Obituaries - Kentwood News-Ledger, May 7, 2003 to May 28, 2003; Tangipahoa Parish, LA. Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Christine Shannon, May, 2003 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ May 7, 2003 Kentwood News Ledger There are no obituaries in the newspaper this week. May 14, 2003 Kentwood News Ledger Daniel Ray Alessi Daniel Ray Alessi died Friday, May 2, 2003 at his residence, from complications to cancer. He was 50, a native of Independence and a resident of Hammond. Religious services were held at Harry McKneely and Son Funeral Home in Hammond, interment at Stevens Cemetery in Independence. He is survived by a son, Daniel R. Alessi Jr.; his mother, Gloria Brabham Alessi; four sisters, Gloria A. Magee and Marie A. Smith, all of Hammond, Alisa A. Fussell, Springfield and Cindy A. Adams, Holden; four brothers, Joseph C. and Burnell T. Alessi, Independence, Gene J. Alessi Jr., Hammond, Jeffery L. Alessi, Kentwood; an aunt, Doris Smith, Hammond; an uncle, Huey "Buster" Brabham, Kentwood; numerous nephews, nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces. He was preceded in death by his father, Gene J. Alessi; paternal grandparents, Joe and Linnie Alessi and maternal grandparents, James and Bessie Brabham. George W. Bedsole George W. Bedsole died at 5:45pm on Friday, May 2, 2003. He was 83, a native of Slocomb, Ala and a resident of Hammond. He retired from the Department Head Emeritus of Sociology, Social Welfare and as a Criminal Justice and Professor Emeritus of Sociology, from SLU. He was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII. He accepted a teaching position at SLU and taught there for 38 years. He retired in 1983 after serving as Department Head for fifteen years. He worked diligently to establish the Criminal Justice and Social Welfare programs at SLU and was proud of the national recognition these programs and the many graduates brought to SLU. Throughout his tenure at SLU he taught not only Sociology, but Geography, Economics and graduate courses in the department. His Criminology classes looked forward to their annual visit to Angola to see the facility first hand. He was a former member of Pi Gramma Mu, the Southern Sociological Society, the Southeast Division of the Association of American Geographers, a member of the Capital Area Agency on Aging during its first year, an honorary charter member of the Louisiana Sheriffs' Association, and an honorary member of the Blue Knights of America. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Hammond. Religious services were held at Harry McKneely and Son in Hammond conducted by Dr. Wen Welford and Dr. George Hess, He is survived by his wife Cecil Reinken Bedsole; a daughter and son-in-saw, Robert G and Brenda Bedsole of Baton Rouge; a nephew, Alan Bedsole, of Amite and Robert L. Bedsole and his wife, Krispin, of Baton Rouge; five grandchildren, Michael and Robert W. Ricks, Amite, Rachel, Laura and Joseph B Bedsole of Baton Rouge; a nephew, Hubert Woods Jr. and his wife Bille of Lake Charles ; and two nieces Jan Woods Gray and her husband Bob of Lake Charles and Betty Sue Rash and her husband, Bobby of Slocomb, Ala. He was preceded in death by his parents, G.W. and Bannie McKnight Bedsole; a sister, Blanche Bedsole Woods and two brothers, Vergil Lee and Wilmer Bedsole. He died of complications from Alzheimer's. Pauline Odum Pauline Odum died at 10:40pm on Tuesday, May 6, 2003, at North Oaks Medical Center in Hammond. She was 689, a native of Baton Rouge and a resident of Greensburg. She was a housewife. Religious services were held at McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, conducted by Rev. Danny Smith, interment in Pine Hill Cemetery, Arcola. She is survived by her husband, Robert D. Odum; three daughters, Mary Dover, both of Greensburg, Frances Burcham, Corinth, MS, Del Marie Howell, Clinton; two sons, Tony Bennett, Kentwood and Joey Bennett, Roseland; a brother, Joseph W. Wilson, Missouri; 13 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a son, Johnny Bennett and a granddaughter, Sebrina Burcham. Wednesday, May 21, 2003 Kentwood News Ledger Robert B. Britton Robert B. (Bob) (Daddy Bob) Britton died Saturday, May 10, 2003 at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson. He was 89, a native of Russellville, Ala., and a resident of Jackson, MS. Religious services were held at Ott and Lee Funeral Home in Brandon, interment in East Fork Baptist Church Cemetery in Kentwood, conducted by Rev. Robert Lee and Rev. Danny Smith. He is survived by his wife, Trenia Alford, Jackson, MS; his children, Susan B. Pennell, Long Beach, Ms., and Scott R. Britton, Jackson; step-children, Tammy Lee, Alabama and Shane Langston, Pearl; grandchildren, Tara Chez, Katie Leigh and Devin Reade Britton. He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Aldo and Annie Gardner Britton. Pallbearers were Paul Montjoy, Minor Buchanan, Guy Buckley, Darwin Givens, Shane Langston and Mike Woodruft. Louisiana Sheriffs' Association and an honorary member of the Blue Knights of America (sic). He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Hammond. Religious services were held at Harry McKneely and Son in Hammond conducted by Dr. Win Welford and Dr. George Hess, He is survived by his wife Cecil Reinken Bedsole; a daughter and son-in-law, Robert G and Brenda Bedsole Ricks, Amite; two sons, G. Alan Bedsole, of Amite and Robert L. Bedsole and his wife, Krispin, of Baton Rouge; five grandchildren, Michael and Robert W. Ricks, Amite, Rachel, Laura, and Joseph Bedsole of Baton Rouge; a nephew, Hubert Woods Jr. and his wife Bille of Lake Charles; and two nieces Jan Woods Gray and her husband Bob of Lake Charles and Betty Sue Rash and her husband, Bobby of Slocomb, Ala. He was preceded in death by his parents, G.W. and Bannie McKnight Bedsole; a sister, Blanche Bedsole Woods and two brothers, Vergil Lee and Wilmer Bedsole. He died of complications from Alzheimer's. (I realize this obit seems to be a combination of two, but I have transcribed it just as it appears in the newspaper.) Katie Ethel Castello Katie Ethel Castello died at 7:42 p.m. on Saturday, May 10, 2003 at North Oaks Medical Center in Hammond. She was 82, a native of Ethel and a resident of Kentwood. She was a homemaker. Religious services were held at Spring Creek Baptist Church, Spring Creek, conducted by Rev. Danny Smith and Rev. Eric Latham, interment in the church cemetery. She is survived by a sister, Babe Ruth Warren, El Paso, TX; a brother, Thomas E. Castello, Roswell, NM; numerous other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her mother, Elivah Wall Castello; a sister, Annie I. Beck and her grandparents, Marcus and Dolly Wall. Wednesday, May 28, 2003 Kentwood News Ledger Gracie Arlene Biddix Mahaffey Gracie Arlene Biddix Mahaffey, died Sunday, May 18, 2003 at Baton Rouge General in Baton Rouge. She was 89, a resident of Baton Rouge and a native of Mt. Herman. She was a homemaker. Religious services were held at Seale Funeral home in Denham Springs, interment at Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery in Liberty, MS. She is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Violet and J.D. Hunt, Kentwood and Gladys Arlene and Michael Foster, Baton Rouge; two step-daughters, Mary B. Napeir, and Margie Day; two step-sons, C.T. and Roy Mahaffey; three grandchildren, Rose H. Marez and Mark and Moses Hunt; nine great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Daniel Mahaffey; her parents, William Harvey and Laura Ledford Biddix; and a step-son, J.D. Mahaffey. She was a longtime member of Bogue Chitto Baptist Church, near Mt. Hermon. Smiley "Oliver" Seals Smiley "Oliver" Seals died at 9:55 p. m. on Sunday, May 18, 2003 at his residence. He was 39, a resident of Wilmer and a native of New Orleans. He was a dairy farmer. Religious services were held at McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, conducted by Rev. David Cutrer, interment in the Corkern Cemetery, Amite. He is survived by his wife, Tawan L. Seals; two step-sons, Christopher Ard and Kody Love, all of Wilmer; a brother, Winston Seals and his father, Smiley A. "Bud" Seals, both of Kentwood. He was preceded in death by his mother, Argie Seals. Robert B. Britton Robert B. (Bob) (Daddy Bob) Britton died Saturday, May 10, 2003 at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson. He was 89, a native of Russellville, Ala., and a resident of Jackson, MS. Religious services were held at Ott and Lee Funeral Home in Brandon, interment in East Fork Baptist Church Cemetery in Kentwood, conducted by Rev. Robert Lee and Rev. Danny Smith. He is survived by his wife, Trenia Alford, Jackson, MS; his children, Susan B. Pennell, Long Beach, Ms., and Scott R. Britton, Jackson; step-children, Tammy Lee, Alabama and Shane Langston, Pearl; grandchildren, Tara Chez, Katie Leigh and Devin Reade Britton. He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Aldo and Annie Gardner Britton. Pallbearers were Paul Montjoy, Minor Buchanan, Guy Buckley, Darwin Givens, Shane Langston and Mike Woodruft.