Ouachita Parish Obituaries            

Mr. W. A. Rutledge, 82, of Portland died Friday, January 21, 2000, at the Beverly Health Care Center in Hamburg. A native of West Monroe, LA, he was a resident of the Aulds community outside Portland since 1937 when he and his father homesteaded the family home place. He was a retired farmer and pipeline welder and an U. S. Army Medical Corps veteran of World War II. A member of the Aulds Baptist Church and the Pipeliners Union 798, he was preceded in death by his parents, William and Ara Armstrong Rutledge; a brother, Erskin Rutledge; and two sisters, Repta Tippen and Leola Davis. Survivors include his wife, Evelyn Baumann Rutledge; a son, William "Willie" Rutledge, Jr.; a brother, Roy Hill Rutledge; a sister, Elizabeth Bozeman Hamilton, all of Portland; and a grandson, Josh Hammond of Little Rock. Funeral services were at 10 a.m. Monday, January 24, in the Aulds Baptist Church with Revs. Ray Williams and E. W. Ricks officiating. Pallbearers were George Bozeman, David Ponder, Jake Gay, Donald M. Bozeman, and Bruce and John Paul Rutledge. Honorary pallbearers were Jeremy Dalton, Justin and Josh Carpenter, Leroy Matthews and George and David Rutledge. Burial followed services at 3 p.m. Monday in the New Sardis Cemetery in West Monroe, directed by Jones Funeral Home of Hamburg. submitted by K Torp

MRS. ARVELLA CORNELIA McCOY DUNCAN BROWN Miller Funeral Home Monroe, LA

Arvella Cornelia McCoy was born March 20, 1940 to John McCoy and Hazel Ellis McCoy in Monroe, Louisiana- She was lovingly called "T" Vella by her nieces and nephews, and "Vella" by her friends. At an early age she united with the First Baptist Church and was baptized under the leadership of Rev. P.C. Keals.

She attended elementary school at Monroe Colored High and was a 1957 graduate of Carroll High School. At the age of thirteen, Arvella began her musical career as pianist for the Sunday school and Baptist Training Union of First Baptist Church and continued to assist with the music for more than twenty years. She also served as musician for several churches in Monroe and the surrounding areas.

Upon graduation from high school, Arvella matriculated at Southern University for three years and graduated from Grambling College.

She received a 8.5. Degree in Music Education, the Master of Music Education plus thirty hours above the master's degree from Northeast Louisiana University and thirty additional hours in the "PJPS" program. On January 4, 1970, she was united in marriage to Leo Franklin Duncan.

Her teaching career included Lincoln, Richland, and Ouachita parishes, and in 1986 she retired from the Ouachita Parish School System after twenty-one years of teaching experience. Alter retirement she opened her music studio and taught many students piano and voice..

Arvella was a woman who believed in doing the will of God rather than man, and denied herself for her family, friends, and anyone she felt was in need. What she believed, she believed with all of her bean, mind and soul - and part of that was "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," and "Cast thy bread upon the waters and in a few days it will return unto you." Arvella lived to see many of her good deeds returned. Arvella meant so much to so many people.

She was a member of the National Association of University Women, United Methodist Women, musician for Church Women United, The United Methodist Women Organization. The Willing Workers Mission Circles and The Barker-Palmer Mission Circle, She was musician for St. James United Methodist Church for twenty-four years.

On March 5, 1999, she was united in marriage to Ernest Cleotha Brown.

She was preceded in death by her grandmother, Mrs. Lizzie Brownfield Ellis; her mother, Mrs. Hazel Ellis McCoy; two brothers, Henry Lee McCoy and Howard Alan Ellis; one sister. Martha Ann Harden; two aunts, Willie Ellis Anderson and Sarah Frances Berry; one uncle, Dave L. Ellis; and one nephew, Reginald E, Kelson.

She leaves to cherish her memories, a loving husband, Ernest C. Brown; a sister, Dr. Sarah Louise Abakwue; three nieces; Syntyche G. Jones, Sarah G. Williams, and Arvella LaShea Harden; a nephew, Joe N. Harden; two great nephews; one great niece; a devoted cousin, Joyce Clark Johnson; and many other cousins and friends.

Funeral services will be held on Monday January 2, 2006 at Miller Funeral Home with Rev. A.J. Mansfield, Pastor officiating.

 Former Monroe Mayor W.L. "Jack" Howard remembered Dakin as "a very nice young man who had be ability to evaluate two problems at the same time and come to a logical conclusion on both. I liked him very much. I was very impressed and knew that he had a good solid future."

 Dakin returned from active duty overseas with the U.S. Army and worked for the Morning World and The Ruston Daily Leader. He joined the Montgomery Advertiser in June 1968 as a political reporter. After four years, he joined The Atlanta Constitution and concentrated on governmental and political writing.

For several years, he served as defacto chief of staff for the speaker of the house in Georgia. Robert A. (Bob) Lee, a close friend and a colleague of Dakin's when he worked in Monroe, said, "Gone and Milo do not work in the same sentence." He said he, like Dakin's family and friends, was shocked at Dakin's sudden demise. Lee pointed to a portion of a remembrance of Dakin written by his wife Betsy as capturing the essence of the newsman-lobbyist: "Those of you who were his friends know that he had a capacity to value each of you and to treasure your friendship and every aspect thereof. He had a great capacity to remember every detail of every experience you had. Your relationship and your interactions became a part of who he was." Dakin left the Constitution in 1974 to join the office of Georgia Speaker of the House Tom Murphy, becoming the speaker's public information officer and chief of staff. "He was smart, articulate and knew politics better than any man I ever knew," Murphy said. "He just knew people and kept up with what was going on." He continued his career in politics and government affairs after returning to Montgomery with his family in 1978. He became a fixture in Alabama and Georgia politics, and his firm, the Dakin Group, spread its influence in state capitals throughout the Southeast and in Washington, D.C.

Dakin, who was born in Grant Parish near Fish Creek, was interested in photography, conservation, white-water rafting and pheasant hunting. He loved collecting antiques and was intrigued by culinary delights. Dakin had a near-photographic memory, and he never missed an opportunity to regale family and friends with stories and histories of a bygone era, often taking them to remote parts of the country to share all of these interests. "He was a font of information on the widest variety of subjects imaginable," said public relations consultant David Morrison of Alpharetta, Ga. "You could not name a battleground in the Indian wars that Milo hadn't visited, many of them unmarked, on private property, that he tracked down on old War Department maps." Visitation will be from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. today at Leak-Memory Funeral Home in Montgomery.

The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Frazier Methodist Church. The family said donations are welcome to Brantwood's Children's Home in Montgomery or to Hospice of Montgomery. Survivors are his widow, the former Betsy Hodde of Montgomery a son, William Paul Hodde Dakin of Ruston, a daughter, Dana Kimberlie Dakin Hill and son-in-law, Al Hill, both of Montgomery, and two grandchildren, Dakin and Will Braden Hill. He also is survived by a sister, Loretta O'Bannon, Escatawpa, Miss., and a brother, Russell Dakin, of Pensacola, Fla. Pallbearers will be Robert A. Lee, A.B. Little Jr., David West, Milton McGregor, Mac Parsons, Craig Ford, Michael Sullivan, Scott Crompton, Dave Moore and Tom Coker.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution contributed to this report. Highlights Stories Milo Dakin covered during his newspaper career in Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia included: ·

Civil rights activist H. Rap Brown's Bogalusa-to-Baton Rouge march. ·Search in 1964 for three missing civil rights workers near Philadelphia, Miss. · Failure of Mafia boss Carlos Marcello to influence elections in northern Louisiana. ·1968 third party presidential bid of Alabama Gov. George Wallace. ·Destruction of Louisiana KKK by a police infiltrator. ·1972 presidential primaries from Florida to Michigan. · 1972 Democratic and Republican national conventions. · Hurricane Camille in Mississippi.

J. Michael Hart, 57, attorney passed away on Tuesday, December 27, 2005. Memorial services will be held on Tuesday, January 3, 2006, at 3:00 P.M. at First Baptist Church West Monroe with Dr. David Uth and Rev. Scotty Sanders officiating. Visitation will be from 1:30 until time of the service at the church.

Mike was born in Monroe on March 21, 1948 and spent most of his life here. He graduated from Louisiana Tech and LSU Law School and successfully practiced law for over thirty years in Monroe. During that time, Mike's greatest fulfillment came from the fact that his clients became his friends. The outpouring of love and support from these many friends was a great comfort to him and his family during his illness.

An avid outdoorsman, Mike instilled a love of the outdoors and its offerings in his family. He found great comfort and spirituality in nature and blessed many with that same peace.

Mike is survived by his wife and best friend, Linda, by his children Michael and Megan Hart of San Marcos, Texas and Molly and Steve Keene of Carrollton, Texas. He is also survived by his mother, Mary Savage Hart, brothers Gary Hart and wife Jan of Tucson, Arizona and Mark Hart and wife Margaret of Danville, California, sister Mary Ann Dade and husband Steve of Bastrop, Louisiana, and several nieces and nephews. He also became a special part of Linda's family and became a beloved part of the "Dixon clan." He also leaves his special family, Sharon Marchman and husband David, Merrell Ingram, and a very special grandchild, Michael Marchman.

The family wants to offer heartfelt thanks to all those who have blessed us during this time. We especially thank his great friends, Robert Bridewell, Stanley Palowsky, and Dr. Rahn Sherman who provided him with so much comfort and love: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." A special thanks goes to Dr. Gary Jones and to Dr. Anil Nanda, whose great compassion and care will never be forgotten, and to Shannon, Ami, and Alberta.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Brain Tumor Foundation, St. Jude's Hospital, MedCamp, or a charity of your choice.

Mr. Hill enlisted in the United States Navy in 1940, he served as a radio officer on Carriers in the Pacific Ocean during World War II and was awarded several bronze stars, ribbons and numerous other commendations for the many campaigns he participated in.

Mr. Hill was an executive electrical engineer from 1947 to 1973 for Litton Industries

Mr. Hill was an executive electrical engineer from 1947 to 1973 for Litton Industries of New York and several of its subsidiaries. He was an integral part in the design of many of the early cutting edge communication developments in radio and facsimile devices. He also held many patents related to the communication field and has written several papers on the subject. In 1976 he worked for the State of Vermont's Fire Protection Department in Montpelier, where he reviewed plans, designed and monitored many safety systems for fire prevention, until his retirement in 1989.

Mr. Hill had been married to, Anita Steiges. He married Barbara MacDonald in Croton Falls, NY on July 14, 1973.

Mr. Hill was a member of the American Legion Post 63 in Northfield. He enjoyed scuba diving, astronomy, gardening and the exploration of the sciences.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara of Northfield; one sister, Edna Bamburg of Louisiana; four grandchildren, Renee Hill, Brandon Hill both of Maryland, Dawn Marie Jensen of Minnesota, Ashley Hill of California; and several nieces and nephews.

He is predeceased by his first wife, Anita; two sons, Ronald & Christopher Hill; and one brother, Fred Hill.

Survivors include her daughter, Julia E. Hamilton and son-in-law Patrick D. Hamilton of Corinth, Texas; sister Minta B. Gresham (Gene) of Huntsville, Alabama; one grandchild, Renee A. Jenkins (Mark) and one great grandchild, David, of Mt. Prospect, Illinois. Visitation hours will be at 1:00 P.M on Friday, February 23, followed by funeral services at 2:00 P.M., at the Harris Funeral Home Chapel in Morrilton, Arkansas. Burial will be at the Huie Cemetery in Clinton, Arkansas.

Memorial services for Mr. Robert B. Martin, 66, of West Monroe, LA, will be held on Monday, January 2nd, 2006, at 1:00PM in the chapel of Kilpatrick Funeral Home of West Monroe.

Mr. Martin was born February 13th, 1939, in Dothan, AL, and passed away on Thursday, December 29th, 2005, in Monroe, LA.

A retired food broker in the grocery distribution industry, Mr. Martin was a member of the Magnolia Masonic Lodge in Blakely, GA, and was of the Presbyterian faith.

Survivors include his beloved wife, Wanda Martin; his daughter, Dee Dee (Randal) Mize of Copperas Cove, TX; his son, Brett (Diane Allen) Martin of Downsville; two grandsons, Mason Tyler and Joshua Alan Mize, both of Copperas Cove, TX; his sister, Berriene Martin of Rye, CO; his sister-in-law, Dynva Martin of Cedar Springs, GA; and three nieces and a nephew.

A gathering of family and friends of Mr. Martin will be held from 11:00AM until service time on Monday at Kilpatrick Funeral Home of West Monroe.

 Funeral services for Mrs. Jane McComb Masters were held in Clinton, Missouri on July 5, 2005 at 2:00 o'clock in the afternoon with the Rev. Randy Shipman officiating. Burial followed in the Englewood Cemetery.

She was preceded in death by her father, Reverend Paul McComb and infant sister, Linda Marie McComb.

Survivors include her husband of 43 years, Dr. Ronald E. Master; mother, Dorsie McComb; two sister Myra Porter and her husband Harry L. Porter, Joyce Howell and her husband Billy F. Howell, all from Monroe, Louisiana; four daughters, Cathy Norris and her husband Scott of Birmingham, Alabama, Karen Singleton and her husband Michael of West Monroe, Louisiana, Connie Cook and her husband Mark of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Kimberly Wilkinson and her husband Daniel of Temple, Texas; one son, Craig Masters and his wife Heidi of Kansas City, Missouri; and eight grandchildren.

Mrs. Masters grew up in Monroe, Louisiana where she graduated from Ouachita Parish High School in 1959. She earned a degree in English Education from the University of Missouri at Columbia in 1963. She resided in Northport, Alabama from 1981 to 1990 where she was a member of Flatwoods Baptist Church. There she participated in the church choir and volunteered in many ways, including using her considerable talent for sewing to design and construct Christmas robes for the entire children's choir.

Always a gifted teacher, she taught youth Sunday school, children's Bible school, and church-wide adult mission studies. Throughout her illness of five years, she maintained a gracious attitude and an abiding faith in her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. she was ever a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, and she will be greatly missed.

Pallbearers will be her sons-in-laws: Michael Singleton, Larry S. Norris, Mark Cook and Daniel Wilkinson.

Funeral services for Mr. William Larry Simpson, of Denham Springs, formerly of Monroe, will be held at 7:30 p.m., Monday, January 2, 2006, in Baton Rouge, at Rabenhorst Funeral Home East. Interment will be under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home of Monroe, with graveside services being held at 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, January 4, at Memorial Park Cemetery in Monroe.

Mr. Simpson was born December 19, 1945, in Monroe, Louisiana. He passed away December 31, 2005, at his residence.

He is survived by his beloved wife of forty years, Sally Wing Simpson, formerly of Monroe; three sons and daughters-in-law: Bill and Natalie Simpson, Matthew and Kim Simpson, Brian and Amanda Simpson, of Baton Rouge; granddaughters, Madison, Caroline, and Morgan; parents, Bill and Marie Simpson, of Monroe; sister and brother-in-law, Janie and Norman Fortenberry, of Shreveport, and beloved cat, Token.

He is preceded in death by an infant son, Jonathan, and brother, Clifford.

Larry was a Senior Piping Designer with Spectrum Engineering in Denham Springs. He was an avid hunter, fisherman, talented woodworker, and loyal LSU fan. He was devoted to his family, and was an inspiration to all who knew him.

 VICTOR LEE STROZIER, SR. Victor Lee Strozier, Sr., age 95, of Gulf Breeze, passed away Friday, April 27, 2007. He was born on the banks of the Ouachita River near Monroe, Louisiana. A lifelong adventurer, Mr. Strozier travelled the rails as a young man then joined the Army to see the world. While in the Army, he was in the 33rd Infantry Division at the Panama Canal Zone, and transferred to the 556th Medical Battalion during World War II. He switched to the Air Force and served as a photo interpreter during the Korean War. He met his bride, Alice Grissop, while stationed in South Carolina and together they toured the United States. After 23 years in the Air Force and Army, Mr. Strozier retired to Gulf Breeze in 1960 where he became a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church. He loved God, his country, and his family, and enjoyed gardening, delivering his tomatoes, and watching Bill O'Reilly.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 51 years, Alice, in 1993. He is survived by his son, Victor, Jr., and his wife, Kelly, of Gulf Breeze, and grandchildren, Jarrod and Shelsea Gruber of Pensacola, and Lauren Gruber of Gulf Breeze, and many nieces and nephews in Gulf Breeze.

A graveside service will be held Monday, April 30, 3:00, at Rose Lawn Cemetery in Gulf Breeze. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the First Baptist Church of Gulf Breeze.

Monroe, Louisiana

Services for Mr. Paul Standley Ransom of Monroe, LA will be held at 2:00 PM Monday, January 10, 2005 at the First United Methodist Church on Loop Road in Monroe, LA with Reverends Terry Love and Larry Stafford officiating. Prior to this service, interment will be in the Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home Sterlington Road Monroe.

Mr. Ransom was born on October 4, 1924, and passed away at his home on January 8, 2005. He graduated from Ouachita Parish High School in Monroe and attended Northeast Junior College, now the University of Louisiana at Monroe. He graduated from Louisiana States University in Agricultural Economics. Mr. Ransom enlisted in the Army Air Corps and served a tour of duty in World War II in Burma, where he flew the Himalayan Hump as a ball turret gunner. He was selected to fly medicine to the Dali Lama. For most of his life, Mr. Ransom farmed in Ouachita Parish, producing cotton, rice, soybeans, and Ransom Sweets (Onions). He also raised cattle. Mr. Ransom was a dynamic civic leader, not only locally but also at the state and national levels. He was Past President of the Monroe Jaycees; Past President of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce; a member of the Monroe Rotary Club; Past President of the Ouachita Parish Farm Bureau; served on the Board of Directors of Central Bank and First Commerce Bank; served on the Board of Directors of Union Oil Mill; and was co-owner of Bayou Gin. Mr. Ransom served on the Board of Gulf South Research Institute for design of the Louisiana Superdome, he served on the Board of Directors of the Cattleman's Association and served as First Vice President of the Louisiana Farm Bureau from 1963-1994. He was a member of the National Cattleman's Association and the National Cotton Council. He was elected to serve as a delegate on the board of Cotton Incorporated, the governing body of cotton farmers in the United States for research and marketing. Mr. Ransom enjoyed people and had many varied interests. He was a dedicated duck hunter whose expertise was duck calling, though he turned to salt water fishing later in life. He was a lifelong tennis player. He was famous for his barbecue. He also enjoyed meeting every Wednesday for lunch with the Old Boys, his good friends from high school. He was a member of the Phi Kappa Fraternity, President of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and President of Monroe Educational Foundation at River Oaks School. Mr. Ransom was a member of the Men's Bible Class at First United Methodist Church in Monroe.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Ransom, a pioneer family of Monroe and West Monroe and a uncle, John Clement Ransom.

A dedicated husband, father, and brother, Mr. Ransom is survived by his, wife Adele; his son, Burg Waddill Ransom and his wife, Carol; one sister, Jo Ann Pipes and husband, Dick; one niece, Nancy Bancroft and husband, Speed; and three nephews, Ransom Pipes, Richard Pipes, and Wesley Pipes.

Honorary Pallbearers are the members of the Old Boys, Carl Tidwell, Gene Worthen, Robert Wood, B.K. Fluker, Ben Marshall; members of the Men's Bible Class; Charles Venable, Sam Rubin, Phillip Wemple, Sal Pettito, Beto Nawas, Johnny Gunter, C.R. Russell and Nathaniel Reed.

Visitation will be from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM Sunday January 9, 2005 at Mulhearn Funeral Home Sterlington Road Monroe.

Memorials may be made to the River Oaks School or to First United Methodist Church on Loop Road in Monroe.

ROBERT WAYNE VEACH Kilpatrick Funeral Home

West Monroe, Louisiana

Graveside services for Robert W. Veach 40 of Pensacola, Florida will be 2:00PM Tuesday, November 9, 2004. Interment will be Twin Cities Memorial Gardens, West Monroe, Louisiana.

Mr. Veach was born November 5, 1963 in Los Angeles, California and passed away November 2, 2004 in Pensacola, Florida.

Mr. Veach is survived by his parents; Robert and Nelda Veach; three children: Jacob Wayne Veach, Jessica Ann Veach, Rebecca Sue Veach; seven brothers and sisters: Mike Veach, Dennis Veach, Donnie Veach and wife Rose, Shane Veach, Cheryl Veach, Kim Veach, Daryl Veach and wife Kaye; numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be Tuesday 10:00 AM until 12 Noon Tuesday, November 9, 2004 at Kilpatrick Funeral Home, West Monroe, Louisiana.

                                                                                             

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