Obituaries: Eck Hart Bozeman, 1994, Winn Parish, LA. Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: November 2, 1994 Winn Parish Enterprise News-American Longtime Tourism Advocate Dies Eck Bozeman Wrote For Years, Talking About Tourist Beliefs Eck Bozeman, 86, passed away Sunday, October 30 at his home in Winnfield He was called an "ambassador without portfolio" by writers across the south. Winnfield's "Mr. Tourism" has died. Bozeman lived his life on Center Street, with summer trips to work at Branson, Missouri thrown in for several years. He often wrote that he had gone around the world nearly two times before he was 18, while serving on a merchant ship. His newsy column filled with tales about Winnfield and Winn Parish people was called "Just Sashaying Around", was syndicated and even made it to the pages of the New York Times. His work at the post office might have paid the bills and bought the butter, he was a mail carrier and then postmaster from 1957 to 1966, but his true calling was tourism. After retirement, Bozeman and his wife Jewell, who preceded him in death, went to Silver Dollar City where he worked the grist mill and she worked in the post office. It was during this period that Bozeman had a part on the television show "The Beverly Hill Billies." Bozeman's files are stuffed with friendly letters from Paul Henning, creator of the Beverly Hillbillies and producer of other television shows. Around Winnfield, Bozeman served for 16 years as president of the Fair Board. It was during those years, in 1955, that Governor Kennon announced a $ 30,000 grant to Winnfield to build a rodeo arena. Later, Bozeman pioneered the Winn Parish Chamber of Commerce serving as manager of the chamber for a year. Bozeman never stopped trying to get the people of his beloved Winnfield to see the possibilities in tourism. The last couple of weeks the Enterprise has run several of his letters. His last one to the newspaper will run this week. It was written October 19 and is along familiar themes, harking back to his days as a member of the Winnfield Rotary Club. As always, his belief was that tourism "can be of more importance economically than an industrial plant." Obituary: Eck Hart Bozeman Funeral services for Eck H. Bozeman were held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, November 2, 1994 in the Southern Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Leland McCullough officiating. Interment followed in the Garden of Memories. Mr. Bozeman, age 86, died in his residence on Sunday, October 30, 1994. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, served as Postmaster from 1957 to 1966 in Winnfield, was a historian, and was a syndicated columnist. Survivors are one son, Martin Ray Bozeman, Vivian, La.; three daughters, Janet Sharp, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Norma Johnson, Clinton, La., and Lana Converse of Denver, Colorado; 9 grandchildren, and 6 great grandchildren. Mr. Bozeman was preceded in death by his wife, Jewell Chestnut Bozeman.