Louisiana, Ouachita Parish Obits, Week of July 29, 2004
Thomas M. "Tom" McCormick
Services for Thomas M. "Tom" McCormick, 63, of Sterlington were July 27 at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church with Rev. Sebastian Kallarackal officiating under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home Sterlington Rd. Monroe.
McCormick died at his residence on July 24.
McCormick was a member of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. He also was an Air Force Veteran of the Vietnam War. Mr. McCormick was a wonderful man and touched numerous lives in his time with us and he will be missed by all.
McCormick is survived by his wife, Barbara Keen McCormick of Sterlington; three children, Aaron Glen McCormick and Rose of Polk City, Fla.; Susan Lynette McCormick Veach of Monroe and Amanda Colleen Luttrell and husband Michael of Carrollton, Texas; six brothers and sisters, Lawrence Leo McCormick and wife Jolene of Downsville; Julie Maureen Jriege and husband Khalil of Texarkana, Texas; David Patrick McCormick, Janet Louise McCormick, and Pamela Jean McCormick, all of Monroe and Mary Ruth Ann Simmons and husband Michael of Ashland City, Tenn. and four grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Aaron McCormick, Michael Luttrell, Larry McCormick, David McCormick, Troy Burris, Adrian Jacobs, Joseph Miller, and James Ward.
P.G. "Glyn" Ward
Services for Mr. P.G. "Glyn" Ward, 81, of Sterlington, was July 24, at Antioch Baptist Church, Hwy 828, Farmerville, with Rev. James C. Houston and Rev. Billy Carter officiating. Burial was in Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home, Sterlington Road.
Ward, a U.S. Navy veteran, died Wednesday, July 21 at St. Francis Medical Center. His love of music was shown over his lifetime through his position of choir director at Antioch Baptist Church, Bienville Baptist Church, and Spencer Baptist Church for approximately 42 years.
Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Velma Rogers Ward of Sterlington; daughters, Glenda Ward Nolan and husband A.J. Nolan of Monroe and Lillian Ward LeRoy and husband John LeRoy of Chalmette; son, James Lonnie Ward and wife Brenda Miller Ward of Sterlington; grandchildren, Calette Nolan Hull and husband Dr. Richard Hull of Marietta, GA, Shana Nolan Gladfelter of Monroe, Andy Glyn Nolan of Monroe, Marcus Alan Ward of Wylie, Texas, James Perry "Jay" Ward of West Monroe, Callie Elizabeth LeRoy of Chalmette and Jason Louis LeRoy of Chalmette; great grandchildren, Haley Joyce Hull of Marietta, GA, Blake Jackson Gladfelter of Monroe, and Mason Cain Ward of West Monroe; sister, Pauline Ward Taylor of Farmerville; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers were Bill Halley, Don Nyegaard, Marcus Ward, James Perry "Jay" Ward, Andy Glyn Nolan, Jason LeRoy. Honorary pallbearers were Merlin Thomas, and Jasper Snell.
Christine E. Gray
Services for Mrs. Christine E. Gray, 87, of Monroe, were July 24, at Covenant Presbyterian Church, with Mr. Larry Lawrence officiating assisted by Rev. Bruce Rux. Burial was July 26 in National Cemetery in Memphis, Tenn., under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home, Sterlington Road, Monroe.
Gray, beloved daughter, wife, sister, aunt, great aunt, and friend passed away on July 21 at her home. The daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Edmonds of Bernie, MO, she graduated from Southeast Missouri University and taught English before she married in Caruthersville, MO, in 1939. In 1958, she moved with her husband, Reverend Wayne W. Gray to Louisiana when he was named the first pastor of the Covenant Presbyterian Church of Monroe. Upon his retirement in 1969, Mrs. Gray became the first director of the Ouachita Council on Aging, from which she retired in 1982. She was also active in church circles, the P.E.O. Sisterhood of which she was a past president of the Louisiana State chapter and in Chapter AE, Monroe and enjoyed a membership in the Entre Nous Book Club. She traveled extensively and her home was filled with items and knick-knacks from countries she had visited.
She is survived by her sister, Mrs. Kenneth Davis of Bernie, MO; nieces, Shirley Sertz of Bernie, MO and Kelli Stevens of Anniston, AL; nephews, Mr. Charles Davis of St. Louis, MO and Eddie C. Edmonds and his wife Sheryl of Houston, Texas; and several grandnieces and grandnephews.
James Toombs Balfour
Services for Mr. James Toombs Balfour, 89, of Monroe, were July 23, in Mulhearn Funeral Home Chapel, Sterlington Road, Monroe, with Rev. Jack Phelps officiating. Private interment was in Mulhearn Memorial Park Mausoleum.
Jim Balfour was born August 23, 1914, on Holly Grove Plantation, which was located along Beouf River in Richland Parish. His parents were Ethel Toombs Balfour and Hugh Ben Balfour, Sr. As a child, Jim farmed for his father. After graduating from high school in Rayville, he went to work with the Civil Conservation Corp. Jim also worked for the U.S. War Department prior to joining the U.S. Navy in 1942, where he served in the Pacific with the Navy Construction Battalion (Seabees). After World War II, he attended LSU and graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering. Jim was employed as a land surveyor and civil engineer and was a member of Sigma Tau Sigma honorary civil engineering fraternity. He was a past Commander of the Ouachita Power Squadron and enjoyed hunting, fishing, and the outdoors. He died on July 21, 2004, at his residence after a very lengthy illness.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Claudia "Joe" Foster Balfour; their two children, Jimmy Balfour and his wife Ellen and Becky Ham and her husband Mike; granddaughter, Margaret Balfour and her husband Adam McGaughey of Cincinati, OH; grandson Jay Balfour of Memphis, Tenn.; sister, Rosemary Davis of Richland Parish; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Pallbearers were John Jack, Jr.; Ronald Davis; Joseph Jack; Gordon Davis, Jr.; Edward Davis; Randy Jack; Lee Jack; and Rod Guy. Honorary pallbearers were Dr. Kerry Anders, Alvin Lane, Mickey Prestridge, and Frank Veasey.
The family would like to thank Johnnie Worley and caregivers, Steven Green, John Williams, and Randy Bonnett, and Phyllis Temple for their dedication.
Gladden Saunders Walters, Jr.
Services for Mr. Gladden Saunders Walters, Jr., 74, of Monroe, were July 23 at First United Methodist Church, Monroe, with Rev. Terry Love officiating. Burial was in Riverview Cemetery under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home, Sterlington Road, Monroe.
Walters, a member of First United Methodist Church of Monroe, died Wednesday, July 21, at his residence. He was a graduate of Tulane University where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Mr. Walters was a veteran of the U. S. Navy, a 1st Lt. in the U. S. Army serving in Korea and he also served in the U. S. Air Force Reserve. He retired from Rockwell International. He was a member of Bayou Desiard Country Club and American Petroleum Institute. His parents, Gladden S. Walters, Sr. and Irma Dowdy Walters and grandmother, Johnnie Smith Elbert preceded him in death.
Survivors include his wife, Nell Holder Walters of Monroe; sons, Gladden S. Walters III of Galveston, Texas, John Milam Walters and wife Heidi of Richmond, VA and Douglas Marion Walters and wife Karen of West Monroe; eight grandchildren, Lindsey, Clayton, Jonathan, Layla, Christopher, Daniel, and Adam Walters, and Beth Walters Gordon; one great grandchild, Devin Gordon and brother, Johnny King.
Pallbearers were Warren Brennen, Michael Nelson, Devin Gordon, William Holder, Steve Allen, Chris Gallo, Larry Taylor, and Billy Ledbetter. Honorary pallbearers were Carl Tidwell, Dr. Wallace Jones, J. C. Liner III, Ernest Strauss, E. D. Elmore, James Ellis, Ernest St. John, and Dr. Warren Stassi.
James D. Mays, Jr.
Graveside services for Mr. James D. Mays, Jr., 55, of Monroe, were July 21, at Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery, under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home, Sterlington Road, Monroe. Rev. Bill Moon officiated.
Jimmy was the owner of Citgo U-Pak-It and Subway on Louisville Avenue. He died Saturday, July 17 at St. Francis Medical Center. He was a graduate of Winnsboro High School and ULM. He was a member of First United Methodist Church. Jimmy and his father owned Mays Quality Oil and Tire Co.
Survivors include his wife, Pat McCain Mays of Monroe; son, Cason McCain Mays of Lafayette; daughters, Mollie Kathryne Mays of Bozeman, MT and Caroline Elizabeth Mays of Cincinnati, OH; and sisters and brothers-in-law, Margaret and Donnie Ellerman of Winnsboro and Susie and Woody Chew of Baton Rouge.
Pallbearers were David Stapp, Huey Parker, Troy Free, Bud Anders, Hunter Loftin, and Johnny Adams.
