Obituaries

Sue L. Smith, 67, of Jonesville, passed from this life on Thursday, March 5, 2020, in Alexandria.

She was born Saturday, May 10, 1952 in Jena to the union of her parents, Teddy Alford Lanier and Neva Beatrice Richey Lanier.

Sue enjoyed gardening, quilting, canning goods, and volunteering at the Breadcrumb, churches, or just wherever help was needed. Most of all she enjoyed spending time with her family and playing with her grandchildren. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend and will be missed.

Services were held at 2 p.m., Sunday, March 8, at the Lake Lilly Baptist Church in the Sandy Lake Community of Catahoula Parish with the Revs. Frank Bass and Mickey Hudnall officiating.

Interment followed in the Andrew Cemetery of Aimwell under direction of Young’s Funeral Home of Jonesville.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and her sister, Lilly Lanier Poole.

Wynona Belle “Cookie” Smith, 65, of Trout, passed from this life on Sunday, March 1, 2020.

She was born November 14, 1954 in Buras to the union of her parents, Willard Amos Fritz and Wynona Belle Welborn Fritz.

Services were held at 11 a.m., Thursday, March 5, at Zion Baptist Church of Georgetown with the Revs. Don Wright, Ron Nations, and Brad Smith officiating.

Interment followed in the Woodland Cemetery in Jena under direction of Hixson Brothers Funeral Home of Jena.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Katherine Jean Bartley, and Cynthia Hortman; and son-in-law, Benny Overstreet.

Erma Dell Mouser, 83, of Jena, passed from this life on Sunday, March 1, 2020. She was a resident of Tioga Community Care Center in Tioga.

She was born March 3, 1936 at Grayson, the daughter of Claud Jones of Jena and Erma B. Ford of Grayson. She died two days before her 84th birthday.

Erma was a longtime resident of Jena, where she worked for the Welfare Department of the State of Louisiana. She held a Bachelor’s degree in social work.

Services were held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, March 4, in the chapel of Kinner and Stevens Funeral Home of Jena with Dr. Rick Feazell officiating.

Interment followed at the Jena Cemetery, just east of Jena, under direction of Kinner and Stevens, Inc. of Jena.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Patricia Humphries; and ex-husband, Edward Mouser.

Survivors include two sons, Christopher Mouser and Patrick Mouser, both of Kinder; one niece and a slew of nephews.

Georgia Lee Hailey Jones, 88, of Jena, entered eternal rest on Sunday, March 8, 2020, at the LaSalle Nursing Home of Jena.

She was born July 22, 1931 in Jena to the union of her parents, Ike Earl Hailey and Bennie Mae Johnson Hailey.

Georgia was a lifelong member of Shady Grove Pentecostal Church. At times as a young child she, her siblings, and parents walked to church with her grandparents Isaac Wesley Hailey and Nancy Belle Bradford Hailey, who were among some of the first families to establish Shady Grove Pentecostal Church. She became a Christian at the age of 12. As teenagers she and her sister Ikie were members of the first female quartet at the church. She was said to have a beautiful alto voice.

Brenda Allien McMillin, 56, of Olla, passed from this life on Thursday, February 27, 2020.

She was born October 13, 1963 in Jena.

Services were held at 10 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 29, at Summerville Baptist Church in Summerville with Rev. Jesse Henderson and Tim Kirl officiating.

Interment followed in the Richardson Cemetery in Jena under direction of Hixson Brothers Funeral Home of Jena.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John Bradford; father, George Lynn McMillin; mother, Mary Louise Kirl McMillin; and sister, Donna Sharp.

Those left to cherish in her memory include her fiancé, Jimmy Hopkins, Jr.; sons, Chester McMillin of Clarks, and Joshua McMillin (Wendy) of Jena; daughter, Amie McMillin (Jeff Corley) of Olla; sisters, Wanda Price of Jena, and Debbie Craft (Dwayne) of Oretta; grandchildren, Tessa Jones, Blade McMillin, Karma Jo McMillin, Joshua Ray McMillin Jr., Tristin Chevallier, Jasmine McMillin; and one great grandchild.

SPC Shelby Tyler Jones, 20, of Killeen, Texas, and a native of LaSalle Parish, passed from this life on Sunday, March 1, 2020, in Killeen.

He was born March 9, 1999.

Shelby graduated from Jena High School in 2017 and has been in the United States Army for the past two years. He and his wife, Emily, resided in Temple, Texas, while he served at nearby Ft. Hood, Texas.

Services will be at 2 p.m., Friday, March 13, at First Baptist Church in Jena with Rev. Steve Jones officiating.

Interment with full military honors will follow in the Belah Cemetery under direction of Hixson Brothers Funeral Home of Jena.

The family requests that visitation be observed Thursday, March 12, from 4 to 9 p.m. at Hixson Brothers Funeral Home of Jena, and beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 13, at First Baptist Church in Jena.

Theresa Lynn “Bug Smith” Cockerham, 61, of Trout, passed from this life on Sunday, March 8, 2020.

She was born May 31, 1958 in Jena.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. today, Wednesday, March 11, in the chapel of Hixson Brothers Funeral Home of Jena with Rev. Harvey Blasingame officiating.

Interment will follow in the Smith Family Cemetery of Trout under direction of Hixson Brothers, Inc. of Jena.

She was preceded in death by her father, Silas Joseph Smith, Jr.; mother, Bernice Tarver; brothers, Curtis Wayne Smith, and Leslie Smith.

Those left to cherish in her memory include her husband, David Cockerham; sons, Joseph Jones of Trout, John Jones of Trout, and Grady Jones, Jr. of Summerville; brothers, Eddie “Bo” Smith, Sr. and Jerry Glen Smith, both of Trout; sister, Shirley Sharp of Clayton; and nine grandchildren.

Beverly Glen Bell, 86, of Jena, passed from this life early Saturday morning, March 7, 2020, at the LaSalle Nursing Home of Jena.

He was born July 30, 1933 to the union of his parents, Walter Gerome and Laura Edwards Bell.

Beverly had been an icon in the town of Jena for over 50 years as the owner of Bell’s TV and Music in Jena. His specialty was in TV/Radio sales and repairs, and his business was located on US 84 between Jena and Midway.

He served his country in the U.S. Army from 1953 through 1956. In his spare-time he enjoyed playing rhythm guitar and country music. Beverly also enjoyed his LSU/New Orleans Saints football games.

He was a faithful member of Temple Baptist Church in Jena.

Services were held at 3 p.m., Sunday, March 8, in the chapel of Kinner and Stevens Funeral Home of Jena with Rev. Jimmy Keene officiating.

Marshall O’neal “Kojak” Adams, 67, of Olla, passed away Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in his home surrounded by his loved ones according to his wishes.

O’neal was born December 5, 1952 in Urania, the son of Tolbert Marshall Adams and Marie Callender Adams.

His family and friends called him O’neal, Big O, Pickle, and his trucking buddies knew him as Kojak.

O’neal was a lifetime truck driver and owner operator after serving his country in the United States Army and touring in Bamburg, Germany.

He will be sadly missed by many.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Sandra Adams Foley and husband Loren Lee; a sister, Esther Adams Brazell; and a brother-in-law, Jeffery Allen Ratcliff.