•Part 1
"I have sampled this life." ----Mark Twain
Perusing the obituaries --- an unpleasant pastime but a habit nonetheless. And 2025 was no different from years past. Franklinton lost a legion of lovely ladies and gentlemen.
Certainly, I cannot claim to know all of them, but I fortunately was acquainted with my fair share. While I have already shared my remembrance of several dear friends with Louise Fisher, Sherry Gill Simpson, and Tanda Dunaway Schilling among them, there were others who struck a chord in my little life. Indelible memories.
Local loss began early when Jean Bankston Cox (1942-2025) of Stoney Point succumbed on the second day of the new year. The daughter of Artis and Camille Stafford Bankston, she graduated from Franklinton High School in 1960 and married Harold Cox, her high school sweetheart, on January 13, 1962. Ms. Jean was known by locals at Washington St. Tammany Electric Co-Op where she worked for many years and also at Franklinton Elementary School where she served as a paraprofessional. I knew her best as the sister and sister-in-law of our friends and neighbors James and Pauline Crain Bankston. And if I am remembering correctly, Ms. Jean kindly did some sewing for my mother. She was survived by her daughter and son-in-law Shanda and Dennis Glover.
Also on January 2, 2025, Walter Louis Smith (1933-2025) passed away. A native of Texas, he had lived here for more than thirty years. I knew Mr. Walter through his wife Margaret Knight Smith, a Franklinton native I knew all my life. More on Margaret in a future installment of this sad series. Notably, she and Walter enjoyed travelling the country in their RV, visiting historical sites and beautiful parks with Yellowstone chief among them. The couple had even served several summers as tour guides there. Walter was survived by a son Walter "Bubba" Smith, Jr., and a daughter Arjaree.
Then, on the seventh day of January, Laverne Corkern (1931-2025) died at the age of ninety-three. The daughter of Shelly Otis Sheridan and Josie Fussell Donnally, she graduated in 1948 from Franklinton High School where she was Football Queen, a cheerleader, most athletic, and a member of the basketball team that took the state title in 1947. The wife of Ralph Corkern for fifty-two years, she was the devoted mother of Becky Jenkins (Earl), Renea Agnew (Jerry), Ernie Corkern (Shellye), and Ramona Corkern Bowlin. Many, like me, remember Ms. Laverne from the Washington Parish Health Unit and Washington Parish Library where she worked. She also worked at the Red & White Grocery and together with her husband was a dairy farmer. My husband Rodney and I grew up with her children.
On January 19, Carolyn Jones McGlothlin (1940-2025) of Enon passed away. The daughter of William Jones and Roxie Sharp Jones, she was the wife of Gen. (ret) Ronald Earl McGlothlin and a loving mother to Donald Luther Wilson, Jennifer Griffith, and Susan Myrick (Lance). Many remember Ms. Carolyn as a secretary at Franklinton High School and a successful realtor in our region. She was a lovely lady I knew through my mother. Gardening, antiquing, entertaining, and traveling were Ms. Carolyn's hobbies. With regard to the latter, she and I enjoyed reminiscing about our stays at the Shades of Green at Disney World. Reserved for active and retired military, it is a terrific resort where we were privileged to stay with our families (thanks to Mr. Ron, who retired a General, and in my case, my dad who retired a Colonel). While my dad took Betsy, and us, several times before he succumbed in 1999, the McGlothlins frequented the Shades of Green annually. A fantastic family tradition.
At month's end, on January 29, came the passing of a great man - James Richard Morgan (1931-2025). Life as he described to me, in his own words, in the summer of 2023, "It went pretty steady the whole ninety years." Mr. Richard's impeccable character and strong faith had much to do with that. And he wasn't afraid to render his own opinion. He told me on the telephone, "I'm glad you and Rodney landed together. You make a fine couple." Thirty-seven years later, it could not have meant more coming from anyone else. Mr. Richard and I made an appointment to meet that summer; I'm not sure who was more excited. But then, he had to call and regret. Rodney and I understood. But he read my column regularly; he never once failed to mention it.
I would be remiss if I didn't disclose that my husband Rodney's father was exceptionally close - they went all the way back to youth, the best of friends - with Mr. Richard. They were lifelong companions. And my own parents, who were on average a decade his senior, thought the world of Richard Morgan. He was the first friend through the door at both of their funerals. An only child, I remember these things.
A Franklinton native, Richard was the son of Herbert and Ruby Forrest Morgan. He graduated in 1950 from Franklinton High School where he played football and basketball. And he proceeded to play football at Pearl River Community College for Coach Doby Holden, a legendary, much celebrated football coach. Digressing, I know this for a fact; for many years, Rodney and I were in a couples Sunday School class at First Baptist Church of Mandeville with Coach Holden's daughter Dr. Carole Holden Lund and son-in-law Dan Lund.
Completing his college education at Southeastern Louisiana University, Mr. Richard spent his career at Hydratane Gas Company, Pertolane Gas Company, and Blossman Petroleum and Tire, which he owned until he retired. He married Shirley Bateman to whom he was wed for seventy years. They had two sons Jim (Sandy) and Robert (Susan) and one daughter Mary (Mike) Mobley. Mr. Richard was a devout member of First Baptist Church of Franklinton where he was a Deacon and a Sunday School teacher and director. As he informed during our last conversation, "I remember having you in Sunday School. I saw your dad in town and told him I wasn't ready for you to grow up, and he wasn't either. But here you are."
All would agree - there was ne'er a finer man than Mr. Richard Morgan.
