Category: Obituaries

Early school experiences remembered: Mrs. Mae McIntyre, of Snake Ridge, ca. 1986 – Foreward by Evelyn Cochran

This story by Mrs. May Mclntyre is told with love and feeling and understanding of her rides to school in a “school bus” of the times, the early 1920s. Getting to school was not easy as you can tell by this delightful story. “Out in the rural” where most of Richland’s citizens lived and worked there were few roads and these were mud-rutted trials. If to school you went, you walked.

Remembering Mrs. Evelyn Griffis Cochran (1919-1996) – AUDIO Included

Mrs. Evelyn Cochran DEFINITELY was a trailblazer in recording so much priceless history, and we owe her and her family much gratitude for all they contributed through the years. Sadly, I did not personally know Mrs. Evelyn, but I cherish the work she did over the course of her life. She also wrote many columns for the Beacon, and I look forward to sharing those in future posts as well. – Luke

Remembering Former Longtime Rayville Mayor, Joe Kalil (1922-1996) – AUDIO

Mr. Kalil, the son of immigrant parents from Lebanon, held the mayor’s post from 1970 until 1994. For ten years prior to that, from 1960 until his election as mayor in 1970, he was a member of the Board of Aldermen. Active in state levels as well, Mr. Kalil was a member and leader of the Louisiana Municipal Association, serving in 1974 and 75 as its president. For the remainder of his life, he was a valued member of the LMA Executive Board. In addition, he served on the Louisiana Municipal Retirement System and had been chairman of that board for the past 20 years.

Remembering Harry Wayne Addison (1920-2003) – AUDIO

The family often joked that going anywhere with “Pa” would take ‘ forever because he would stop and talk to everyone he saw. But that was part of Harry’s charm. A noted and gifted writer, Mr. Addison authored three great books, Write that Down for Me Daddy, RFD 3, and Mama Was a Con Man, Papa Was a Christian. He also spent many years traveling the south as a guest speaker. Hearing Harry speak was a treat; his humor and wit will go unmatched.