Obituaries

Bess Whatley Frye, 78, of Shreveport, and a native of Trout, passed from this life on Thursday, June 4, 2020, at The Bradford Rehabilitation Center in Shreveport, following an extended illness.

She was born October 27, 1941 at Trout to the union of her parents, Walter Steve Whatley and Florence Price Whatley.

Bess attended Trout-Good Pine High School, and graduated from Jena High School. She received a scholarship to LSU but was unable to make up the shortfall in cost so did not attend. However, she did attend numerous supervisory and management courses.

During her career, she worked for the State of Louisiana, worked for NASA, worked for a law firm in Houma, and for the U.S. Postal Serlvice, where she went from secretary to Postmistress in Patterson, where she retired after 28 years of service.

She was active with the Krewe of Cleopatra in Houma. She received awards from the community and the Postal Service during her 28 years of service.

Dorothy Louise Blackshear Norris, 89, passed from this life on Friday, June 5, 2020, at her home.

Services will be held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, June 10, at Beulah Baptist Church near Georgetown with Rev. Lamar Carpenter officiating.

Interment will follow in the Starks Cemetery of Georgetown under direction of Magnolia Funeral Home of Alexandria.

She was preceded in death by her father, Martin Lee Blackshear; mother, Bessie Dell Long; and sister, Elizabeth Ann.

Those left to cherish her memory include her husband, Huey Pierce Norris; daughter, Melanie Anne Norris Floyd (Glen); sister, Shirley Rose Miles (Robert Sanders); grandchildren, Miranda LeAnne Rousseau Morgan (Trey), Thomas Joshua Rousseau (Emily Oliver) and Trestan Isaiah Rousseau; great grandchildren, Eli, Gage, Deakon and Lindsi.

Pallbearers will be Joshua Rousseau, Trestan Rousseau, Trey Morgan, Christian Roberson, Chance Norris and Kendall Hudson.

John Raymond Larison, 87, of Jena, passed from this life on Thursday, May 14, 2020 at his residence.

He was born September 21, 1932 in Jena to the union of his parents, Eddie Monroe Larison and Flora Jane Andrews Larison.

Memorial services will be held Thursday, June 18, in the chapel of Hixson Brothers Funeral Home of Jena.

Interment will follow in the Andrews Cemetery in Aimwell under direction of Hixson Brothers, Inc. of Jena.

Services for Brianna “Ryder” Johns, age 16, were held Friday, June 5, 2020, at Beulah Baptist Church near Georgetown with Rev. Lamar Carpenter officiating.

Interment followed in the Georgetown Cemetery under direction of Magnolia Funeral Home of Alexandria.

Brianna loved many and was loved by many more. She had an amazing intoxicating energy that even with one small encounter she would steal a place in your heart. She had a passion for tiktok, music and broccoli that was unreal.

She was always doing the most to make you crack a smile. If you knew her well or even barely at all she always left you thinking. Whether it was about how naturally beautiful, ridiculously hilarious, or just downright inappropriate she was. She was always sure to leave her mark.

Joan Dian Hudspeth, 70, of Alexandria, and a native of Jena, entered eternal rest on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, in her residence with her loving family by her side

She was born June 8, 1949, in Jena, to the union of John Benjamin and Edith Hudspeth.

A native of Jena, Joan was a retired office manager for Four Rivers Home Health Care. She was a faithful member of the Pentecostals of Alexandria and dedicated her entire life to her children and grandchildren.

Her family will miss her dry sense of humor and her amazing Sunday dinners. Family was everything to her and she was the glue that held her family together. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

Services were held at 12-noon on Saturday, June 6, in the G.A. Mangun Center at the Pentecostals of Alexandria, with the Revs. Anthony Mangun and Blake Tullos officiating.

Beulah “Bootie” Lucille (Dutro) Hall, 98, departed this life on Saturday June 6, 2020, and now rests in the arms of our Heavenly Father.

She was born February 20, 1922, to James Acil and Mona Jane (Smith) Dutro, near Petersburg, Indiana. She was the youngest of four daughters, including: Helen (Warren) Walker of St Louis, MO, Thelma (James) Ford of Hartford City, IN, and M. Irene (Lawrence) Dick of Blackford County, IN.

She was raised on a 60-acre farm near Hartford City, Indiana, and graduated from Roll High School, class of 1940. During World War II, she worked in an ammunition factory in Muncie, IN.

Bootie married Byron F. “Barney” Hall on December 20, 1945, and had two children, George William and Rebecca Jane, who were her world.

Funeral services for Mamie Louise Moore Franklin, 79, were held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, June 3, 2020, from the Sanctuary of Columbia Heights Baptist Church with Rev. Warren Maxwell officiating.

Interment followed in the Chickasaw Cemetery near Olla under direction of Riser Funeral Home of Columbia.

Mamie Louise Moore Franklin was born February 9, 1941 in Jena, as the fifth child of E.O. “Buck” and Lilly Moore.

Louise resided the majority of her life in Caldwell Parish where she was self-employed for 42 years as a licensed beautician. Her home in Grayson is well known for her beautiful landscaping that she worked diligently to maintain. She enjoyed traveling and her special destination was Branson.

She also loved to crochet and knit items for her loved ones. Another past time was playing cards and board games with her family. Columbia Heights Baptist Church was where she loved to worship her Lord and fellowship with her brothers and sisters in Christ.

Shirley Catherine Crooks Elliott, 83, of Jena, passed from this life on Sunday, May 31, 2020, at the Rapides Regional Medical Center in Alexandria.

She was born May 3, 1937 in Jena to the union of her parents, C. A. Crooks and Edna Finlay Crooks.

Shirley and John T. Elliott married June 2, 1955, and followed his career in the oilfield, living in Jena, DeQuincy, Winnfield, Natchitoches, Baytown, and Mont Belvieu, Texas.

They returned to Jena when he retired in 1993 and joined Fellowship Baptist Church in Belah. The Elliotts faithfully attended Baptist churches wherever they lived. They also enjoyed singing and playing hymns with their Finlay relatives.

Although she worked for the Winn Parish School Board when they lived in Winnfield, Shirley’s true calling was raising her children. Her legacy is one of love for God and family.

Joey Keith Allen, 65, of Jena, passed from this life on Monday, June 1, 2020.

He was born June 16, 1954 in Jena to the union of his parents, Joseph Henry Allen and Patricia Jolene McLendon Allen.

Services were held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, June 3, at Nebo Baptist Church in Nebo with the Brothers Mark Breland and Bren Warwick officiating.

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

He was preceded in death by his parents; and grandson, Tristen Allen.

Those left to cherish in his memory include his wife, Viki Coleman Allen of Jena; son, Gregg Allen (Taylor) of Jena; daughter, Nikki Robertson of Jena; brother, Tucker Lee Allen (Tammy) of Jena; sister, Lanea Deloach (Jim) of Magnolia, AR; grandchildren, Dustin Robertson, Denim Thompson, Lauren Riggs, Ryan Nix, Tori Robertson, Eli Robertson, Ky Allen, Kelton Allen, Reese Allen; and 12 great grandchildren.

Shirley Crooks Elliott, 83, of Jena, passed from this life on Sunday, May 31, at Rapides Regional Medical Center in Alexandria .

She was the widow of the late John T. Elliott.

Arrangements were not complete at press time on Monday but will be handled by Hixson Brothers Funeral Home of Jena.