Obituary of Johnnie Pickett Messinger Delamar Ramsey

A service celebrating the life and testimony of Johnnie Pickett Messinger Delamar Ramsey of Bastrop, LA, will be held on Saturday, December 15, at 2:00 p.m. at New Friendship Baptist Church. The Rev. Todd Wooden will be officiating. A private interment will be at the Pickett Cemetery under the direction of Golden Funeral Home. Visitation will be Friday evening from 5 p.m. till 7 p.m. at Golden Funeral Home. "Miss" Johnnie, as she was affectionately known by many, was born January 10, 1920 at home on the Old Monroe Road in Morehouse Parish. She left us to begin her Heavenly life December 10, 2012. Johnnie was preceded in death by her first husband, Lt. Frank Lee Messinger, Jr., who was killed in action during WWII. She married again later in life and suffered the loss of J.W. Delamar and then Leon Mack Ramsey. Also preceding her in death were her loving mother, Katie Dodd Pickett; her father, John Harvey Pickett (who died of pneumonia when she was 5); a sweet sister, Pauline Pickett James; her half-brother, Dennis Allen Pickett; and a nephew, James Austin (Jimmy) Morgan. She is survived by her only child, Dorothy Kay (Dottie) Messinger Fair, and favorite son-in-law, Edwin Eugene (Eddie) Fair; three grandchildren who were loved beyond measure: Amie Kay Fair Foose and husband Robert of Evansville, Indiana, Michael Lee Fair and wife Carmen of Monticello, Arkansas, and William Alan Fair and wife Aimee of Maryville, Tennessee. Equally loved beyond measure were her six great-grandchildren who will always remember "ice cream time!" with their Great-Granny: Edwin Michael (Ed) Foose, Jacob Seth Fair, Katie Grace Fair, Sofia Kay Fair, Nathan William Fair, and Silas David Fair. Johnnie also leaves behind one sister, Ola Mae Pickett Morgan of Bastrop, Louisiana; two nieces, Martha Ann Messinger (Mal Patton) and Sandra Morgan; five nephews, Larry James (Diane), Paul James (Dianne), John Morgan (Margaret), Frank Lee Messinger III (Kathie), and Jack Morgan. Also surviving are great-nieces and great-nephews, Jennifer Chunn, Meredith Morgan, John David Morgan, Jeffery Morgan, Kari Messinger, Christie Morgan Messinger, Jeff Messinger; her special cousin Betty Naff Beard (Fred), and her church family. Johnnie love her church and was a faithful member of New Friendship Baptist Church all her life. She married Frank there on Thanksgiving Day in 1938. She also served in many capacities during her lifetime - teaching Sunday School, leading the Women's Missionary Society, volunteering for Vacation Bible School, and serving as church clerk. Her daughter, Dottie, remembers being with her mother many times when the bulletins for the church service were being run off on a machine that you had to crank by hand. After the bulletins were run off they were taken home to be folded by Johnnie, Dottie and "Miss" Katie. Johnnie also took Dottie along to help clean the church from time to time. Johnnie continued to drive to church (which was just down the road) until her late 80's at which time she was encouraged to stop by her daughter and Dr. Carter Cox. Johnnie took what she learned in church to heart and reached out to many in the community where there was a need. Her resume` is full of interesting and varied jobs. While in high school, she delivered milk that was brought out to 3rd Ward on the school bus. After graduation, she attended Northeast Louisiana College (ULM) and then Louisiana Tech, living with cousin Velma Harper Naff and family. She worked at Wolf's Department Store and Snyder's Department Store, both in Bastrop. From 1938 - 1942 she was a secretary at the Louisiana Dept. of Public Welfare (sometimes doing her typing on the balcony of the Morehouse Parish Court House); from 1942 -1943 she was secretary for the US Corps of Engineers in Sterlington, LA; from 1943 - 1944 she was secretary for the US Quartermaster Market Center in Columbus, GA. She served as Secretary to the Superintendent of Schools of the Morehouse Parish School Board in Bastrop, LA, from August 1945 until her retirement on June 30, 1975. Not quite ready to leave the old typewriter, she then worked as the manager of the Morehouse School Employees Credit Union from 1977 - 1979. Dottie, Eddie and family would like to thank Dr. Carter Cox, whose caring heart was an example and inspiration and who will always be aprreciated and loved. Thanks also go out to Dr. Cox's staff, Medistar Home Health, the staff of Morehouse General Hospital who were always so kind to her during her many stays, long-time friend (and former boss) O.L. Harper who was never stingy with the treats, Martha Ann Messinger who could always be counted on for a Friday visit, Whit's Pharmacy, Dr. Chad Gardner and staff, Pat McIntyre, and the staff and workers at The Arbor & Terrace who loved and cared for her these last few years. The residents at The Arbor became extended family for Johnnie, Dottie and Eddie. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to New Friendship Baptist Church or the Pickett Family Cemetery.