Bogalusa Daily News (5-24-2003) Obits, Washington, LA submitted by: Bonnie Dier ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ Willie Lois Jefferson (Died May 17, 2003) ANGIE n Willie Lois Jefferson, 70, a resident of Angie, died Saturday. She served as Sunday school teacher for Class Number Seven at Center Baptist Missionary Baptist Church, as well as church clerk, announcement clerk, senior mission, Bible teacher, BTU class leader for the adult class, and prayer meeting secretary. For a number of years she served as vice-president and president of the Second Springhill District Convention for the Women's Department. Survivors include two daughters, Judy Robinson of Angie and Lois (John) Franklin of Houston, Texas; three sons, Eddie (Nert) Jefferson of Angie, Morris (Sugarman) Jefferson Sr., and Richard (Linda) Stallworth, all of Houston; a godson, Johnny (Fat Arlene) Weary of Varnado; 14 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; three sisters, Mary Dedeaux, Stella Jackson, both of St. Louis, MO, and Betty Lewis of Three Rivers, MS; a brother, Willie Don Stallworth of Lawton, OK; and many special friends, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Josephine Fredrick Smith and Will Stallworth; two daughters, Jackie Stallworth and Shirley Johnson; a son, Bobby Stallworth; three brothers; three sisters; and a stepmother. Visitation will be held tomorrow at Crain and Sons Funeral Home in Bogalusa from 2-4:30 p.m. A wake will follow at Center Baptist Missionary Baptist Church in Angie from 7-9 p.m. The funeral service will be held at the church Saturday at 1 p.m. and will be officiated by the Rev. Sidney Jones. Interment will be in the Robinson Cemetery in Varnado. Lewis Oliver 'L.O.' Lane Jr. (Died May 20, 2003) FRANKLINTON n Lewis Oliver "L.O." Lane Jr., 96, a native and resident of Bogalusa, died Tuesday in Heritage Manor Nursing Home in Franklinton. He was assigned to the 15th Air Force during WWII as a crewmember on a B24 bomber, completing 50 combat missions in the European Theater. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, and other awards and medals. Lane owned Lane Walgreen Drugstore, and Western Auto Store. He received the Citizen of the Year Award, was active in church and civic affairs, and was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, VFW, American Legion and Gideon International. Survivors include two nephews, Neil and Jeanette Lane, and Orin Lane, all of Pass Christian, MS; and other nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Pauline "Polly" Lane; his parents, Lewis Lane Sr. and Ella Mackey Lane; his brothers, P.C. Lane and C. Emory Lane; and a nephew, Percy Clinton Lane Jr. Visitation will be today at Poole-Ritchie Funeral Home from 11:30 a.m. until the funeral in the funeral home chapel at 2 p.m. The Rev. Phil Stagg will officiate. Interment will follow in Ponemah Cemetery with military graveside rites by the Magic City, American Legion Post No. 24. Leslie Gray (Died May 22, 2003) BOGALUSA n Leslie Gray, 88, a resident of Harrison Street in Bogalusa, died at 6:39 a.m. today in the LSU Medical Center in Bogalusa. Crain and Sons Funeral Home in Bogalusa is in charge of arrangements, which are incomplete. John Joseph 'Jody' Sumrall (Died May 21, 2003) COVINGTON n John Joseph "Jody" Sumrall, 20, a native and lifelong resident of Washington Parish who had lived in Bogalusa for the past 13 years, died yesterday in Lakeview Regional Medical Center in Covington. Survivors include his mother and father, Blandon and Kristen Sorrell of Bogalusa; a sister, Jo Anna Sumrall of Bogalusa; two brothers, B.B. Sorrell and Daniel Sorrell, both of Bogalusa; paternal grandparents, Sedonia and Thomas Sorrell, and Golda and Jessie Sumrall; maternal grandparents, Harvey and Lucille Bienvenu of Slidell; six uncles, Harvey (Missy) Bienvenu Jr., John (Joyce) Bienvenu, all of Franklinton, Paul (Stephanie) Bienvenu, Michael (Lyn) Bienvenu, all of Denham Springs, Durwin (Beverly) Sorrell of Varnado, Collin Sorrell of Bogalusa; two aunts, Staci (Jim) Ellzey, and Emily Bienvenu, al of Florida; numerous cousins, other relatives and friends; and very special friends, Amanda Bufkin and her parents Butch and Wilda Bufkin. Visitation will be held tomorrow at Brown-McGehee Funeral Home from 4-9 p.m. and Saturday after 8 a.m. until the funeral service, to be conducted from the funeral home chapel at 2 p.m. by Pastor Lynn Martin. Interment will be in the Ellis Cemetery in Franklinton. Joe Reid Simmons (Died May 20, 2003) COVINGTON n Joe Reid Simmons, 71, a resident of Franklinton, died at 6 a.m. Tuesday in St. Tammany Parish Hospital in Covington. He was a retired dairy farmer and a deputy for the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office, and a member of Bogue Chitto Baptist Church. Survivors include his wife, Mary Frances Alford Simmons of Franklinton; a son and daughter-in-law, Joe R. and Sharon Simmons III of Hammond; a stepson and his wife, Chuck and Rebecca Finch of Franklinton; five grandchildren, Tyler Simmons, Brock Simmons, Matthew Farrell, Nicole Finch, and Chucky Finch; a brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Kitty Simmons of Mt. Hermon; a sister, Ollie Krishbaum of Chicago; and numerous nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death was a grandson, Joe R. Simmons IV; his parents, Joe R. Simmons Sr. and Allien Brock Simmons; two sisters, Wilva Bond and Mae Del Beacham; and three brothers, Burris Simmons, Percy Simmons, and Edsel Simmons. Visitation was held yesterday at Crain Funeral Home from 5-9 p.m. and will continue after 9 a.m. today until time of the funeral service, to be conducted from the funeral home chapel at 11 a.m. by the Revs. Patrick Ritchie and James A. Reeves. Burial will follow in the Bogue Chitto Baptist Church Cemetery. Bernice Thomas (Died May 17, 2003) FRANKLINTON n Bernice Thomas, 83, a resident of John Jackson Road in Bogalusa, died Saturday in Riverside Medical Center in Franklinton. She is survived by four sisters, Ella Mae Dyson of Baton Rouge, Mary Washington of Bogalusa, Dorothy Brumfield, and Myrtis Vaughn, both of Franklinton; a brother, Robert (Thelma) Burkhalter of Mt. Hermon; two sisters-in-law, Viola Burkhalter of Little Rock, AR, and Frances (Marshall) Magee of Bogalusa; three brothers-in-law, Curley (Ora) Murphy, Willie (Bernice) Murphy, all of Bogalusa, Lucious Brumfield of Franklinton; and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Preceding her in death was her husband, Joseph Thomas; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lafayette (Deanie) Burkhalter; two sisters, Nercil (Revis) Wrought and Marganie Brumfield; and two brothers, Jarcie and L.Q. Burkhalter. Visitation will be held today at Crain and Sons Funeral Home of Bogalusa from 2-7 p.m. A funeral service will be held at Tree of Life Baptist Church in Bogalusa tomorrow at 2 p.m. The Rev. W.J. Johnson Sr. will officiate. Interment will follow in the Bogalusa Cemetery.