Obituaries

Timothy Dale “Poppie” Lopez of Zwolle entered into eternal rest Thursday December 28, 2017 at LSU following a brief but terminal illness. Services were held January 1 at Rose-Neath Funeral Chapel in Many. Burial followed at the Zwolle Cemetery. He was 56.Tim was born July 1, 1961 in Zwolle and lived there most of his life. He was a lifelong builder as both a welder and carpenter. He was a particularly talented framer and wood craftsman. He found great satisfaction tinkering with wood projects in his eclectic man cave and shop.Tim will be remembered for his love of loud rock and roll music and his eclectic collections. He frequently bestowed his unique trinkets to his family, friends and grandkids. His candor and humor will be greatly missed.He was preceded in death by his father, Marrell Lopez of Conroe, Texas; brothers, Pete Wooley and Michael Lopez both of Zwolle; and grand-parents, Ernest and Lucy Lopez, and J.B.

Funeral services for Thomas “T. J.” Funeral services for Thomas “T. J.”Jerome Geoghagan, 84, of Many, were held January 10 at First Baptist Church of Fort Jesup with the Reverends Joey Grappe and Mike Haynes officiating. Burial followed in the Ft. Jesup Cemetery. He was born Saturday, April 8, 1933 in Sabine Parish and passed away Saturday, January 6, 2018 at Cornerstone Hospital in Bossier City. He was preceded in death by his wife, Yeceleta “Jean” Geoghagan; and parents, Thomas Jefferson Geoghagan and Leona Williams Geoghagan.

Funeral services for Larry Eugene Chance, 73, of Florien, will be held January 13 at Pine Grove Baptist Church with the Reverends Wayne Chance, Dennis Bignar, and Doug Chance officiating. Burial followed in the Prewitt Chapel Cemetery. He was born Sunday, January 7, 1945 in Many, and passed away Wednesday, January 10, 2018 in Florien. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sharon Rose Chance; son, Larry Trent Chance; parents, the Rev. Joseph Leroy Chance and Joyce Eleanor Hilton Chance; brother, Joseph Lane Chance; nephews, Kody Heath Chance and Josef Quisto Chance; and sister-in-law, Susan Chance.

Funeral services for Debra Asby Waters, 66, of Many were held January 11 at First Baptist Church of Many with the Rev. Steven Kelly and Pastors Jim Manning and Tommy Lewis officiating. Burial followed in the Mt. Carmel Cemetery. She was born Thursday, November 1, 1951 in Shreveport, and passed away Sunday, January 7, 2018 in Bossier City. She was preceded in death by her father, John Buck Asby; mother, Sue Smith Strange; step-father, James Austin Strange; and sister, Penny Asby Cloutier. She is survived by her daughter, Marcie Malmay and husband, Jason, of Many; grandchildren, Kinsley, Gabe, and Brayden; brother-in-law, Bill Cloutier of Natchitoches; niece, Casey Travis and husband, Brian, of Alexandria; nephew, Will Cloutier of Natchitoches; great nieces, Annabeth and Cheyenne; great nephews, Hayden and Gage; special friends, Pam Founds of Many and Jana Varnado Smith of Many; along with a host of friends and church family.

Funeral services honoring the life of John Smith Tatum, 86, were held December 23, 2017 at Beulah Baptist Church in Mansfield with the Rev. David Permenter officiating. Burial follow at Sardis Cemetery in Converse. He was born on April 3, 1931 to C.W. and Sally Tatum and entered into rest December 21, 2017. He was hardworking and faithful to his wife, children, great-grandchildren, family, and friends. John was born and raised in the Sardis Community. Honest hard work and determination were part of his large family of three boys and five girls. These traits were the very core of the man John Tatum became. Upon finishing high school, John served in the Air Force for eight years as an aircraft mechanic. Once he served his country, John moved his family back to the Sardis Community to own and operate dairy farm for several years.

Bennie McNeely, Jr., who was fondly called “Bennie Boy” by family members and close friends, died on December 28, 2017 with his half-sister Bonnie Hamilton by his side. Born on October 30, 1936, he was 81 years old and had lived in Many most of those years. Along with Bonnie and his niece Casey Crawford, he had two cousins Vicki Simpson and Olivia Pass. His cousin Jo Ellen Cotton predeceased him. He was the son of Bennie McNeely, Sr. and Doris Logan McNeely, who had both predeceased him. The funeral was held at Warren Meadows Funeral Home in Many on December 30. Interment followed the funeral at the Many Cemetery. After graduating from Many High School, Bennie went to Northwestern State University and received a bachelor’s degree in business. Following graduation from Northwestern, he proudly served his country as Private First Class in the U.S. Army. He spent much of his Army stint in Vietnam.