December 2005 Obituaries

Kenneth D. Long
CROWLEY – Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday December 12, 2005 at Geesey-Ferguson Funeral Home Chapel in Crowley for Kenneth David Long, 96, who died December 9, at American Legion Hospital in Crowley.
Rev. Truman Stagg will be officiating for the services. Visitation may be observed Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Monday from 8 a.m. until the time of services. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery.
Mr. Long graduated with both a bachelor and masters degree in Latin, English, and Music from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and Ball State Teachers College, in Muncie Indiana.
He was a lead designer and draftsman for C.G. Conn in Elkhart, Indiana and designed a patented clarinet for the oldest continuous manufacturer of band instruments in America. During World War II Conn was completely converted to precision instruments for the defense in which he worked for while heading up as band leader for the all girl dance band called the Kenny Long Band. He was also band, music, and choir director at various schools in Elkhart and Muncie Indiana.
Moving to Natchitoches, he was the Music Professor at Northwestern State University and at Louisiana Technical College. Mr. Long was the band director for over 40 years, 25 of which he taught at Crowley High School and Iota High School where he retired. He then became the nursery manager for Robinson’s Nursery for 10 years and a door greeter for Wal-Mart for many years before his final retirement.
Being able to read and write Hebrew and Latin, he wrote many papers and books on the Bible. He was a choir director at First United Methodist Church in Crowley and a long time parishioner and teacher for the Northside Assembly of God Church.
He loved to read, fish, and garden having won a lifetime achievement award for his beautiful yard. He played all the instruments in the band but his favorite was the saxophone and clarinet. His biggest lifetime achievement was as a music teacher, having taught thousands of students that remember him as the best band director ever.
He is survived by two daughters, Bonnie Lorraine Nettle of Deer Park, Texas, and Billie Jean Gossen of Rayne; two sons, David Arthur Long and his wife ,Lorna Jean Green of Owasso, Okla., and Noel James Long and his wife Deborah Huddleston of LaPorte, Texas; seven grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
Mr. Long is preceded in death by his wife, Ilah May Stutsman Long; his parents, Arthur and Cloa Edwards Long; one brother, Clarence Edwards; and two sons-in-law, Francis Allen Gossen, Sr., and David Clifford Nettle.
Geesey-Ferguson Funeral Home of Crowley will be in charge of the arrangements.

RAYNE – Irene Dupuis, 80, died Friday, December 9, 2005 at American Legion Hospital in Crowley. Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Saturday, December 10 at St. Joseph Church in Rayne. Burial was in the St. Joseph Cemetery #2 under the direction of Duhon Funeral Home of Rayne.

EUNICE – Elsie Courville, 87, died Thursday, December 8, 2005. Funeral services were held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, December 10 in Ardoin Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in the St. Paul Cemetery under the direction of Ardoin Funeral Home of Eunice.

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