Obituaries

SEPTEMBER 23, 1936 – AUGUST 3, 2026

Helen Kathryn Wilkinson, age 89, of Mansfield, went to be with her Lord and Savior on August 3, 2026. A visitation for Helen began at 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at Rose Neath Funeral Home Chapel in Mansfield. On Saturday, August 8, 2026, visitation resumed at 1:00 p.m. at the Pilgrim Rest Primitive Baptist Church in Meadville, MS. A funeral service for Helen Kathryn Wilkinson, of Mansfield, began at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at the Pilgrim Rest Primitive Baptist Church in Meadville, Mississippi. Burial followed at the Pilgrim Rest Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery.

DECEMBER 7, 1962 — JULY 22, 2026

FEBRUARY 24, 1950 — JULY 25, 2026

John Herschel Bedsole, 76, of Mansfield, Louisiana, passed away peacefully on July 25, 2026, in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was born on February 24, 1950, in Mansfield, Louisiana. A Memorial service was held on Wednesday July 29, 2026, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Funeral Home Chapel, 943 Polk Street, Mansfield, Louisiana. John was a hard working and dedicated businessman who owned and operated a machine shop for more than 50 years. Specializing in the creation of flame-cut sprockets, he took great pride in his work and built a reputation for quality craftsmanship, honesty and dedication.

JUNE 9, 1936 — JUNE 20, 2026

Milton Lovert Smith, age 90, passed away peacefully on June 20, 2026. Born on June 9, 1936, in Port Arthur, Texas, Milton was the son of Lovert and Tressie Smith. Visitation was held at Roseneath Funeral Home in Mansfield on Sunday, June 28 from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Funeral services were also held at Roseneath in Mansfield on Monday, June 29, at 11:00 a.m. Milton attended Oak Grove School in Stanley, Louisiana, where he met the love of his life and soul mate, Jeanette. The two were married on January 29, 1955, and shared an extraordinary 71 years of marriage together. Their love story became the foundation of a family that would grow to include five children, 13 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren.

JULY 31, 1936 — JUNE 18, 2026

Kennith “Donnie” Sebren, 89, of Noble, Louisiana, entered into eternal rest on June 18, 2026.

Funeral services celebrating his life were held on Wednesday, June 24 at First Baptist Church of Zwolle, 2501 Port Arthur Street, Zwolle, Louisiana, with Bro. Marty Williams officiating. Interment was at Converse Cemetery following the service.

Visitation with the family was held on Tuesday, June 23 from 5 PM-8PM at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 943 Polk Street, Mansfield, Louisiana. Donnie was born on July 31, 1936, to John Wesley and Mamie Ward Sebren of Converse, Louisiana. He spent the greater part of his childhood in Sabine Parish and was a graduate of Converse High School. Following graduation, he proudly served his country in the United States Army Reserves for four years. He later attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana, where he earned a degree in Education in 1960.

APRIL 1, 1936 — MAY 10, 2026

Funeral services for William “Gene” Craig, 90, of Pleasant Hill, LA, was held on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 2:00 PM at Spring Ridge Baptist Church with Rev. Dean Johnson and Rev. Marshall Ingle officiating. Burial followed in the Spring Ridge Cemetery. Visitation began on Friday, May 15, 2026 at Spring Ridge Baptist Church from 5:00 PM until the time of service on May 16th at 2:00 PM. Gene was born on April 1, 1936 and passed away Sunday, May 10, 2026 in his residence in Pleasant Hill, Louisiana. Gene was known to many as teacher, coach, principal, transportation supervisor, basketball referee, police juryman, first responder, volunteer firefighter, army veteran with the atomic energy commission, Deacon of Spring Ridge Baptist Church, and loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend.

DECEMBER 2, 1932 — MAY 4, 2026

FEBRUARY 3, 1937 — APRIL 18, 2026

On April 18, 2026, Maurice Riemer Calhoun, Jr. joined his mother Clista Andrews Calhoun, father Maurice Riemer Calhoun, Sr., daughter Marian Calhoun Snapp, sister Carolyn Huckabay and her husband Bill, brother Thomas A. Calhoun and his wife Beverly, along with numerous nieces and nephews in eternal peace and into God’s loving arms after a long and fruitful life. Born in Texarkana, Arkansas on February 3, 1937, he was a resident of Mansfield, LA since 1939 when his family moved to Mansfield where the Calhoun family had lived for generations. Riemer spent his teenage years restoring what was then called a “hot rod” that was featured on the cover of an automotive magazine. He later transferred his interest in cars to NASCAR and tried never to miss a race. On numerous occasions, he would loan one of his antique Model T Fords to others and enjoyed relating the fact that previous owners of his home had often hosted Henry Ford.

AUGUST 22, 1942 — APRIL 16, 2026

The Funeral service celebrating the life of Billie Pyle Simmons, 83, were held at 1:00 p.m., Monday, April 20, 2026, at Logansport United Methodist Church in Logansport, Louisiana, with Bro. Dean Register officiating. Interment will follow at Deadwood Cemetery in Deadwood, Texas. The family received friends from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., with Service time on Monday, April 20, 2026 at Logansport United Methodist Church.

Billie was born on August 22, 1942, in Shiloh, Louisiana to Gerald Woodrow Pyle and Mazie Worth McFadden Pyle and passed away April 16, 2026, in her home on the Pyle Farm in Logansport, Louisiana.

Billie was preceded in death by her parents, Mazie and Gerald Pyle and husband, Cecil Simmons.

MARCH 6, 1932 — APRIL 6, 2026

Funeral service celebrating the life of Mable Fay Winkler Reed, 94, was held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at Rose-Neath Funeral Home 943 Polk St. Mansfield, Louisiana with [Priest or other Officiate] conducting the service. Interment followed at Converse Cemetery in Converse, Louisiana. Fay was born on March 6, 1932, in Zwolle, Louisiana to Bert James and Alma Austin Winkler and passed away April 6, 2026, in Mansfield, Louisiana. Fay was preceded in death by parents, Bert and Alma Winkler and daughter, Jackie Binghamton. Left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Cindy Sebastian; sisters, Billie Miller, Hilda Butchen, Sally Houston, and Wanda McDonough; brothers, Lester Winkler, and Bert Winkler; 9 grandchildren and a host of great grandchildren along with a host of nieces, nephews and friends.

Honoring Fay as pallbearers were Bert Winkler, Lester Winkler, Dustin Taylor and Gerald O’ Dell.