Monday Afternoon

Tristan Grice

Tristan has twisted her ankle in Honduras.  Pray for her and for her family during this first medical mini-crisis.

Sylvia Dees Jackson
(January 30, 1941 – February 16, 2014)

A resident of Kentwood, she died at 2:55 p.m. on Sunday, February 16, 2014 at North Oaks Medical Center in Hammond. She was born January 30, 1941 and was 73 years of age. She is survived by her son, Dennis Jackson, Sr. and his wife, Tiffany, Springfield; 2 grandchildren, Jessica Jackson and James Henry Jackson; great-grandson, Cass Bruce Anthony; two sisters, Gayle Owens and Susie St. Alexandre, both of Mount Nebo community. Preceded in death by her parents, Perry and Lena Mae Lawrence Dees; and 2 brothers, John Perry Dees, Jr. and George L. “Brother” Dees; grandson, D. J. Jackson. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, from 11 a.m. until religious services at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 22, 2014. Services conducted by Rev. Byron Humphrey. Interment Dees Cemetery, Mt. Nebo Community. For an online guestbook, visit http://www.mckneelys.com.

Leonard Otis Newland
(December 28, 1931 – February 16, 2014)

Leonard Otis Newland age 82 passed away at his home in Kentwood, La. Feb. 16, 2014. He was born Dec. 28, 1931 to Charley Otis and Blanche Elizabeth (LaDuke) Newland in Lawrence, Ks at the home of his grandmother Mary Louisa (Rockhold) Newland. He started school in Abilene, Ks at the age of 4. He moved with his family to Braymer, Mo and went 3 years to South Victory, a little one room country school. This little school closed, so he and his siblings transferred in to Braymer Grade School until 1945 when his family moved to Baldwin City, Ks. Then he took 7th and 8th grade at Union School and went on to Baldwin High School. In 1951 he enlisted in the Coast Guard and was honorably discharged. A service buddy invited him home to have Thanksgiving dinner, as Leonard could not come home to Kansas on a 24 hour leave. It was at this dinner that he met his soul mate, a cousin of his friend, Miss Myrtle Lee Bennett. They were married March 1, 1955 in Hammond, Louisiana. They shared nearly 59 years, until Miss Myrtle passed away on January 13, 2014. Together they kept an Ayrshire Dairy herd, winning recognition for top producer in Louisiana for about 9 years. Leonard had a double aneurysm in his brain when he was 31 years old, which caused them to have to get rid of the dairy herd for a few years. He worked for a while at Kentwood Pontiac as a parts man while he was recuperating from his surgery. He loved caring for God’s land and milking his cows. Once again he was able to get back to his beloved farm and dairy operation. Leonard was a member of the Assembly of God Church. He also had been the caretaker of the Killian Chapel Cemetery for several years. Leonard was a loving husband, brother, uncle and son. He was a hard working, honest man. He was preceded in death by his wife, his parents, 3 sister in laws, and 4 brother in laws. He is survived by 3 sisters and their spouses: Rose Marie and Gayle Cook, of Osage City, Ks., Mildred and Floyd Couch of Braymer, Mo., and Charlene (Coates) Rockhold and her husband Keith of Centropolis, Ks. He is also survived by Myrtle’s 2 brothers, Lester of Hammond, Louisiana, and Lawrence of Tennessee, many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. Funeral services are pending with McKneely Funeral Home of Amite and Kentwood, Inc.