Funeral services for Elliott E. Letow, Sr., will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 7, 2013 at First Baptist Church in Arcadia.
Visitation will be held at Rose-Neath funeral home in Arcadia on Wednesday, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Bro. Jeff Hoffman will officiate the service. Interment will follow at Arcadia Cemetery.
Elliot E. Letlow, Sr. was born July 17, 1925 in Strong, AR. He passed away on Sunday, March 3, 2013, at Willow Ridge Nursing Home in Arcadia. Mr. Letlow, "Jiggs", was the twelfth—and last surviving—child to a family of sharecroppers. After graduating from Start High School, he attended college at LSU, Baton Rouge, to become an Agricultural Extension Agent. His studies at LSU were interrupted by a four-year tour with the U.S. Navy during World War II. He served as a radarman on the USS Shamrock Bay in the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters. After returning from the war, he "crashed" a high school party where he met Florence Wynn, whom he married in 1947.
After receiving an Agricultural degree form LSU, Mr. Letlow moved his young family to Arcadia in 1953. He became the Assistant County Agent for Bienville Parish, working with 4-H Clubs for 19 years. After being appointed as County Agricultural Agent, Mr. Letlow advised young Extension Agents and parish gardeners for another 15 years. He also served as Area Horticultural Agent for three parishes lending assistance to local growers and producers. Mr. Letlow retired from LSU Cooperative Extension Service in 1978, having worked his entire career serving Bienville Parish.
Shortly before retirement, Mr. Letlow developed Back Forty Peaches, his orchard of about 500 trees. For 20 years, he personally did the pruning, fertilizing, thinning and picking of peaches from those trees.
Mr. Letlow was a long-time active member of First Baptist Church of Arcadia, the Lion's Club, and the American Legion. He was honored with induction into the Louisiana 4-H Hall of Fame in 2008. He was also the recipient of the Heritage Award given by the Arcadia/Bienville Parish Chamber of Commerce in 2008.
Mr. Letlow was blessed to know and help many youth and adults in his career, but he was most proud of his family. He and Florence were especially thankful that their children lived nearby and that they were able to share so much of their daily lives. They valued spending quality time with their grandchildren and enjoyed attending their school and sporting events. Mr. Letlow always looked forward to the annual Letlow Reunion where "Uncle Jiggs" was looked upon as a family patriarch, provider and entertainer.
Mr. Letlow was preceded in death by his parents, William T. Letlow and Minnie Lee Johnson Letlow; his wife of 65 years, Florence Evelyn Wynn Letlow; and his eleven brothers and sisters.
He is survived by his son E.E. "Moe" Letlow Jr. and his wife Alice of Arcadia,; daughter Patsy Evelyn Letlow Devinney and her husband Bob of Monroe; granddaughter Kristi Letlow Stake and husband Joel of Nashua, NH; grandson Robby Devinney and wife Kara of Monroe; great-granddaughter Evelyn Stake; and 2 great-great grandsons "Bo" Devinney and Van Stake. He is also survived by sister-in-law Pearl Wynn and numerous nieces and nephew
Pallbearers will be Johnny Letlow, Jimmy Letlow, David Ray Davis, Jerry Head, Frankie Wynn and Mickey Wynn.