Obituaries for March 3
Alford, Connie Kay Tisdale
She died Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009, at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. She was 60, a resident of St. Amant and a native of Lincoln, Ill. Interment in Hope Haven Cemetery, Gonzales.
Cambron, Jerry Vann
A federal firefighter and a resident of Gonzales, he died at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009, at St. Elizabeth Hospital, Gonzales. He was 70, a native of Cedartown, Ga., and U.S. Air Force veteran with the rank of staff sergeant. A private memorial will be held Saturday, March 7.
Collins, John Henry
He was 78 and died Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009, at Promise Hospital in Gonzales. He was a native of Coushatta, a resident of Gonzales and a retired oil field worker with Shell Refinery. He was a master Mason and belonged to New River 402, Masonic Lodge of Gonzales. He was past president of the Louisiana Cutting Horse Association and inducted into the LCHA Hall of Fame in 1999. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War in 1953 in England.
Denham, Ricky Gene
Co-owner of Eagle Signs and Graphics Inc. and a resident and native of Prairieville, he died at 12:45 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009, at Promise Specialty Hospital in Baton Rouge. He was 49.
Franklin Jr., Oliver “Junior”
A retired truck driver and a resident and native of Prairieville, he died at 3:42 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009, at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. He was 57. Interment in Macedonia Church of Deliverance Cemetery.
Hilliard, Beanna R. “Ma B”
A former resident of Gonzales and a resident of Geismar, she died Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009, at 5:30 a.m. She was 86 and a native of St. Francisville. Interment in First Pilgrim Calvary Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery. She was a member and deaconess of First Pilgrim Calvary Missionary Baptist Church.
Laiche, Vesta Marie (White)
A resident of Gonzales and a retired dispatcher with the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office, she passed away on Friday, Feb. 27, 2009. She was 65. Visiting at Ourso Funeral Home, Gonzales, Tuesday, March 3, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Prairieville, at 1 p.m. Tuesday. Interment in Hope Haven Cemetery, Prairieville.
LeFore, Marie Carol “Tessá”
A resident of Gonzales and native of Plaquemine, she spent most of her life in San Diego, Calif. She died Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009, after battling lung cancer. She was 71. On Tuesday, March 3, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Prairieville, visitation will be held beginning at 9:30 a.m. Rev. Michael Alello will celebrate a Mass of Christian burial at 11 a.m. Interment will follow in Grace Memorial Park in Plaquemine.
Luna, John Juan
A resident of Donaldsonville, he died at 11:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, 2009, in Baton Rouge. He was 76, born in Alexandria and reared and schooled in St. James and Donaldsonville. Visiting at Ourso Funeral Home, Donaldsonville, Tuesday, March 3, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Donaldsonville, on Tuesday at 1 p.m. Interment in the church cemetery. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean conflict and served in Germany from 1952-1954. He was the retired owner of Luna Ready-Mix in Donaldsonville and later owned a construction business in Labadieville, which he retired from. He was a former Donaldsonville police officer and an auxiliary deputy sheriff with Ascension and Iberville parishes.
Parsons, Richard Ardell
Richard Ardell Parsons, 76, of Bainbridge, Ga., passed away Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009, at his home. May he rest in peace. The services are private. Online visitors may sign the guest register at www.iveyfuneral.com. Mr. Parsons was born Nov. 17, 1932, in Mount Vernon, Wash., the son of Arthur Jackson Parsons and Gladys Nokleby Parsons. He was a graduate of Anacortes High School in Washington where he excelled as an athlete. He served in the U.S. Air Force for five years and served as a cadet at Bainbridge Air Base. Mr. Parsons retired from the city of Seattle as an engineer and was previously employed by Texaco Refinery in Convent. Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Nancy Braswell Parsons, of Bainbridge; son, Clay Parsons, of Monroe, Wash.; three daughters, Barbara Parsons, of Bainbridge, Susan Rebecca Neff and her husband, Charlie, of Sunshine, and Melanie Anne Zedlitz and her husband, Pete, of St. Gabriel; brother, Dennis Parsons, of Everett, Wash.; two sisters, Diana Bruskrud and Lucina McFadden, both of Everett; 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Russell, Michael L.
A longtime resident of Gonzales, he died Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009, at his home. He was 49.
White Sr., Melvin “Melee”
He died Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009, at his residence in Donaldsonville. He was 60 and a native of Modeste. Visiting at St. Paul Baptist Church, White Castle, on Tuesday, March 3, from 9 a.m. until religious service at 11 a.m. Burial in Asberry Methodist Church Cemetery.
Young, Curtis Claude
He died Sunday, March 1, 2009, at St. Joseph Hospice-the Carpenter House. He was 72 and a resident and native of Gonzales. He served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps and went on to have a long career as a machinist, having retired from Fisher Service Co. Visitation at Ascension Funeral Home, 426 W. New River St., Gonzales, on Tuesday at 11 a.m. Deacon James Morrissey will conduct funeral services at 1 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. Burial in Cornerview Cemetery.
The Gonzales Weekly Citizen publishes funeral and memorial service information free of charge as a public service. Complete obituaries cost $30 and are included on weeklycitizen.com and legacy.com. Photos may be included with obituaries for an additional $5. E-mail obituaries to lifestyles@weeklycitizen.com