William Ray Holton

Funeral services for William Ray Holton, age 85, of West Monroe, Louisiana, will be held at 2:00 P.M., Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at Kilpatrick Funeral Home in West Monroe, with Brother Cecil Herrington, Brother Joseph Schwartz, and Brother J.L. Williams officiating. Interment will follow at Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery in Monroe, under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Home, West Monroe. Visitation will be held from 1:00 P.M. until the time of service at the funeral home. Ray was born on December 13, 1939, in Pioneer, Louisiana, and entered into his eternal rest on October 18, 2025. He grew up in the Pioneer/Goodwill area and attended school in Pioneer. After moving to West Monroe in the late 1950s, he worked at a grocery store, Roach's Nursery, and the Olin Kraft bag plant. He later found his calling in the upholstery business, working for Lon Dunckelman's Interiors before going into business with his son, Dennis, to establish Ray's Upholstery Shop. His daughter, Rita, later joined the business, adding custom window treatments. Together, they built a successful family business that kept them busy not only in the Monroe and Ruston areas but also across several states-including Colorado, Texas, Florida, Arkansas, and Mississippi-delivering their work. Ray finally retired at the age of 82. A faithful servant of his Lord and Savior, Ray was a devoted member of Landmark Missionary Baptist Church, Bethel Baptist Church, and most recently West Heights Missionary Baptist Church. Over the years, he served as a deacon, song leader, and Sunday school teacher. He especially enjoyed monthly mission trips to a prison in Mississippi with his friend, J.L. Williams, until the program was discontinued for safety reasons. He also took part in a mission trip to Mexico with his friend, Brother Warren Rainwater. Ray's life was a shining example of service and devotion to Jesus Christ. Ray and his beloved wife, Mary, worked the election polls for seven years at Lenwil Elementary School and shared a love of travel. They were always ready to hitch up their camper and head to a bluegrass festival-meeting old friends, making new ones, and always on the lookout for a good pancake breakfast. Together with their daughter and son-in-law, Rita and Dean, they traveled from coast to coast and from Mexico to Canada. All you had to do was say, "Let's go," and they were ready! Ray was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Mary Potter Holton; his parents, J.Y. and Merline Aswell Holton; brothers, J.W. Holton and Paul Holton; and sisters, Betty Brohan, Barbara Holton, and Sharon Newman. He is survived by his son, Dennis Holton (Rhonda); daughter, Rita Williamson (Dean); grandsons, Dennis Ray Holton and Justin Holton; brother, Jimmy Holton; sisters, Helen Eads Washington and Mary Ann Tucker; sister-in-law, Nancy Holton; and a host of cherished family members and friends who will miss him dearly. Pallbearers will be Eric Holton, Larry Gibson, Dennis Ray Holton, Sean Newman, Ricky Eads, Haylie Ogden, and Johnnie Ogden.