In December 2024, the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office (VPSO) and the Leesville City Marshal’s Office (LCMO) requested the Louisiana State Police Criminal Investigations Division (LSP CID) to investigate a theft of funds from the LCMO.

As a result of the investigation and information obtained, it was revealed that former Leesville Chief Deputy Marshal Kim Pollock had stolen approximately $82,000 of funds from September 2022 through December 2024.

On March 26, 2025, LSP CID obtained a warrant for Pollock’s arrest for theft (over $25,000) and malfeasance in office. Thursday morning, Pollock was arrested for the outstanding warrants and booked at the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office without incident.

The Louisiana State Police will serve as the lead investigative agency. The investigation remains active and ongoing. There is no further information available at this time.

The Louisiana State Police online reporting system is also available to the public through a convenient and secure reporting form that is submitted to the appropriate investigators. Citizens can access the form by visiting http://www.lsp.org and clicking the Suspicious Activity link, or calling the LSP Fusion Center Hotline at 1-800-434-8700.

Lana Dobernig, age 37, of Alexandria, was arrested on an out of jurisdiction Bench Warrant from Grant Parish.  Dobernig was transported to Grant Parish.

Terry Wayne Cochran, age 62, of Anacoco, was arrested and charged with one count of Illegal Discharge of a Weapon.  Bond has not been set.  Cochran remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Delvin Jay Bayham, age 50, of Pitkin, was arrested and charged with one count of Domestic Abuse Battery.  Bond has not been set.  Bayham remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Jared Logan Smart, age 35, of Oakdale was arrested by Agents with the Vernon Parish Narcotics Task Force.  Agents charged Smart with one count of Possession of Methamphetamine in Excess of 28 Grams, one count of Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic with the Intent to Distribute, one count of Possession of a Schedule IV Narcotic, one count of Possession of a Legend Drug, and one count of Littering.  Bond has not been set.  Smart remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Michael Scott Evans, age 50, of Florence, Mississippi, was arrested and charged with one count of Violation of a Protective Order.  Bond has not been set.  Evans remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

ALL PERSONS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW.

By VPJ Staff

Now that the weather is more conducive to outdoor activities, everyone has planned events that the whole family can enjoy together.  The month of April is a great kick start to the coming summer.

The Leesville Mayor’s Women’s Commission and the Leesville Junior League will spearhead the Annual Spring Cean up in the city, Saturday, April 5.  This is a great way to start the statewide Clean Up the Boot campaign during the month.  The Leesville Art Park will serve as HQ for the event, with teams fanning out over the city to grab trash.  There are cash prizes for top trash-gathering teams and free hot dogs for all for lunch.  Show up at 9 a.m. to get the party started.

Nearly every civic group in Vernon Parish will invest time in the Spring Fling, Saturday, April 12, at beautiful Dogwood Park.  The Pilot Club will begin the day with a walk to bring awareness to Alzheimer’s.  The day will be full of fun for all ‘til 2 p.m.  Food trucks will be on hand.  You can enjoy live music, a story walk for kids, an art space, pictures with the Easter Bunny, and much more.  It’s all free and open to the community.

The Village of Anacoco will host their 21^st Annual Spring Parade and Festival April 12.  The parade rolls at 11 a.m. with lots of throws.  The fun begins at 9 a.m. with vendors, activities and good food.  Contact Anacoco Town Hall at 337-239-0215 to enter a unit in the parade.

The City of Leesville will host a Spring Music Festival Saturday, April 19, beginning at 5 p.m. Put your lawn chairs up at the Polk Outdoor Theater Stage on East Texas and enjoy the Casey Peveto Band, fresh off their performance at the Iowa Rabbit Festival.  Come for an evening of rocking country music, food trucks and kids’ activities.  It’s all free and open to the public.

Friday, April 25, GALLERY ONElllELEVEN will host the 3^rd Annual Art of the Eat fundraiser in downtown Leesville, which this year features a Couchon de Lait (pig roast) and a catfish fry, plus live music in the street and a chance to raise funds for the Leesville Art Park.  Tickets are currently available from Gallery patrons.

That’s just April in our sleepy little town. Wait until Mayfest hits May 2-3 in its new location at the fairgrounds.  BIG FUN-BIG MUSIC-BIG FOOD!  Hope to see you and the family out and about!

The Vernon Parish Library is delighted to announce its Second Annual Authors’ Autograph Party! It will be held April 12th, 2025, in the Vernon Parish Library’s Meeting Room. The setup for the event will take place between 9 and 10 AM. The event itself will start at 10 AM and conclude at 2 PM.

We invite local authors from Vernon Parish and the surrounding parishes to sell autographed copies of their books in a fun and engaging atmosphere. The event includes light refreshments, book displays, and Mother Goose Story Time for kids.

If you are interested or know of someone who might want to join, please continue reading for rules and requirements.

Needed by February 21^st, 2025, to ensure your spot in our event and for advertisement:

• A brief biography of the author with picture if available
• Cover of books being sold at event.
• Completed Author Contact Sheet.

We will provide: The space, 1 table (1’ 7” X 5’ 11”), 2 chairs per table, and Light refreshments: such as water, sodas, coffee, and cookies

You need to bring all materials necessary to set up your table and for selling your books:

• Tablecloths, flyers, advertisements, display pieces, your books, items for book signing, and anything else required to sell your books.

The Vernon Parish Library is in no way responsible for handling, distributing, or managing money in any capacity for the event. Authors are fully responsible for providing a means to purchase their books and the ability to provide correct change when necessary.

To maintain consistency and fairness, kindly ensure that your display items remain within the confines of your designated space.

In accordance with the Meeting Room Policy:

• The library is not responsible for equipment, supplies, materials or other items owned by a group or individuals and used in the library.
• Smoking, tobacco products and alcoholic beverages are not allowed.
• Materials are not to be taped, tacked, or stapled to walls, windows, doors, or ceiling.
• No writing or drawing on any of the furniture, walls, windows, doors, or ceiling in the meeting room.

If you have any questions or would like to sign up, please contact us:

Vernon Parish Library

1401 Nolan Trace, Leesville, LA, 71446

FAX: (337) 238-0666

Call: (337) 239-2027 or (800) 737-2231

www.vernonparishlibrary.org

Pilot Club, Kiwanis Club, Lions Club, The Junior League, The Vernon Parish Tourism Commission, Friends of Main Street, and City of Leesville are hosting the first-ever Spring Fling in the Park on Saturday, April 12.  Your family is invited to Dogwood Park on Belview Road in Leesville from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

The day’s events will include an Alzheimer’s Walk in memory of the late Donna Williams at 9 a.m., food trucks, live music, popcorn, cotton candy, and much more.  Kids will enjoy the art space, brain minders, a puppet show, and a story walk.  Craft vendors will be on site and organizers are still adding events to the day.

The Junior League of Leesville will offer pictures of your kids with the Easter Bunny.

There is no admission.  Bring your family and friends.

The first-ever Spring Fling is Saturday, April 12, at Dogwood Park in Leesville.

The Vernon Parish School Board will host the 2025 parish Special Olympics for 2025 on Tuesday, April 1, at the Leesville High School Track and Field complex.

Opening ceremonies are at 9:30 a.m. with the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Torch Run bringing the flame into the event.  The Leesville High JROTC will present the colors.   The parade of athletes will follow, then the pledge, oath and prayer.

Events for the participants will begin at 10 a.m.  They include softball toss, tennis ball toss, standing long jump, and running events(by ages). The public is invited to attend and cheer the athletes on.

Lunch will be provided and served to the athletes and helpers by the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office.  Drinks are provided by Byrd Hospital. 

Participants will enjoy booths with sno-cones, popcorn, cotton candy, face painting, temporary tattoos, and bubbles.

Local food trucks will be on site with items to purchase for lunch.

The event will conclude at 1 p.m.  There is no cost to attend.  Please come and support our Special Olympians.

Special Olympics organizers thank the following sponsors:  The Leesville Lions Club, GEICO/Leesville, Merchants & Farmers Bank, Jeremy Burge/Allstate, Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office, David Haymon/State Farm, Landey Adams/State Farm, Byrd Hospital, Sabine State Bank, Harvest Temple Christian Center, The McCall Family, Barksdale Federal Credit Union, West Cenla Shrine Club, Maxout Injury Lawyers, Trey Coker/State Farm, Cryer’s Sports.

The Pickering Head Start Program located at 116 Lebleu Road presents “Math To Build On”, an eight-session math literacy workshop for kids five and under, and their caregivers.

These sessions will take place on Thursdays from 5-7 p.m. now through May 15.

This free workshop includes books, a book bag, and a Certificate of Participation.  Free refreshments, music, dancing, and crafts are also offered to session-goers.

For more information, call Angela Huckaby at 337-509-5218.

Please give your children a chance to participate.

I’ve always enjoyed remembering how things used to be, and I look forward for what the future
holds with regards to tournament bass fishing. Today we’ll step back in time and look at how
tournament fishing was in the early days. 
 
As I’ve noted in past writings, my tournament days go back to the early 1990ns. To say that
times have changed is truly an understatement. Things are different today in several ways and
the first thing that comes to mind, is how anglers had respect for each other on the water.
Anglers were always conscious of not fishing too close to another angler and never wanted to
invade another their territory, especially if he was leading the tournament. THAT’S NOT THE
CASE TODAY! 
 
To use an old phrase, “back in the day,” anglers showed respect for each other by not fishing
areas on the lake that someone found first. Unfortunately, anglers today tend to hold no regard
or respect for another angler’s area. 
 
Many of our younger anglers think that all water is open for anyone to fish any time during the
tournament.  But I’m not going to throw shade just on our youth for all the issues taking place
in tournaments. It’s not really their fault, as 95 percent of both high school and college anglers
have never been exposed to the unwritten rules of tournament bass fishing. Etiquette has been
forgotten and is not being taught.
 
Another issue today that anglers have is the disregard for the “no information” rule. At no time
has this rule had more attention than it has this season. Several touring pros have been
disqualified for violating this rule in 2025. Most tournament trails have a written rule that does
not allow anglers to receive information about a particular body of water within a specific time
frame. Without a doubt, this is the most abused rule on every level! 
 
Back in the day, anglers were held to a higher standard than they are today. Some tournament
organizations are turning a blind eye to some of the infractions and are not holding anglers

accountable. This is why anglers continue to bend the rules and is one reason tournament
entries are down nationwide.
 
Until organizations decide to preserve the integrity of the sport, and drop the hammer on these
rule breakers, nothing will change. Some anglers will stop at nothing to gather information like
waypoints, best areas to fish, and what baits to throw from guides and other resources. 
 
While there are ways to gather information legally, some anglers ignore the rules and show no
regard for doing things the right way. Once again, back in the day if an angler violated a rule, he
was pulled aside by other anglers and asked to explain himself. The older generation held each
other more accountable. 
 
Oh, how I yearn for the days of old where you did not have to worry about who or how
someone was possibly cheating or bending the rules. Your reputation as an angler was more
important than winning any single event. You would rather sacrifice a win and still have the
respect of your fellow competitors than to cash a check doing something shady.  
 
But the philosophy today is to win at all costs, no matter what the consequences. This is pretty
much true in all sports, especially on the high school and collegiate levels. Today it’s all about
the money being made and if a kid is not happy where they’re at, they transfer to another
school that is willing to pay them even more. They are even paid in advance on potential and
not on their body of work! 
 
I’ll wrap up this gripe session with this — if we as anglers don’t start demanding organizations
enforce ALL the rules, nothing will ever change. We must demand transparency from all
tournament organizations.

‘Til next time, go fishing every chance you get because you never know when it might be your
last. 
 
Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com.

On March 25, 2025, Virginia “Ginger” Ourso left us, surrounded by the love and memories of a life well-lived. At the age of 71, she passed on, leaving behind a legacy of warmth, kindness, and devotion to her family and community.

Born and raised in Leesville, Ginger’s love for her hometown was rivaled only by her passion for THE WAMPUS CATS. Her spirit and enthusiasm inspired those around her, and her memory will continue to be cherished by all who knew her.

Ginger was preceded in death by her parents, James V. Ourso, Sr. and Lucille Moses Ourso, as well as her siblings, Nancy Jane Ourso Wambsgans and Tamara Ann Ourso Giffin.

She leaves behind her brother, James V. Ourso, Jr., of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a loving family of aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends who will deeply miss her.

As we say goodbye to our dear Ginger, we take comfort in the warm memories and love she shared with us. A memorial service will be announced at a later date.

VENTON ROYCE COBURN
January 8, 1933 – March 24, 2025
Service: March 29, 2025, at Labby Memorial Funeral Home in Leesville at 1 p.m.

VIRGINIA “GINGER” OURSO
April 18, 1953 – March 25, 2025
Service: at a later date

William Franklin McCarthy, age 39, of Evans, was arrested and charged with one count of Aggravated Obstruction of a Highway.  Bond has not been set.  McCarthy remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Kevin Arndt, age 43, of Leesville, was arrested and charged with two counts of Domestic Abuse Battery, one count of Home Invasion, one count of Interfering with Emergency Communications, one count of Theft, one count of Domestic Abuse Aggravated Assault, one count of Home Invasion-Intimidation, and one count of Criminal Damage to Property.  Bond has not been set.  Arndt remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Sheila Johnson, age 63, of Pitkin, was arrested and charged with one count of Simple Battery, and one count of Disturbing the Peace-Language.  Bond was set at $2162.  Johnson posted bond and was released.

Timothy Scott Norris, age 50, of Rosepine, was arrested and charged with one count of Battery of a Dating Partner by Strangulation and one count Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle.  Bond has not been set.  Norris remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Dana Denise Pickett, age 31, of Leesville was arrested by Agents with the Vernon Parish Narcotics Task Force.  Agents charged Pickett with one count of Obstruction to the Drivers View or Driving Mechanism, one count of Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic and one outstanding Bench Warrant.  Bond has not been set.  Pickett remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Darris Horace, age 34, of Leesville, was arrested by Agents with the Vernon Parish Narcotics Task Force.  Agents arrested Horace on an outstanding Bench Warrant from the DeRidder City Police Department.  Bond has not been set.  Horace remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Bradley Keith Thomas, age 31, of Leesville, was arrested and charged with two counts of Principal to Theft.  Bond has not been set.  Thomas remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Elisha Lowe, age 35, of Leesville, was arrested on a Bench Warrant from Sabine Parish.  Bond has not been set.  Lowe remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

ALL PERSONS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW

The Leesville City Council met in regular session Monday, March 24, at 3 p.m.  Council members accepted the minutes from the March 10 meeting.  Bills were presented in the amount of $79,055.33, and approved for payment.

Council members received an engineering report from Erin Manuel with Meyer and Associates.  Manuel told the council the sewage project on Entrance Road is now ready for the installation of a well.  The ballpark lift project is seeking additional state funds, while the 2025 Street Overlay Project is currently pending state approval.

The City Council voted to condemn two properties at 1702 and 1704 Allison Street.  The City has given the owners two years to make restoration to the property.  After some discussion of an extension, the motion to condemn was passed.

Council members passed a resolution authorizing the City of Leesville to enter into a second year of a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the MLK Mentors and cover the cost of their liability insurance premium, authorizing the Mayor or City Administrator to provide for any and all related matters.

The City will advertise for bids to construct a new walking path and a cart path at the municipal golf course.

City officials agreed to approve the Certificate of Substantial Completion for the Water Main relocation and sewer replacement for the Highway 171 roundabout at Boone Street.

The City also approved the event permit for the Pilot Club of Vernon Parish to host the 2025 Spring Fling at Dogwood Park on April 12.

The next meeting of the Leesville City Council meeting is set for Monday, April 14, at 3 p.m.

Saturday, March 22, at approximately 2:30 p.m., Sundown FD was requested to respond to the 1900 block of Good Hope Road to assist Sandy Creek FD with a large grass fire.  Sundown FD Wildland Response Unit went enroute and upon arrival, observed a large field on fire.

Fire personnel began suppression operations and successfully extinguished the fire. As fire personnel were clearing the scene, Vernon Parish E-911 Communications Division notified personnel of a second brush fire in the 100 block of Dogwood Drive in Anacoco. Sundown FD immediately went enroute with the Wildland Response Unit for assistance. Upon arrival, personnel began suppression operations and successfully extinguished the fire. All units then cleared the scene and returned to their stations.

Units that responded included: Sundown FD, Caney FD, Sandy Creek FD, Hornbeck FD, Anacoco FD, and Dry Fork Volunteer Fire Department, as well as units from the Louisiana Department of Forestry.

Sundown FD would like to, once again, remind everyone to PLEASE NOT BURN IN DRY WINDY CONDITIONS. In doing so, you may become criminally and/or civilly liable if fire leaves your property and causes damages.

The Leesville Mayor’s Women’s Commission will partner with the Leesville Junior League on the annual Trash Bash, April 5, from 8 a.m. – 11 a.m. at the Leesville Art Park/Magnolia Park on Abe Allen Drive. 

The park will serve as headquarters for the event.  Trash Bash teams will fan out in different areas of Leesville.  Teams can compete for prizes of $50, $75 or $100.  All participants will be treated to free hot dogs after the event.

If you would like to participate, see the Facebook page/ City of Leesville Municipal Government and scan the QR code.

Come and join the fun and make some cash for your church or civic group Saturday, April 5, at the Leesville Art Park.

SOFTBALL

The Anacoco Lady Indians boast the best record among girls teams in Vernon Parish.  They are 16-3 and have won eight straight.  At the Sulphur tournament they had wins over 2A/DeQuincy, 3A/Church Point, and 5A/Acadiana.  Anacoco hosted Fairview last night and visits Pitkin Thursday.

The Hicks Lady Pirates played at the Sulphur tournament and came back with three wins, beating 1A/Merryville, 2A/Vinton and 1A/Cedar Creek.  The Lady Pirates are 11-2 on the season.  They hosted Elizabeth last night.

Rosepine has won four of the last six including a 15-0 win over Many on Monday.  The Lady Eagles are 8-10 on the season and visited East Beauregard last night.

Evans has torn the cover off the ball lately, winning three in a row to push their record to 5-9.  The Lady Eagles have outscored the last three opponents 42-7.  Their last game with East Beauregard was postponed.

Leesville stands at 7-7 on the season and played host to LaGrange last night.  Hornbeck is 1-6 and had a game Monday with Glenmora postponed.  Pickering is 4-6 on the year and played at Vinton last night. Pitkin is 4-12 and lost to Oakdale Monday, 11-1.  Simpson lost to Plainview Monday, 13-10, to fall to 1-8 on the season.  The Lady Broncos played at Pitkin last night.

BASEBALL

Rosepine and Hicks have the top baseball records in the parish.  Rosepine has won seven of their last nine to move to 14-7, on the year.  They dropped a 9-0 decision to 5A Sulphur on Monday. The Eagles played at East Beauregard last night.  Hicks dropped a 5-1 game at St. Mary’s Saturday.  The Pirates are 11-4 on the year and hosted Elizabeth last night.

The Hornbeck Hornets have won their last three games to move to 6-7 on the year.  Hornbeck beat Stanley, 4-2 on Monday.  They played at Oak Hill last night.

The Tigers of Pitkin are 8-5 after beating Pine Prairie Monday, 12-9.  Pitkin hosts Anacoco on Thursday.  Anacoco is 5-12 but have won their last two games.  The Indians hosted Fairview last night.

Leesville checks in with a 7-10 record after losing Monday to Westlake, 14-4.  Evans has a 2-7 record and hosted Ebarb last night.  Simpson beat Plainview Monday, 8-7, to move to 3-7 on the season.  The Broncos visit Hornbeck Thursday.  Pickering(0-13), is looking for their first win of the season.  They hosted Vinton last night.

Nominations are open for Northwestern State University’s Long Purple Line.  The deadline to submit nominations is May 5.  

The Long Purple Line, NSU’s Alumni Hall of Distinction, was established in 1990 to provide recognition and appreciation to individuals whose career accomplishments or service to their fellow man have enhanced the reputation and prestige of Northwestern State.  Selection may be based upon past or continuing achievements in individuals’ careers, exemplary and extraordinary service to community, state and nation or both career accomplishments and service to mankind including service to their alma mater.

Honorees will be recognized during a luncheon and induction program held in conjunction with Homecoming festivities this fall. 

The link for the Long Purple Line nomination form is https://northwesternstatealumni.com/lpl/.  

The Pilot Club of Leesville invites the public to join their online auction and bid on great prize packages and individual items.  The auction site will post the items for bid on March 26 and close the bidding process on March 31.  The Pilots will use this fundraiser to support their many community projects.

YOU MUST REQUEST TO BE LET ON THE FACEBOOK GROUP.  Check it out today at Pilot Club of Leesville Online Auction.    Visit the page on Facebook and follow the prompts to be let in.

You will have 15-20 different new items to bid on each day of the auction, including golf packages, spa packages, a home security system, a two-night Air BNB stay in Texas, seasonal home décor, a grilling package, and numerous restaurant gift certificates representing the best eating spots in the area.  More items are being added daily!

The Pilot Club of Leesville supports many programs in Vernon Parish that impact hundreds of lives.  These include bingo for seniors at the Woodlands, Wreaths Across America, CASA of West Central, Meals on Wheels, gift packages for veterans staying at the Woodlands, scholarships for local high school seniors, and improvements to Dogwood Park, to name a few.

Join the fun and bid on some great items donated by the local business community.  It costs nothing to join the online auction. The Pilot Club thanks you for your support.

Funeral services for Wayne Grant Duke will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Sunny Hill Baptist Church with Reverend Larry Vaughn officiating. The burial will follow in Old Anacoco Cemetery under the direction of Jeane’s Funeral Service. Serving as pallbearers will be Tanner Lachney, Louis Lachney, Thomas Graham, Danny Grant, Rodney Lachney, and Joel Taylor. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Tom Lilley, Ervin Wilson, John Branch, Butch Funderburk, Kenneth Kelly, and Gary Bush.

A visitation will be held at Sunny Hill Baptist Church on Friday from 11:00 a.m. until the time of the service.

Wayne was born July 11, 1944, in Kurthwood, Louisiana and passed away at his home in Kurthwood surrounded by his family on March 21, 2025, at the age of 80. For many years, he worked alongside his wife, Dorothy, as the owner and operator of the Kurthwood General Store and was retired from the Vernon Parish School Board as a school bus driver. In addition to these jobs, Wayne supported JRTC rotations as the bus operations supervisor and worked as the manager of Brown’s Furniture Store and Moses Furniture. One of his hobbies was owning many antique cars – Corvettes were his passion – and attending antique car shows. His family enjoyed hearing stories about his childhood and about family and friends from the past as well as the history of the logging industry. His intelligence and great memory made these stories come alive. Wayne was a member of Sunny Hill Baptist Church for more than 60 years. During that time, he served as a deacon and grew to love his church family. Working outdoors on his property and completing various building projects kept him busy. Wayne devoted his life to his family, friends, church, and community. His mentorship and friendship were sought by many, adding richness to their lives. He instilled living a life of kindness, service to others, and honor to his beloved children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; a legacy that will live on.

Wayne was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Dorothy Fay Duke; parents, Henry Herbert Duke and Mildred Lolita Grant Duke; and sisters, Carol Puckett, Geri Brown, Judy Balich, and infant Billie Jean Duke.

Those left to cherish his memory are his son, Christopher Grant Duke of Kurthwood; daughters, Kay Christina Lachney (Louis) of Simpson, Louisiana, and Cheryl Lynn Green of Livingston, Texas; grandchildren, Amanda Duke Branch (John), Jordan Christine Lachney, Ashley Michelle Green, Haleigh Abilene Lachney, Maycee Jean Lachney, and Tanner Wayne Lachney; great-grandchildren, Levi Elijah Duke, Jolene Faye Anderson, Journey Lynn Green, and Jeremiah Clark Duke Branch; nephews, David Puckett, Ronnie Puckett, and Chris Brown; niece, Karen Leos; and his church family at Sunny Hill Baptist Church.

Funeral services for Elexson Ellias Jr. were held at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 23, 2025, at Christian Living Fellowship Church with Reverends Bobby Ganaway and George Lee Glass officiating. Burial followed in Rosepine Cemetery under the direction of Jeane’s Funeral Service.

Elexson was born September 4, 1943, and passed away March 20, 2025, in his home surrounded by family and friends. Everyone called him Junior, and for many years he was one of the owners and operators of Ellias Trailer Park in Sandy Hill. Afterwards, he was self-employed, first as the owner of a parts store then as the owner of a lawn service. Junior was a member of Christian Living Fellowship Church and loved everything LSU. He enjoyed taking road trips, watching the sun set, and sitting on the porch breathing in the fresh air. His friendly nature meant that he never met a stranger and was a friend to everyone. Most of all, he loved his wife, children, and grandchildren.

Junior was preceded in death by his parents, Elexson Ellias Sr. and Ethel Pelt Ellias; father-in-law, Jim Dial; mother-in-law, Bertha Dial; sisters-in-law, Francies Miller and Billie Ticer; and brothers-in-law, Jimmie Dial and Bruce Dial.

Those left to cherish his memory are his loving wife of almost 22 years, Bettye Ellias; son, Matthew Ellias (Haley) of Rosepine, LA; grandchildren, Kaden Ellias, Joshlynn Ellias, and Gannon Ellias; niece, Harley Dial; sister-in-law, Bernell Okes; brothers-in-law, Gerald Dial and Bruce Dial; and a host of friends.