Obit: Lavara Blanche Garris Love, "Granny Love", 1999, Lincoln Parish, LA Submitted by: Dorothy Rinehart Taylor, 111 Racove Drive, West Monroe, LA 71291 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** The Ruston Daily Leader, Sunday, October 10, 1999 3A Lavara Blanche Garris Love, "Granny Love" Funeral services for Lavara Blanche Garris Love,"Granny Love," 98, of Ruston, La., will be at 10 a.m., Monday, October 11, 1999 at Owens Memorial Chapel, Ruston, La., with Bob Swain and Rev. Byrd Terry officiating. Burial will be in the Wesley Chapel Cemetery, under the direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home. Visitation will be 5:00 p.m. until 8 p.m., Sunday at the funeral home. Mrs. Love died Friday, October 8, 1999, at Alpine Nursing Home in Ruston. She was born January 3, 1901, to Alexander Mostilla and Matilda Elizabeth Garris, in Union Parish. On December 12, 1920, she married James Furman Love and became the proud mother of eight children. She felt that one of her greatest personal achievements was to correctly spell 500 words to win a spelling bee when she was 15 years old, however, she will best be remembered for her love and unselfish service to others. She loved to share the beauty of nature with others by arranging flowers from her garden for weddings, showers, parties, and church services on a weekly basis. She gave generously of delicious fruits, vegetables, and dairy products that she had raised in her garden and produced on her farm. Hundreds of Louisiana Tech students shared the home of "Granny Love" for parties and sing-a-longs. Some even stayed the entire school year. No one ever left her home hungry. She was known for sending thousands of cards and letters to people all over the world. She received recognition in national magazines for sending these notes of hope and cheer to those she knew and to hundreds that she had never met. She enjoyed being outside, gardening, fishing, and even hunting those pesky armadillos that got into her flowerbeds. She was ac- tive and able to take care of her home and gardens until she was 92 years old. As a resident at Alpine nursing home, she continued to bring cheer to others and brighten one's day with a smile. She welcomed the opportunity to learn something new through her hobby of reading and continued to educate herself throughout her life. She instilled in her children an appreciation for education and provided the opportunity for five out of eight children to graduate from college which was rare at that time. She also was delighted to have the opportunity to travel to England and all over the United States. She was active in the community Home Demonstration Club. As a skillful seamstress, she shared her talent by making clothes and many gifts for others. She was a wonderful cook and loved to ex- periment with new recipes and feed her friends and family. She was a member of the Ruston Church of Christ, and had a strong faith in God. What a most wonderful woman! She was" Granny Love" to all who knew her and she has truly lived up to her name. What an inspiration you have been to us all - we will always remember and try to follow your wonderful example of a Christ-like life. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Furman Love; two brothers, Olby C. Garris and Carl Garris; a sister, Eula Rea; two sons, Victor Love and Olby Lee Love; and a daughter, Annie Inez Love. She is survived by three daughters, Floyce Idelle Torrey and Robert H. Torrey of Lake Placid, Fla.; Norma Jean Martin and W. E. Martin of Ruston; Martha Nellwyn Smith of Castor, La.; two sons George Allen Love and Truena R. Love of Ruston; Don W. Love and Alice Hood Love of Ruston; two daughters-in-law, Jeanne A. Love of Ruston; and Melba W. Love of Minden, and two brothers, Milton Garris and Betty Jane Garris of Farmerville; Erroll Garris and Mona Garris of Farmerville; two sisters, Ruby Garris Rogers and George R. Rogers of Farmerville; Rosa Belle Aulds; and a sister-in-law, Bessie L. Garris; 19 grandchildren, 45 great- grandchildren, 5 great-great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.