Julius McLaurin

Julius McLaurin

Services for Julius R. McLaurin of Pineville will be held Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church Pineville. Drs. C. Stewart Holloway and Wayne Barnes will officiate.

Mr. McLaurin was born Nov. 26, 1923, in Jones County, Miss. He died Jan. 10, 2014, in Alexandria.

Mr. McLaurin served from 1970-88 as president and CEO of Rapides Regional Medical Center, guiding its transition from Baptist Hospital run by the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Once released by the LBC, the hospital underwent a name change to Rapides General Hospital and began an era of expansion.

Under Mr. McLaurin's guidance, the emergency room began providing full-time physician coverage and a new patient tower was constructed and opened in 1974. Other expansion included the Medical Terrace and Plaza buildings along with a parking garage.

The Cancer Treatment Center of Central Louisiana, now known as the Rapides Cancer Center, opened in 1986. In 1987, construction began on Rapides Women's and Children's Hospital.

Among other accomplishments during his tenure as president and CEO was the establishment of trauma services, the area's first fitness center, establishing a non-profit ambulance service for Rapides Parish, chemical dependency services, the Friendship House Day Care Center for the Elderly, kidney dialysis center, early childhood education center, and Rapides Home Health Service with five branch home healths in outlying areas.

Mr. McLaurin was a member of the Louisiana Hospital Association, serving as president in 1968. He was also president of the Southeast Louisiana Hospital District, and member of the Governor's Advisory Council on Health Planning, the LSUA Advisory Board, the Alexandria Trade School Advisory Board, American College of Hospital Administrators, American Hospital Association, Southeastern Hospital Association, Volunteer Hospital Association and advisory board member for Alexandria Mental Health.

Mr. McLaurin was also heavily involved in local civic matters as a member of the Downtown Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, Hospitals Joint Fund Drive with Cabrini, Pineville Mayor's Citizens Advisory Committee, Central Cities Development Corporation board, chairman and treasurer of the Rapides United Givers Fund Drive, president of the United Way of Central Louisiana, board of directors of the River Oaks Square Arts and Craft Center, Economic Development Council of Central Louisiana and a 1990 recipient of Louisiana College's Distinguished Service Award.

Mr. McLaurin and his late wife, Dottie, were longtime members of the First Baptist Church of Pineville, where he served as a deacon and chairman of the deacons, and member of the finance, personnel, long-range development and fund development committees.

Mr. McLaurin served 2½ years with the Navy in World War II after graduating from high school in Ellisville, Miss. Following his military service, he attended Jones County Junior College and graduated in 1948 from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He received his master's degree from the University of Mississippi in 1949 and did post-graduate work at Tulane University.

He entered the health care profession in 1951, organizing and developing outpatient facilities and clinics for physicians in St. Charles Parish. In 1958, he was named administrator of St. James Parish Hospital in Lutcher. From 1960-69, he was the administrator of Lane Memorial Hospital in Zachary before moving to Alexandria in 1969 as assistant administrator of Baptist Hospital.

Mr. McLaurin was preceeded in death by his wife, Dorothy M. McLaurin, parents Ollie and Norma Pickering McLaurin and sisters Mildred Suggs and Ida Mae Williams.

He is survived by sons Monty E. McLaurin and wife Debi, and Brian E. McLaurin, and daughter Marian M. Templeton and husband Lance. In addition, he is survived by five grandchildren: Leigh Erin Lowery and husband Dan, Michael McLaurin, Laurin Maier and husband Matt, Lindsey Welch and husband John, and Cody McLaurin; and six great-grandchildren. He is also survived by a brother, James McLaurin and wife Pat, and sisters Betty Shields and husband Frank, Eleanor Rae Johnson and husband Vernon and Helen Thames.

Pallbearers honored to serve will be Doug Ashe, Lynn Cavanaugh, John Marcase, Pat Moore, Butch Morrison and Dr. Walter Preau; honorary pallbearers will be Bob Bash, Dr. Joe Hair, Dr. David McGraw, Dr. Jim Ralston and Jan Tullos.

Memorials may be made to the McLaurin Nursing Scholarship Fund through the Central Louisiana Community Foundation, P.O. Box 66, Alexandria, La., 71309.