Obituaries: Garland Bice, 1957, Winn Parish, LA
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
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From: April 18, 1957 Winnfield News-American 

Twin Broods On Death Of Brother, Takes Life

Garland Bice, 48 year old Natchitoches business man and Winn Parish native,
whose twin brother was found shot to death April 3 in Natchitoches, took his
own life with a new .38 caliber pistol at the home of a sister in Winnfield
Tuesday.

A verdict of suicide was returned after an inquest by Winn Parish Coroner Dr.
John T. Mosley.

Authorities said the tragedy was no doubt brought on by the man's despondency
over the death of his twin brother. He left no suicide note. He had been
visiting with his sister, Mrs. Luther Keaton, on Valley Street, for several days.

Sheriff Sanford Jordan of Winn Parish said that Mr. Bice shot himself to death
in the right temple with a bullet from a Smith and Wesson revolver at 4:10
p.m. as he sat on the back steps of his sister's home. The body was discovered
by Mrs. Keaton when she returned from work at about 4:15 p.m. A neighbor, Ray
Nugent, reported that he heard a gunshot but did not investigate.

The gun had never been fired before the fatal shot, according to Sheriff Jordan.

Mr. Bice's twin brother, Arlin, was found shot to death in a room if his
furniture store in Natchitoches on the morning of April 3. Police Chief Boyd
B. Durr of Natchitoches made a public statement last week that he considered
the death to be an accident. He stated that there were indications that Arlin
Bice was cleaning his rifle when it went off. The Natchitoches Parish Coroner,
Dr. James Kaufman, had ruled the death a suicide.

Garland Bice had been a business partner of his brother, Arlin, and had lived
in Natchitoches for about 19 years.

Funeral Held In Town

Funeral services for Garland Bice were held Wednesday afternoon at the Couley
Methodist Church with the Rev. W. L. Holcomb and Rev. Perry Webb, Jr., officiating.

Acting as pallbearers were E. J. Buchanan, Bob Buchanan, O. O. House, Troy
Smith, Buster Keaton, Billie McLamore, ____ Scott, and Harold Hickey.

Burial was in the Couley Methodist Cemetery under direction of Southern
Funeral Home.

A bachelor, Mr. Bice is survived by one brother, Buford, of Bartlesville,
Oklahoma; three sisters, Mrs. Annie Keaton of Winnfield, Mrs. Pearl Rikard of
Couley community, and Mrs. Belva McLamore of Wheeling community. 

He was a native of Couley and a veteran of World War II.