Obituary of Ruth Onellion

Funeral services for Ruth Loe Onellion, age 80 of Jena, formerly of Alexandria, will be held at 10:00 AM Monday June 23, 2014 from the chapel of Riser Funeral Home in Olla, with Rev. Tracey MacKenzie and Rev. Aaron Carpenter officiating. Interment will follow at Urania Cemetery. Visitation will be 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM Sunday June 22, 2014 at Riser Funeral Home in Olla. Mrs. Onellion was born in Bienville, LA on March 3, 1934 and passed from this life on June 20, 2014 at LaSalle Nursing Center in Jena, LA. She was a member of Horseshoe United Methodist Church in Alexandria. She was an educator, recognized for her excellence and dedication to teaching. She taught in LaSalle, Grant, Winn and retired in Rapides Parish. She was a member of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society. She was recognized by the State Department of Education for her contribution made toward the teaching of writing in our schools. She was named Teacher of the Year in Rapides Parish in 1990. In her own words, "We are here for the purpose of helping each child to achieve his potential." This attitude toward her profession made her lifelong friends with many of her students. Ruth was also active in the community, being named to Personalities of the South honoring America's leaders. She served as the first President of the Hardtner Medical Center Auxiliary. She began the LaSalle Parish Women's Republican club, serving as its first President. Of all her accomplishments in her life, she was proudest of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A tribute to a loving mother and grandmother that will be missed. She was preceded in death by her husband, Mills Onellion, Sr.;her first husband and father of her children, Claude Terral, her father, Bert Loe; mother, Gayle Martin Loe; granddaughter, Lauren Hemphill; brother, Billy Bert Loe and sister, Bettye Cornwell. Those left to cherish her memory are her son, Mel Terral and wife, Marilyn of Tulsa, OK; daughter, Kitty McDougald and husband, Patrick of Urania; mother, Eva McArthur Morris; brother, Bobby Loe of the U.S.V.I; sister, Patricia Baldwin of Ft. Worth, TX; brother-in-law, Paul Cornwell; grandchildren: Stephanie Peavy and husband, Skipper, Nicole Bedrosian and husband, Ryan and Trey Terral and great-grandchildren: Madison Peavy, Abby Peavy, Olivia Bedrosian and Audrey Bedrosian. Pallbearers will be Tony Cornwell, Skipper Peavy, Ryan Bedrosian, Ricky Harris, Kevin Salterand Shelby Loe, Jr. Honorary pallbearers will be Paul Cornwell and Shelby Loe, Sr. Any planned memorials may be made in Ruth's memory to Horseshoe United Methodist Church, 1000 Horseshoe Drive, Alexandria, LA 71301. Online condolences may be made at www.riserfuneralhomes.com.