Obituary of Dr. Alton Earl Ingram

Dr. Alton Earl Ingram of Gulf Shores, AL and Mer Rouge, LA, planter, professor, politician and patriot, died Thursday, June 19, 2008, in Foley, AL, following a brief illness. He was 73. Services will be held on Sunday, June 22, at 2 p.m. at Golden Funeral Home Chapel in Bastrop with David Ingram Burkett, of the Forsythe Avenue Church of Christ, in Monroe, officiating, Dr. Ingram's nephew. Vistitation will be held at Golden's on Saturday from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Interment will be at the Ingram Family Cemetery on Horseshoe Lake Road, Mer Rouge, LA. Dr. Ingram was born in El Dorado, AR, in 1934 and was the son of Claude and Claudia Hanson Ingram, who with his brother, Capt. Samuel T. Ingram, U.S. Army Ret., predeceased him. He was descended from Abraham Ingram, a 17th century Englishman, who came to Virginia from the British Isles, and John Hanson, considered by some to be the 1st president of the young United States under the Articles of Confederation. He was married to Mary Leslie "Mimi" Clark of Mer Rouge in 1959. From this union came two children, a daughter, Mary Leslie Ingram Pope of Gulf Shores and a son, Dr. Alton Earl Ingram, Jr., of Houston, Tx. His two grandchildren are Leslie Anne Pope and Alexander Burke Ingram. In addition to his wife and direct descendants, he is survived by his sister, LaVern Ingram Schmidt and her husband Roy of Fredericksburg, TX, and her two children, Colleen Brezden and her husband Mike of Kerrville, TX and David Burkett and his wife Sharon of Monroe, LA; Ann Ingram of Monroe, LA, widow of his brother, and his brother's children, Donna Howie and her husband Steve of Charlotte, South Carolina, and Master Sergeant Leslie Ingram and his wife Sarah of Laken Heath AFB, England; his brother-in-law, David Clark of West Monroe, LA, and his sons, Connor and Hunter; and a myriad of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and acquaintances. Dr. Ingram served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. He was awarded his B.A. degree in history from NLU, Monroe, in 1958. He taught in the schools of Morehouse and Jefferson Parishes before enrolling in L.S.U., Baton Rouge, for both his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees. His particular field of study was 20th Century American History. In 1972 Dr. Ingram was appointed Executive Director of the LA. State Board of Education. He then transferred to the Division of Research and Development in the Department of Education. His retirement led him back to their family home in Morehouse Parish where he became co-owner and manager of C.L. Clark, Jr., Farms, Inc. His second retirement led him and Mimi to Gulf Shores. Pallbearers will be Dr. William Arceneaux, Baton Rouge; Connor Clark and Hunter Clark, West Monroe; William Davenport and Henry Earl Dawson, Mer Rouge; Russell Jarboe, San Antonio; and Kelly Nix and Charles Tapp, Baton Rouge. Honorary Pallbearers will be Jesse Bankston, Baton Rouge; Robert Barber, Bossier City; Edward Bopp, New Orleans; Marion Clark, Bastrop; Dr. Richard Haynes, New Haven, CT; Master Sgt. Leslie Ingram, Virgil McKoin, Mer Rouge; and Roy Schmidt. Memorials may be made to Kalorama Nature Preserve, Dr. Ingram's former home, in Collinston, LA, or to the charity of one's choice. Dr. Ingram lived a full and fruitful life, both personally and professionally. He loved and was loved deeply by his family and friends. He will be remembered as a gentleman of wit and wisdom, one who was ever open to new challenges and who followed each new venture to it's completion. He will be sorely missed. Think not only of his passing but of the glory of his spirit..... in love and great honor we bid him farewell.