Nina M Easterling

Nina Marie Stout Easterling, 71, of Ruston, passed away at home the evening of Saturday, June 7, 2025. She was born on December 28, 1953 in Garden City, Kansas. After graduating from Richwood High School in Monroe, Nina embarked on a mission to spread the message of love and hope in all that she did.
Nina was the loving wife of 45 years to husband, Gene Easterling, a devoted mother to son Wayne (Rae) Wyatt and daughter Ashley Johnson, and a cherished grandmother to Hayley Wyatt, Cooper Johnson, Bailey Johnson and Ethan Johnson. She is survived by brother Robert (Cathy) Stout, sisters Leila (Bobby) Clement and Jennifer (Milton) Spruell, numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends. Nina is preceded in death by parents, Donald and Dorothy Stout, and brothers Richard, Ronald, Raymond and Roy Stout, and sister Mary Beth Stout.
Attention to detail was one of her strengths, thus allowing her to excel professionally in the Human Resources realm, first working for Mr. Holliday in Ruston, then working at Hunt Forest Products in Ruston until retirement. She demonstrated tenacity at home, as she was always paying attention to the little details while keeping the big picture in mind and did so while making sure everyone felt seen and heard.
The expression "small but mighty" perfectly described her. She was a ferocious go-kart driver, skilled card player, a meticulous seamstress, and was often found on the back porch of their home cutting family member's hair. Her passions included mission trips to serve others and share the gospel, which she did both in and out of the United States. Family gatherings on any occasion were a treasured delight, where you would often find her laughing. She had a love of the mountains, enjoyed reading, traveling, running a trotline, tending to her flower beds and preserving food from their garden. She also had numerous tricks up her sleeve, like how a dollop of mayo in mashed potatoes made all the difference.
Nina was a shining light in the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing her. Her passing has left a void in the hearts of her family, friends, and many more whose lives were touched by her. She was notoriously frugal with herself and graciously generous with others. Those who knew Nina will remember her deep-rooted faith in Jesus and her unwavering commitment to spreading love, kindness and compassion to everyone she encountered. May her memory be a blessing, and may we carry forth her legacy of love and generosity in all that we do by choosing to live a life of meaningful acts of love and service, like Christ modeled for us.
A Celebration of Life service will be held Saturday, June 21, 2025 at 2 pm at the North Louisiana Cowboy Church, 910 Harrell Road, West Monroe, LA. A second service will be held Saturday, June 28, 2025 at 2 pm at Union Hill Baptist Church, 123 CR-123, Hermitage, AR.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to MD Anderson Cancer Center gifts.mdanderson.org or a local charity of your choosing.
The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the NLMC ICU staff, Dr. Blackwelder and nurse Kim at Green Clinic, and Allegiance Hospice in Ruston.