John DeWitt Caruthers, Jr.

John DeWitt Caruthers, Jr. was born January 28, 1929, in Shreveport, La. He died on Friday, January 3, 2025 at the age of 95. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at Noel Memorial United Methodist Church, 520 Herndon, Shreveport, La. with Dr. Pat Day, former Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church of Shreveport, and Reverend Kaylan Walker, Associate Pastor, of Noel Memorial United Methodist Church officiating. Visitation will be held at 10:00 a.m. at Noel prior to the service which will be held at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Forest Park Cemetery, 3700 St. Vincent Avenue, Shreveport, La.

John D. was born January 28, 1929, in Shreveport, La. to Veva Louise Ozley Caruthers and John DeWitt Caruthers, both of whom predeceased him. Also predeceasing him were his step-father, Dr. Leonard Cooke, and his brother, Robert Mack Caruthers.

He is survived by his beloved wife of forty-five years, Jane Rhodes Caruthers; his four children and their spouses: Ann Caruthers Hirsch and husband, Philip, of Leigh, TX, Charles DeWitt Caruthers and wife, Nonie, Sheila Caruthers Pernici and husband, Scott, of Shreveport, LA and Andrew Rollins Caruthers and partner, Oliver Tolentino, of Los Angeles, CA; grandchildren: Emily Hirsch Reynolds and husband, Ryan, of Orlando, FL, Caroline Hirsch McDowell and husband, Joshua, of McKinney, TX, Michael Hirsch and wife, Hannah, and Laura Hirsch Purcell and husband, Zac, of Shreveport, LA, Clara Caruthers Reese and husband, Riley, of Lafayette, CA, Maggie Caruthers Collins and husband, Bryan, of Westwood, MA, Harrison Caruthers and wife, London, of Shreveport, LA, Thomas Pernici and wife, Chelsea, of Shreveport, LA, Nick Pernici and wife, Bailey, of San Antonio, TX, and Sam Pernici of Shreveport, LA; great-grandchildren: James Reynolds, Luke Reynolds, Matthew Reynolds, Kate Reynolds, Emma Reynolds, Bethany McDowell, Charles McDowell, Veva McDowell, Cas Hirsch, Titan Hirsch, Micah Reese, James Reese, Silas Reese, Katharine Collins, John Collins, John Pernici, Leo Pernici and Penny Pernici. He is survived by his sister-in-law, Valleau Caruthers of Brentwood, TN, nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.

He is also survived by children and spouses by marriage (Jane’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren): Thomas E. (Tom) White, IV and wife, Stephanie, of Haughton, LA, and Morgan E. Rhodes of Alpharetta, GA; grandchildren by marriage: Emily D. White of Haughton, LA, Thomas E. White, V and fiancé, Melanie Eychaner, of Denton, TX, and Brittnie Cervantes and husband, Michael, of Sterlington, LA; great-grandchildren by marriage: Ruby Layne Garner, Ezra Mae Cervantes, Zane Cervantes and Nathan Cervantes of Sterlington, LA, and a host of nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews by marriage.

John D. attended Alexander Elementary School and graduated from C.E. Byrd High School in 1946, where he lettered in football (quarterback), basketball (forward) and baseball (second base), served as Editor of the Byrd High Life and was elected President of the Senior Class. He graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a B.A. degree cum laude in 1950. He received an Honorary Doctor’s Degree from Louisiana Tech in 1986. While there, he was elected President of the Freshman and Sophomore Classes and of the Student Body. He received his Doctor of Laws degree from LSU Law School in 1953, when he entered the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, U. S. Army, serving as 1st Lt. from 1953 to 1956 with the Fifth Infantry Division (army of occupation) in Augsburg, Germany. He prosecuted and defended capital (murder) cases there. On returning to civilian life, he served as Assistant City Attorney for prosecutions at City Court and later attorney for the Caddo Levee Board. While serving as President of the Shreveport Chamber (1973), he arranged a meeting between the President of General Motors, Senator Russell Long, Congressman Joe D. Waggoner, Mayor James Gardner and Albert Bourland, Jr. John D.’s friend and former Louisiana Tech Lambda Chi Fraternity brother, Al Bourland was Administrative Assistant to the President of GM at that time. A commitment by GM to build a plant in Shreveport was the result of that meeting. He started Caruthers Operating Co., Inc. in 1963 and Caruthers Producing Co., Inc. in 1983. He was a co-owner of the Shreveport Captains Baseball Team. In 1984, he had the River Rose paddle wheeler built in Florida and brought to Shreveport, where it operated several years on the Red River. He and Jane donated the seven bronze statues that grace Spirit Park at Louisiana Tech University in honor of his parents, both of whom attended Louisiana Tech.

In addition to being an active member of Noel Memorial United Methodist Church and a member of the Board of Community Renewal, Int., he served as Founding President of the La. Tech Alumni Foundation and Past President of the La. Tech Alumni Association, Shreveport Montessori School, Southfield School Board of Trustees, Shreveport Mental health Center, Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, Community Foundation of Northwest Louisiana, and for eighteen years, served as the founding President of the I-69 Mid-Continent Highway Coalition. Some of his many honors and awards include Mr. Shreveport for 1985, First Recipient of La. Tech Distinguished Service Award, La. Tech Alumnus of the Year for 2006, La. Tech 1985 Medallion Award, NCCJ Humanitarian Award for 1994, Chairman of the Save I-220 Committee, Past Vice President of the United Way, and Chairman of the drive to establish in Shreveport the American Rose Center.

Besides his family, his loves were snow skiing and hiking in Colorado, a fierce game of racket ball with his buddies and traveling the world with his wife, Jane.

Serving as pallbearers are his grandsons, Harrison Caruthers, Michael Hirsch, Thomas Pernici, Nick Pernici, Sam Pernici and Thomas E. White, V.

Honorary pallbearers are Theresa Gullo, Jeff Avant, Don Hathaway, J. Robert Kennedy, Rose Mary Kennedy, Dr. Harvey Ruben, Cheryl Rubin, Dr. Elaine Simpkins, and Oliver Tolentino.

A special thank you to Dr. Scott McRight and his team of Willis-Knighton Pierremont, John D.’s kind, compassionate caregivers, Charlesetta Pugh, Betty Surrey, Skyla Boyd, Paula Woodward, KiKi Martin and a thank you to the wonderful staff at Montclair Chateau.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to the charity of donor’s choice.

“Look for me on the Champs Elysee!”