Ouachita County Louisiana Archives Obituaries.....LESTER, MATTIE LOU OLIVER November 29, 2008 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Gina Brown ancestry_helper@yahoo.com December 3, 2008, 4:01 am News Star World - December 3, 2008 MRS. MATTIE LOU OLIVER LESTER Kilpatrick Funeral Home West Monroe, LA Funeral services for Mrs. Mattie Lou Oliver Lester, age 98, of West Monroe, will be held at 10:00 A.M., Thursday, December 4, 2008, at the First Baptist Church Sanctuary in West Monroe. Officiating will be Dr. David Uth, Dr. Dennis Swanberg, Dr. John Avant and Pastor Mark Fenn. Interment will follow at Hasley Cemetery under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Homes of West Monroe. She was born on December 25, 1909, and went home to be with her Lord on November 29, 2008. She was preceded in death by her husband, AJ Lester; parents, Jim and Molly Oliver; daughter, Gerry Vineyard; sister, Lela Beall; brothers, Enis Oliver and Billy Oliver; and half sister, Curtis Mike. Survivors include daughter, Louise Miller and husband, Hugh; 6 grandchildren, Bill Norris and wife, Polly, Jim Norris and wife, Charrissa, Lisa Thibodeaux and husband, Joey, William Vineyard and wife, Roxanne, Lori Garner and Elizabeth Vineyard; 13 great grandchildren, Erin Norris, Will Norris, Maggie Davis, Clay Norris, Jake Norris, Madi Norris, Brett Norris, Ashley Thibodeaux, Ryan Thibodeaux, Alex Vineyard, Charlie Garner, Samantha Garner and Autleigh Vineyard, and nieces, Linda Shamburger and Jeanette Tubbs; and many "adopted" children and grandchildren. Mattie Lou was fondly known to her grandchildren as "Big Mama". She was a longtime member of Bobashela's Book Club, an honorary lifetime member of the Glenwood Auxillary, and an avid West Monroe Rebel fan. She enjoyed listening to her grandsons, Bill and Jim, broadcast the Rebel games on the radio. She was a faithful member of First Baptist Church of West Monroe for over 75 years, where she served as a Sunday school teacher, WMU Leader, and also served on numerous church committees. Her great passion was for carrying out The Great Commission in which Jesus mandated Christians to spread the gospel to all nations. Her love and dedication for the Lord, her family, her church, her pastors, and others was evident to all who came in contact with her. Her life on earth can be summed up in Paul's words in II Timothy 4: 7-8, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith, now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge will award to me on that day and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." Pallbearers will be Jim Norris, William Vineyard, Bill Norris, Will Norris, Joey Thibodeaux, Ryan Thibodeaux, Charlie Garner, Alex Vineyard, and Dr. Andrew Pollard. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Bill Ferguson, Randolph Cage, Charles Jackson, Ronnie Green, Russell Hart, Johnnie Wilbanks, Dr. Steve Carter, Craig Pate, Dick Howard, Mayor Dave Norris, Richard Bradley, Jimmy Cloessner, Joe Thomas, and Richard Gates. Visitation will be 5:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M., Wednesday, December 3, 2008, at Kilpatrick Funeral Homes of West Monroe. Memorials in Mattie Lou Oliver Lester's honor may be made to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, the Louisiana Baptist Children's Home, and the Missions Program at First Baptist Church of West Monroe. The family expresses its deepest gratitude to the staff at Rosemont Assisted Living, especially Joan Brown, for the love and care they showed to "Big Mama". Online condolence messages may be sent to the family at www.kilpatrickfuneral homes.com. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/ouachita/obits/l/lester2313gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/lafiles/ File size: 4.0 Kb