"Because I could not stop for death, He kindly stopped for me; The carriage held but just ourselves and immortality." ----Emily Dickinson
Continuing this series on lamentable local loss - Evelyn Riggs Corkern (1931-2025) who passed away at the age of ninety-four on the eighth day of September was a native of Tennessee who moved to our town, where she met and married Doyle Corkern. I fondly remember her behind the counter at Thrifty Drug Store. A devoted member of Trinity Baptist Church, Ms. Evelyn was known for her scrumptious pies which she generously shared. And I heard that she, a lady after my own heart, appreciated a good deal. She was the beloved mother and mother-in-law of Kira and Murdock Brumfield, my cousins, and William Cledis and Sue Knight. And devoted grandmother of a passel.
One day later, on the ninth day of September, Elizabeth Ann "Libby" Duncan Magee (1947-2025) succumbed to pulmonary fibrosis at age seventy-eight. The daughter of Horace and Hilda Pittman Duncan, she wore several hats in our community - working as a beautician for fifty years, a teacher's aide at Wesley Ray Elementary School, a nurse's aide at Riverside Medical Center, and with Dr. Gerald Foret, Dr. Libeau Berthelot, and Dr. Mark James at Family Medical Clinic for twenty years - the latter is where I fondly remember her. And a busy lady, together with her husband and high school sweetheart Linus, she worked in the family business, Magee's Appliance Repair, for thirty-five years. But Libby still made time to be an active member of the Lawrence Creek Missionary Baptist Church. And she also shared her delicious pies - egg custard. Ms. Libby was the mother of daughter Daphne Phelps and son Kyle (Samantha) Magee and a loving grandmother.
On that same day, Camille Snell Condalary (1937-2025) passed away at the age of eighty-eight. Born to Harold Mason Snell and Lillie Mae Desmond Snell, she was a lifelong resident of Mt. Hermon where she grew up with siblings Janice (Williams), Wayne, and Doug Snell. It was through Mr. Doug's wife Robbie Snell and their daughter Beverly (Thomas) that I came to know Ms. Camille, who was very kind, in my youth. A graduate of Mt. Hermon High School, she was married to Herbert Condalary with whom she dairy farmed. Camille also enjoyed a successful career in tax preparation and as a store owner at Porter's Curve before later working at Riverside Hospital as admitting clerk. She and husband Herbert had children Jeffrey Hunter Condalary and daughter Julee Paige Condalary, who married Luis A. Rosa.
Then, on the fifth day of October, a gentleman - Ray Walter Duncan (1929-2025) - passed away at the age of ninety-five. The son of Jim and Sally Rogers Duncan and a longtime resident of the Hackley area, he was a well known dairyman, owning and operating Duncan Acres. Caretaking his land, Mr. Ray was an avid gardener and hunter. Earlier in life, he and his wife Neta Von Dykes Duncan enjoyed traveling world-wide. They were the parents of Brent (Laurie) and Ronnie (Robin) Duncan; daughter Donna (Brooks); and devoted grandparents of many. It was Ray's daughter-in-law and my friend Laurie, the daughter of Lyle and Virginia Killingsworth of Franklinton, who fondly talked to me about her beloved father-in-law.
It wasn't until late November that I recognized another local decedent. On November 22, Nan Marie McCain Wood (1953-2025) passed away at age seventy-two. The daughter of Lee Alan and Eulalie Vessier McCain, Nan graduated from Franklinton High School where she was a Demonette. Many knew her as a local legal secretary and case file manager at the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office and the Franklinton Police Department. Nan had a remarkable 46 years of service in law enforcement, and she was the wife of Tommy Glen Wood for fifty years. The couple had children Kayce (Michael) Cummings and Lee (Danielle) Wood and four precious grandchildren. Nan was also survived by her brother Lee Alan McCain, Jr., and sister-in-law Sue McCain. But it was from her in-laws James and Emogene Wood that I knew her later in life. Mr. Jimmy and my mother attended Franklinton High School together, and I interviewed him in the early days of this column.
A day later on November 23, Darlene E. McElroy Hazelwood (1961-2025) succumbed at the early age of sixty-four. The daughter of Kenneth and Ann McElroy, she graduated from Franklinton High School in 1979 and attended Louisiana Tech. A Board member at Regina Coeli Head Start and a Troop leader in the Boy Scouts, Darlene was perhaps best known at Moseley's Jewelers where she was a fixture, always kindly assisting customers. This was how I knew Darlene. A member of Victory Baptist Church, she was the wife of forty years of the late Fritz Hazelwood, and she was survived by her daughter Jennifer Leigh Hazelwood, Byron Barletto, and three adored grandchildren. Darlene was also survived by her sister Beth Brien.
Then, the end of the month brought the tragic death of Stormi Patten Harris (1989-2025) on November 28 at age thirty-six. I knew her from Patten's Metal Express, her family's successful enterprise, where she had worked for twenty years and where in recent years I purchased a passel of tin for our Airstream ports, my log cabin, and our porch on the plateau. Stormi, along with my friend Phyllis Richie, always assisted me in my endeavors. And I also had written about Stormi's great-grandfather David I. Patten, a World War II hero. The daughter of the late Grady Wayne Bryant and Rhonda Patten Bryant, she was the beloved granddaughter of Ronald Wayne Patten and Joyce Patten and the wife of Jason Harris. Stormi was the devoted mother of Remington Crowe, Brantleigh Von Kanel, Audra Crowe, Jenna Harris, Addison Harris, and Matthew Harris.
Lorell Ingram Morris (1944-2025) passed away on November 29 at age eighty-one. A graduate of Thomas High School, she majored in business and accounting in college, retiring from WCI/RCC after 28 years of service in the business office. The daughter of Clifford and Mary Lee Knight Ingram, Lorell was a member of First Baptist Church of Franklinton and the Queen Mother of Girls Raised In The South. She was an expert in the kitchen, making delicacies and sharing with friends and family. And family is how I knew her. Not only was Lorell survived by sisters Nellie Ingram Smith, who writes for "The Era-Leader," and Jackie Ingram Smith, whose son Greg Seal is my terrific neighbor, but also she was the mother of daughters Shelia (William) Holmes and Sharon (David) Watson and son, the late Darrel Hughes. And Ms. Lorell was survived by a passel of loving grandchildren. Notably, I came to know her daughter Sharon Watson in Mandeville some thirty years ago. My friend Sharon and I raised our children together in First Baptist Church of Mandeville where her husband David was the talented Minister/Director of Music.
Then, on December 19 Janice Morgan Robertson (1942-2025), the daughter of Carol N. Morgan and Beullah Varnado Morgan, passed away at age eighty-three. The Franklinton native and 1960 Franklinton High School graduate, had lost her husband of sixty-two years Robert "Bob" Robertson, Jr. (1939-2025), who was eighty-five, on the twentieth day of August. He was the son of Robert D. Robertson and Beatrice Cutrer Robertson. Bob and Janice were the parents of Jerry Robertson (Rhonda) and were dedicated grandparents. Jerry was in my first grade glass at Bowling Green. Both Ms. Janice and Mr. Bob were members of Bethel Baptist Church and Canaan Baptist Church. He worked for and retired from WST Electric and was a long-time electrician at the Fair. She worked for WST Electric, Judge Francis "Budge" Watts III, and Louisiana OCS. And Ms. Janice loved sharing her culinary talent.
All will be greatly missed.
