A visitation for Mrs. Edna Wheless was held on Monday, October 23, 2023 at Centuries Memorial Funeral Home, 8801 Mansfield Road, Shreveport, Louisiana 71108. Funeral services was held on Tuesday, October 24, 2023 at Rose Park Baptist Church, 5560 Buncombe Road, Shreveport, Louisiana 71129 under the direction of Centuries Memorial Funeral Home. Bro. Buck Furlow, associate pastor, conducted the services. Graveside service was at Bethel Cemetery in Logansport, Louisiana.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Bro. Linnis Crawford and Ferrol Crawford Sibley; her sister Rebecca Ann Crawford; and her husband, Garland Jimmie Wheless. She is survived by her sisters Doniece Smith (Larry) of San Augustine Texas; Nayona Millard of Nacogdoches, Texas and Julia Walker (Randy) of Haughton, Louisiana.
The daughter of a preacher, meant moving often between East Texas and the DeSoto Parish area, but Edna kept her roots close to her heart. Edna and Jimmie were married in Mansfield in 1959 where marriage and the family of 5 took priority. Edna constantly yearned to make things better, and busied herself by owning a gift shop to showcase her love of decorating homes. She also worked at DeSoto General Hospital and then worked at the doctor’s office in Mansfield. She helped Jimmie run the ‘feed store’ on both Jenkins Street and Gibbs Street.
While in high school, a teacher encouraged Edna to never stop writing and she never forgot that encouragement to write. In 2001, she purchased a weekly newspaper, which she poured her heart into and it was evidenced by its numerous awards from the Louisiana Press Association. She published a book, “DeSoto Parish…the people and places of my heart”, and later a magazine, DeSoto Life. Her goal was to share good news of the people and places in DeSoto Parish.
When she could no longer fight the stolen memories and cognitive processes taken by Alzheimer’s disease, she moved to Shreveport where she lived until her death.
Left to cherish the memories of her life are her three children, Laurie McCarty (Jim); Leslie Turner (Robert); and Jim Wheless; six grandchildren, numerous great grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews. Special to Mrs. Edna was her dear sweet friend Martha Bedsole.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Rose Park Baptist Church Choir Fund or donor’s choice.
