Obituary of Sr. Stevenson

Funeral services for Henry Erle Stevenson will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, February, 22, 2011 at the Oak Ridge Baptist Church, Oak Ridge, LA. Pastor Rayland Trisler will officiate. Interment will follow at the Oak Ridge Baptist Cemetery under the direction of Golden Funeral Home. Mr. Stevenson was born August 23, 1924, the third child of Willie Oldham and Henry Harrison Stevenson. He passed away Sunday, February 20, 2011 at the Richardson Medical Center in Rayville. He was a resident of Oak Ridge, LA where he was a member of the Oak Ridge Baptist Church and Brookville Masonic Lodge. Mr. Stevenson had recently retired from serving on the Bank of Oak Ridge board of directors. Thomas Jefferson said, "Let the farmer forever more be honored in his calling; for they who labor in the earth are the chosen people of God." Henry Erle loved farming and was instrumental in the formation of The Maple Company and later Barham Stevenson Company of Oak Ridge. Ginning was also in his blood and for many years he operated Stevenson Gin as his father had done before him. He was a former director of the Louisiana Cotton Warehouse in Mer Rouge. Stevenson was a World War II veteran, serving in the Navy. He is preceded in death by his parents, Willie Oldham and Henry Harrison Stevenson; and a sister, Eddie Lee Stevenson Barton. Mr. Stevenson is survived by his brother, Robert Edward Stevenson of Rayville; his children, Markaye Stevenson Latuso and her husband Larry of Baton Rouge and Henry Erle (Bubba) Stevenson, Jr. and his wife Cathy of Oak Ridge; grandchildren, Steven, Lori, and Ryan Latuso, Courtney Stevenson, Andrew Stevenson and his wife, Brett; and one great grand-daughter, Avery Stevenson. Serving as pallbearers will be Preston Barham, Mike Barham, Todd Carter, Johnny Fitch, George Young, and grandsons Andrew Stevenson, Steven Lautso, and Ryan Latuso. Honorary pallbearers will be Directors of The Bank of Oak Ridge and the employees of Barham Stevenson Company. The family wishes to express a deep appreciation to the caregivers who took such excellent care of Henry Erle, Jackie Carson, Destiny and Annette and to Dr. Ronald Ponarski, Jennifer Bennett. RN/AFNP and her staff. Memorials may be made to the Oak Ridge Baptist Church or Oak Ridge United Methodist Church or a charity of your choice. The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. till service time Tuesday at the church.