Obituaries: Dr. James F. Faith, 1946, 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 21, 1946 Winn Parish Enterprise Dr. Faith Killed In Auto Crash Monday Practiced Medicine in Winn Parish 33 Years; Coroner 12 Years Dr. James F. Faith, 64, pioneer Winn Parish physician and coroner, was instantly killed when his automobile crashed into an oil field truck loaded with casing Monday night at 6:30 o'clock seven miles south of Winnfield on the Alexandria highway. Witnesses at the coroner's inquest Tuesday testified that the accident occurred about sixty yards from a road which leads from the highway to an oil well drilling location. Dr. Faith, alone in his automobile, was travelling south and his automobile rammed into the back of the truck, headed in the same direction. There were no eye witnesses to the collision, but testimony of persons who arrived at the scene of the accident afterwards was that both the truck and automobile were on the right side of the road, which was down grade. The heavy eight or ten inch casing, as described by one witness, was driven through the front of the car, almost to the back of the front seat. Testimony of Douglas Durrett, deputy sheriff who investigated the accident, was that the loaded truck was 52 or 53 feet long, that the truck was purchased about three weeks ago by R. W. Woods, Natchez, Miss., from the Penrod Oil Co., and that B. E. Nugent, Rt. 1, Jena, La., was driving the truck involved in the accident. Mr. Durrett stated that the driver said he thought the jar of his truck was caused by slipping casing and he did not know the car had crashed into the back of the truck until the car horn started blowing. Mr. Durrett said the truck driver stated he was driving slowly because he only had a short distance go go before turning from the road. The lighting of the truck was questioned and all witnesses stated that the was well lighted on the sides and that lights which were supposed to be on the end of the casing evidently had been knocked to the side of the truck. The coroner's jury concluded that the driver of the truck was not guilty of criminal negligence. Longest Practicing Physician in Winn Dr. Faith had the longest record as practicing physician in Winn Parish. He took his pre-med training at L. S. U., and obtained his degree in medicine in 1913 from the University of Tennessee. His first office was at Dodson until 1925 when he moved to Winnfield. In 1934 he and Dr. F. C. Fittz became partners in the Fittz-Faith Clinic in Winnfield, and they later built the clinic now located on West Main Street. Dr. Fittz died in 1944 and Dr. Faith carried on the work of the clinic alone until Dr. Julian Hirsch joined him in practice in December 1945. Dr. Faith was public health officer of Winn Parish until 1934, and for the past twelve years he has served Winn Parish as coroner. He was born at Gaars Mill September 3, 1882, and was one of seven children of Zach T. Faith and Frances Grisham Faith. He was a member of the Dodson First Baptist Church. Burial in Winnfield Cemetery Wednesday Funeral services were held for Dr. Faith Wednesday morning at 10:30 o'clock at the First Baptist Church. Rev. H. H. McBride, Baptist minister, Rev. Fred Flurry, Methodist minister, and Rev. Alwin Stokes, Presbyterian minister, officiated. Burial was in the Winnfield Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Southern Funeral Home, Winnfield. Active pallbearers were Albert Nugent, Hugh Mercer, D. A. Forrest, Mack L. Branch, Dr. Julian Hirsch, Welby Willis, John Emerson, and Harry Fuller. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Alma Faith, two daughters, Mrs. Luther Robbins, New Albany, Miss., Joan Faith, Los Angeles, Calif.; four sons, John of Washington, D. C., Mayo of L. S. U., James of Centenary, Zack of Winnfield; one brother, J. W. Faith of Dodson; four sisters, Miss Zattie Faith, Alexandria, Mrs. Louella Smith, Dodson, Mrs. Tom Walker, Ruston, Mrs. Will Dark, Gaars Mill. Tribute to A Country Doctor Numerous fitting eulogies have been written honoring the country doctor, whose prosaic life is devoted to unselfish service to humanity. Winn Parish lost such a doctor when Dr. J. F. Faith met an untimely death Monday. He was on his "last" country call when the accident occurred which took his life. As a typical country doctor who first practiced in the horse and buggy days, his life was full of calls, at all hours of the day and night. True to the creed of the country doctor he responded without thought for his own convenience or welfare. To Dr. Faith, and to other country doctors who quietly and faithfully serve us day after day, we pay the highest tribute. No reward can be too great for such as they.