyson and Edna Parker Kyson, and his son, Dieter Kyson. He was a member of Zion Baptist Church in Georgetown, the Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association, and the Winn Riding Club and was retired from the Louisiana Department of Transportation after 35 years.

Those left to cherish his memory include his loving wife of 58 years, Helga Rogge Kyson; his brother, Bobby L. Kyson (Faye) of Sulphur; his sister, Bonnie Kyson Lewis of Georgetown; a host of nieces and nephews; and two great nieces Magan and Lindsey Jordan

Funeral services were held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, March 3, 2019 at Zion Baptist Church with Rev. Vernon Blair and Rev. Bobby Bates officiating. Interment followed in Zion Cemetary, in Georgetown.

Mary Ruth Gorham, age 59 of Joyce, Louisiana passed away on Monday, February 25, 2019 at Rapides Regional Medical Center following a lengthy illness.

She was a member of Old Union Baptist Church and a homemaker. Mrs. Gorham was the daughter of the late Murle Walter McNeece Sr. and the late Dorothy May Greer McNeece. She was also preceded in death by her father and mother in law Rev. James Gorham Sr. and Beatrice Vines Gorham, as well as three brothers Marion McNeece, Murle Walter McNeece, Jr. and Walter McNeece.

Mrs. Gorham leaves to cherish her memory her loving husband James R. Gorham, Jr., son Sidney Gorham (Penny), daughter April Admire (Michael), Heather Stewart (Landon), and Dorothy Catlin (Dustin), brothers Bob McNeece, and Murle Ray McNeece, sisters Linda Clem and Shirley Dawson, 9 wonderful grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.