Category: Death Notice(s)

Shelton Day is in surgery at North Oaks for blockage of his heart.  I’ll update results later.

Mrs. Susie Wales is ready for her surgery in the morning.  Keep her in your prayers.

Mrs. Ruby Luke has not been able to get out much lately.  Pray for her.

Mary Janet Vaughn “Nanny” Hodges

(June 13, 1931 – March 18, 2013)

(Grandmother of my former students, David and Cindy)

A lifetime resident of Pine Grove, she died on Monday, March 18, 2013 at North Oaks Medical Center in Hammond. She was born June 13, 1931 in Pine Grove and was 81 years of age. She was a graduate of Pine Grove High School in 1947 and later a graduate of the Florida Parishes Vocational School in Greensburg. She is survived by her 2 sons, Jody Hodges and Deloy Hodges, both of Pine Grove; 3 daughters, Sue Knight and her husband, Dennis, Albany, Jennifer Biggs, Montpelier and Patty Burrows, Pine Grove; 3 grandchildren, David Knight and wife, Diedra, Albany, Cindy Knight Edwards and husband, Ricky, Albany and Kelli Burrows Garrett and husband, Brian, Walker; 3 step-grandchildren, Lewynell Biggs, Shreveport, Chris Biggs and wife, Kasey, Shreveport and Michael Biggs and wife, Michelle, Nashville, TN; 6 great-grandchildren, Victoria, Haleigh and Heidi Garrett, Madison and Jordan Knight and Ali Edwards; 5 step-great-grandchildren, Peyton, Paxton and Presley Biggs and Macy and Mabry Biggs; 1 niece, Anne Wheat and husband, Joe, Crossroads, MS; as well as great-nephews, great-nieces and great-great nieces and great-great nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Dewitt Hodges, Sr.; parents, Leon and Ella Tate Vaughn; son-in-law, John Richard Burrows; sister, Helen Barber and her husband, Clinton; and her beloved Chihuahua, Princess “Poopie”. Visitation at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Pine Grove, from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Wednesday and from 8 a.m. until religious services at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 21, 2013. Services conducted by Rev. Tony Cooksey, Jr., Rev. James Brady and Rev. Richard Taylor. Interment Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Pine Grove. Pallbearers will be David Knight, Brian Garrett, Charlie Storey, Ricky Edwards, Michael Cutrer and Robert Smith. Honorary Pallbearers will be David Neal and Jerry Knight. McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, in charge of arrangements. For an online guestbook, visit http://www.mckneelys.com.

Mr. “Cete” Dillon is doing very well.  He may get to come home earlier than expected.  Thank God for a good report from the doctor.

Jones Family –http://gavincarrie.blogspot.com/

Zach is the some of two of my former students.  They have trained Zach to be a loving and giving child.  Read about Zach’s Lidz for Kidz.

At just 8 years old, North Live Oak student Zach Morgan has started a drive that is all his own. He has already collected nearly 300 hats for children whose medical treatment has made them temporarily bald. And it was all his own idea!

Zach’s age and own good health make that effort surprising, but a look into his background and personal interests makes it a little less so. The son of Sandy and Paul Morgan, Zach has been encouraged from an early age to share his own good fortune with others.

After staying at home for Zach’s younger years, Sandy has gone back to work part time at a non-profit agency for children, so Zach is familiar with the attitude of helping others.

Zach has worked at Special Olympics and last year joined his mom in RAKing (doing Random Acts of Kindness). He left anonymous treats on the doors of people in the neighborhood, left quarters on vending machines and five dollar bills on tags in Walmart with notes saying “You’ve been RAKed.”

“We’ve always taught him to give back,” Sandy Morgan said, and Zach says the idea of the hat drive was “half Mom’s and half mine.”

“I saw an ad for St. Jude’s on television,” Zach said, “and it showed some kids who didn’t have hair and I thought how I’d like to give them hats.”

Zach is quick to think of hats because he has a collection of baseball caps himself. He got the first one, an LSU cap, when he was about five, and when he had three caps he started to think of them as a collection. In addition to his own caps from five years playing for different teams in the Live Oak Sports Association, he has caps from the Cubs (his favorite), Live Oak, Florida, the Saints, the Dodgers, the Reds, the Yankees, the Phillies, and the Cardinals.

So he thought of the caps right away, but he didn’t get serious about a drive until he saw a Disney Channel announcement of their Disney Friends for Change grants. Sandy writes grants, so she explained how they worked and helped him write an application for $1,000 to buy hats and have a pizza and movie party to give them out to kids at Our Lady of the Lake. The grant requires a partnering agency, and OLOL is Zach’s.

Zach hasn’t waited around to get the money, but has gone out to get hats himself. His Facebook page Zach’s-Lidz-for-Kidz has generated about 25 hats that were simply mailed to him and he has collected others by word of mouth from friend to friend.

Then, two weeks ago, he gathered some friends together and held a three-hour drive at Watson Walmart that brought in dozens more and over $300 in cash donations.

One hat Zach asked for directly was an LSU hat signed by Paul Mainieri. Zach e-mailed him asking for one, and he sent two. Zach has already given away one of them to a boy with leukemia who saw his Facebook page and asked for a cap. He was thrilled with the gift.

Zach admits that some of the hats would fit nicely into his own collection – especially the Mainieri, Jordan and Mickey Mouse – but he’s giving them away, most of them through OLOL, but others to those who request them.

“The response to the Facebook page was amazing. We just hit 300 likes,” Sandy said. “At one point Zach said, ‘Mom, this is getting out of hand.’”

Zach’s school, North Live Oak Elementary, will host a hat drive the week of April 22 and kids who give a hat will be able to wear a hat to school. Live Oak Elementary will also host a drive that week, and South Live Oak will host one the week of May 6.

To donate a hat or make a request, contact the Facebook page or send the hat to 36165 Greenville Ave., Denham Springs, LA 70706.

Operation Christmas Child – MK Hannah is Healed in Heaven

 Yesterday, we asked our online community to pray for the gravely ill daughter of Dr. Aaron and Stephanie Kelley, serving at Tenwek Hospital in Kenya. This morning, March 14, sweet Hannah went to be with her Savior. Please remember to lift up the Kelley family; their faithfulness to the Lord and understanding of His sovereignty has been inspiring. They will need your prayers in the days ahead. To pray more specifically for the family, you can follow their blog updates: http://www.aaroninkenya.com/

 

Patrick Hoosier had tests today that did not show the presence of any cancer.  The family is thanking God.

Kelly Wayne Russell had two bypasses.  He is doing well and did not even need a ventilator.  Keep praying.

Connor Corkern has been sedated for the last few days.  When he woke up today the first thing he did was . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SMILE!

Mason’s appointment for next week has been cancelled so an American doctor can evaluate Mason’s condition at their annual meeting later this month.

John “Snow” Milton
(October 23, 1936 – March 12, 2013)

A resident of Roseland, he died at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at North Oaks Medical Center in Hammond. He was born October 23, 1936 in Lexie, MS and was 76 years of age. He was a U. S. Navy Veteran of The Korean Conflict. He is survived by his best friend and companion for over 20 years, Lucille Cooper; son, Kevin Milton and wife, Debra; Lucille’s son, Gary Cooper and wife, Debbie; 3 grandchildren, Whitney Sykes, Bobbi Jo White and Aaron White; Lucille’s 3 grandchildren, Stephanie, Staci and Grason Cooper; 3 great-grandchildren, Ryleigh Sykes, Reece White and Jaziah White; Lucille’s 2 great-grandchildren, Gracy and Casi Cooper; brother, Dan Milton and wife, Dot, Bogalusa; numerous nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by his parents, Otis and Viola Milton; 2 brothers, T. C. and Warren “Son” Milton; 2 sisters, Louise Clark and Eva Nell Carter. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., on Wednesday and from 8 a.m. until religious services at 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 14, 2013. Services conducted by Rev. Joey Miller. Interment Killian Chapel Cemetery, Amite, LA. For an online guestbook, visit http://www.mckneelys.com.

Evelyn Hempel Varnado
(January 10, 1930 – March 11, 2013)

A resident of Amite, died at 11:43 p.m. on Monday, March 11, 2013 at her home. She was born January 10, 1930 in Gonzales, TX and was 83 years of age. Survived by 2 daughters, Sharon Sue Narretto and husband, John, Loranger, Renee Cutrer, Amite, 1 son, Samuel Paul Varnado and wife, Lauren, Pearland, TX, 5 grandchildren, Aubrey L. Smith, Amy D. Smith, Abby V. Gregory, Danna C. McDaniel, Shelby C. Simpson, 13 great grandchildren, 2 sisters, Edith Eichman, Victoria, TX, Lola Kelm, Burton, TX, 4 brothers, Curtis Hempel, Georgetown, TX, Frank Hempel, Ft. Meyers, FL, Howard Hempel, Carrollton, TX, Loyd Hempel, Cuero, TX and numerous niece and nephews. Preceded in death by husband, Edgar I. “Ed” Varnado, son in law, Rufus B. “Butch” Cutrer, parents, Arnold and Anna Hempel, sister, Alice H. Gaugler, and 2 nephews, Gerald Eichman and Matthew Hempel. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, from 6:00PM until 9:00PM, Wednesday and from 8 a.m. until religious services at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 14, 2013. Services conducted by Rev. Mike Foster. Interment Amite Memorial Gardens, Amite.

Jason and Ellen have that new baby!

Ainsley Grace Vande Vuss

6 lbs 8 oz

20 inches

8:20 am

Connor Corkern

Aunt Carmen and Uncle Toye (Coye’s twin brother) came to see their Connor man today! He is still very, very asleep. We finished his EEG and are waiting on results from neuro to see what our next step is. Praying for no seizures in his sleep, then we’ll slowly start to wake him. We love you all for your constant prayers!!!

Amen!!!! There was little seizure activity on my EEG!!!!!!! So the new plan is to keep phenobarbital in him for maintenance and Ativan on a lower dose, more spread out. We will let him sleep the rest of the day and then greatly lessen the extra meds tmrw so he will wake up. Then see how he does. We will be in PICU for a good while so they can keep a close eye on him and to stay on top of his seizures. God is good ALL THE TIME!!!! Happy dance going on in PICU rm 8!!!

From my former student, Cindy

My nanny is in a regular room, she is breathing ok with oxygen right now…. She is extremely tired and agitated right now … Lots going on, please keep my mom and her siblings in your prayers too!!!

 

Glenn E. Slaven
(August 29, 1954 – March 7, 2013)

A resident of Kentwood, died at 8:39 a.m. on Thursday, March 7, 2013 at University Medical Center in New Orleans. He was born August 29, 1954 in Magnolia, MS and was 58 years of age. Survived by wife, Lisa Ann Allen Slaven, 2 daughters, Marsha Ann Slaven Barras and husband, Keith Joseph Barras, Tessa Lenn Slaven Creel and husband, Douglas Paul Creel, 2 grandchildren, Kyle Joseph and Kalenn Jade Barras, parents, Harvey Wyman Slaven and Flora Belle Slaven, 1 sister, Teresa Gwynette Slaven Gill and husband, Jason Hillery Gill, 3 nieces, Hillery Caroline Gill, Tabbitha Nikole Gill and ReAnna Leigh Gill. Preceded in death by first wife, Sharon Estell Schexnayder Slaven, and son, Steven Lance Slaven. Visitation at East Fork Baptist Church from 10 a.m. until religious services at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 9, 2013. Services conducted by Dr. Danny Smith and Rev. Mike Shumock. Interment East Fork Cemetery, Kentwood, LA . McKneely Funeral Home, Kentwood, in charge of arrangements. For an online guestbook, visit http://www.mckneelys.com.

I just received word that Glen Slaven passed away.  Keep praying for this family.

I have a new friend who doesn’t live around here.  We have a mutual friend who connected us this week.  She is Christine Olson.  Christine wrote this for me to share.

Please (pray) for my ears, sinuses and migraines (problems) be gone forever! And for God to heal my marriage and set my husband free from bondage and for his salvation. Our little family is trying to get ripped apart by Satan. That (salvation for my husband) alone is (/would be) a blessing!!! Thanks for asking! His name is Dan. My little soldiers for Christ are Nathaniel and Jacob.

Leona Jones Crow
(April 24, 1934 – March 5, 2013)

A resident of Magnolia, MS, died at 5:57 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 at Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center in McComb. She was born April 24, 1934 in Independence and was 78 years of age. She worked over 30 years for Croft Metals. Survived by 1 daughter, Trudy Armfield and husband, Robin, 1 son, Wayne Ford and wife, Sybil, 3 sisters, Eva Mae Carney, Charlene Mandella, Rachael Costanza, 1 brother, Charles Walter Ford, and numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by husband, Tommie Joe Crow, parents, Charles and Eva Jones, daughter, Tracy Lynette Ford, son, Ronnie Lee Ford, 3 sisters, Betty Morris, Mary Jones, “Peggy” Micelli, and Easter Costanza, and 4 brothers, Lee, C.T., Bobby and Johnny Jones. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, from 8 a.m. until religious services at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 9, 2013. Services conducted by Bro. Dale Ziebarth. Interment Ford Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Timothy Allen, Jason Ford, Willie Ford, Michael Kirkland, Joseph Kirkland and Joshua Ford. For an online guestbook, visit http://www.mckneelys.com.