Layne B. Lofton Sr.

Layne B. Lofton, Sr.
Downs Funeral Home
Layne B. Lofton, Sr., 74, of Marshall, Tx., passed away from this life on April 12, 2011, at Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview after a five month long illness. He was born May 11, 1936, in Urania, La., to Avery Lee Lofton and Fannie Kate McBride Lofton.
Layne, a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and loyal friend served his country in the United States Air Force. He attended Northwestern State University and Louisiana Tech University. After a long career as a Federal Safety Director which began at the Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant in Minden, La., Alabama Army Ammunition Plant in Childersburg, Ala., Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala., and finally Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant in Karnack, Tx. He retired from Longhorn on February 10, 1988. Layne was an avid golfer and continued to enjoy the game until he became ill in November 2010. He also owned his own windshield repair business.
Left to cherish a lifetime of memories are his wife Martha Bonnette (Wendy) Lofton; daughters, Lynn Rhoades and husband David of Rossville, Ga., Ann Procell and Steve Wilson of Shreveport, La., and Karen Ledbetter and Mike Erb of Bossier City, La.; son, Layne B. Lofton, Jr. and wife Becky of Bossier City, La.; two grandsons, Layne B. Lofton III (Trey) and Kolby David Ledbetter of Bossier City, La. He is also survived by three brothers, Rev. Jim Lofton and wife Beth of Pineville, La., Dalton Lofton and wife JoAnn of San Antonio, Tx., and Alton Lofton and wife Cheryl of Natchitoches, La.; several nieces and nephews; "adopted" son and daughters, David and Lynn O' Neal and Deborah Ray of Marshall; and many very very special friends and neighbors and his devoted dog and constant companion, Peaches. He was preceded in death by his parents; infant sister, Virginia Rae Lofton; and twin brother, Wayne E. Lofton.
Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 16, 2011, at Memory Lawn Cemetery in Natchitoches, La. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Friday, April 15, 2011, at Downs Funeral Home in Marshall. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn. 38105; The Pet Place, 1901 Jefferson Ave., Marshall, Tx., or the charity of your choice.
The family would like to extend special thanks to Heartsway Hospice in Longview, Texas.