William "Earl" Hollingsworth
April 28, 1921 - December 23, 2019
William "Earl" Hollingsworth died peacefully in his sleep on Monday, December 23, 2019, after a long and adventurous life. Born In 1921, Earl often told stories of his life in Singer after being left with his aunt and grandmother. An outdoorsman from the start, Earl hunted, fished, and grew his own cotton to support the two old women who raised him. At 18, he and Violet Pruitt eloped and came back to Singer to live in the house that Earl had built for them. He frequently laughed that they had coffee sitting on dynamite boxes at the table he made.
When WWII began, Earl was working in Lake Charles in the aviation industry but volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Corps. He served as a navigator and radio operator in a C-47 and was involved in every major operation requiring troop movement in the European theater. His plane was shot down three times. He was captured by German soldiers but managed to escape by using a small pistol he kept hidden in his boot. He was taken to a field hospital but ran away to rejoin his crew and served all the way to D-Day.
After returning home, he and Violet lived on their farm in Singer. Earl worked for Trunkline Gas Company until his retirement and spent his remaining days - until Violet retired from her job as a U.S. Postmaster - raising cattle, hunting in Colorado and fishing at Toledo Bend.
During his lifetime, he was struck by lightning three times and had several other brushes with death at the hand of his horse and of careless drivers. Still, he carried on and served his community and friends as a police juror and all around good neighbor.
Earl recently marveled, “I don’t know why God has kept me here, but I’ve just outlived this old body.”
He is preceded in death by his parents, William Sylvester and Rosa Hollingsworth; his wife of 75 years, Violet (Pruitt) Hollingsworth; four brothers; two sisters; and his son-in-law John Harris.
He is survived by two daughters, Sharon Harris and Terri (Gerald) Landry; grandchildren, Christian (Melissa) Harris, Joshua Harris, Skye (Matt) Truax; and four great grandsons to carry on his legacy of honest living, loyalty, and perseverance.
A memorial service will be held 11:00 am, Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at Labby Memorial Funeral Home in DeRidder. Friends may visit from 9:00 am to 11:00 am before the memorial service.
Earl will be buried by Violet in the Newlin Cemetery at Singer.
The family wishes to give special thanks to Jeanette Dunn and Edith Harris, loving caregivers, and to ask that, in lieu of flowers, any donations be made in Earl’s name to the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home, P O Box 4196, Monroe, Louisiana, 71023, [email protected]
April 28, 1921 - December 23, 2019
William "Earl" Hollingsworth died peacefully in his sleep on Monday, December 23, 2019, after a long and adventurous life. Born In 1921, Earl often told stories of his life in Singer after being left with his aunt and grandmother. An outdoorsman from the start, Earl hunted, fished, and grew his own cotton to support the two old women who raised him. At 18, he and Violet Pruitt eloped and came back to Singer to live in the house that Earl had built for them. He frequently laughed that they had coffee sitting on dynamite boxes at the table he made.
When WWII began, Earl was working in Lake Charles in the aviation industry but volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Corps. He served as a navigator and radio operator in a C-47 and was involved in every major operation requiring troop movement in the European theater. His plane was shot down three times. He was captured by German soldiers but managed to escape by using a small pistol he kept hidden in his boot. He was taken to a field hospital but ran away to rejoin his crew and served all the way to D-Day.
After returning home, he and Violet lived on their farm in Singer. Earl worked for Trunkline Gas Company until his retirement and spent his remaining days - until Violet retired from her job as a U.S. Postmaster - raising cattle, hunting in Colorado and fishing at Toledo Bend.
During his lifetime, he was struck by lightning three times and had several other brushes with death at the hand of his horse and of careless drivers. Still, he carried on and served his community and friends as a police juror and all around good neighbor.
Earl recently marveled, “I don’t know why God has kept me here, but I’ve just outlived this old body.”
He is preceded in death by his parents, William Sylvester and Rosa Hollingsworth; his wife of 75 years, Violet (Pruitt) Hollingsworth; four brothers; two sisters; and his son-in-law John Harris.
He is survived by two daughters, Sharon Harris and Terri (Gerald) Landry; grandchildren, Christian (Melissa) Harris, Joshua Harris, Skye (Matt) Truax; and four great grandsons to carry on his legacy of honest living, loyalty, and perseverance.
A memorial service will be held 11:00 am, Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at Labby Memorial Funeral Home in DeRidder. Friends may visit from 9:00 am to 11:00 am before the memorial service.
Earl will be buried by Violet in the Newlin Cemetery at Singer.
The family wishes to give special thanks to Jeanette Dunn and Edith Harris, loving caregivers, and to ask that, in lieu of flowers, any donations be made in Earl’s name to the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home, P O Box 4196, Monroe, Louisiana, 71023, [email protected]
William "Earl" Hollingsworth
April 28, 1921 - December 23, 2019
William "Earl" Hollingsworth died peacefully in his sleep on Monday, December 23, 2019, after a long and adventurous life. Born In 1921, Earl often told stories of his life in Singer after being left with his aunt and grandmother. An outdoorsman from the start, Earl hunted, fished, and grew his own cotton to support the two old women who raised him. At 18, he and Violet Pruitt eloped and came back to Singer to live in the house that Earl had built for them. He frequently laughed that they had coffee sitting on dynamite boxes at the table he made.
When WWII began, Earl was working in Lake Charles in the aviation industry but volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Corps. He served as a navigator and radio operator in a C-47 and was involved in every major operation requiring troop movement in the European theater. His plane was shot down three times. He was captured by German soldiers but managed to escape by using a small pistol he kept hidden in his boot. He was taken to a field hospital but ran away to rejoin his crew and served all the way to D-Day.
After returning home, he and Violet lived on their farm in Singer. Earl worked for Trunkline Gas Company until his retirement and spent his remaining days - until Violet retired from her job as a U.S. Postmaster - raising cattle, hunting in Colorado and fishing at Toledo Bend.
During his lifetime, he was struck by lightning three times and had several other brushes with death at the hand of his horse and of careless drivers. Still, he carried on and served his community and friends as a police juror and all around good neighbor.
Earl recently marveled, “I don’t know why God has kept me here, but I’ve just outlived this old body.”
He is preceded in death by his parents, William Sylvester and Rosa Hollingsworth; his wife of 75 years, Violet (Pruitt) Hollingsworth; four brothers; two sisters; and his son-in-law John Harris.
He is survived by two daughters, Sharon Harris and Terri (Gerald) Landry; grandchildren, Christian (Melissa) Harris, Joshua Harris, Skye (Matt) Truax; and four great grandsons to carry on his legacy of honest living, loyalty, and perseverance.
A memorial service will be held 11:00 am, Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at Labby Memorial Funeral Home in DeRidder. Friends may visit from 9:00 am to 11:00 am before the memorial service.
Earl will be buried by Violet in the Newlin Cemetery at Singer.
The family wishes to give special thanks to Jeanette Dunn and Edith Harris, loving caregivers, and to ask that, in lieu of flowers, any donations be made in Earl’s name to the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home, P O Box 4196, Monroe, Louisiana, 71023, [email protected]
April 28, 1921 - December 23, 2019
William "Earl" Hollingsworth died peacefully in his sleep on Monday, December 23, 2019, after a long and adventurous life. Born In 1921, Earl often told stories of his life in Singer after being left with his aunt and grandmother. An outdoorsman from the start, Earl hunted, fished, and grew his own cotton to support the two old women who raised him. At 18, he and Violet Pruitt eloped and came back to Singer to live in the house that Earl had built for them. He frequently laughed that they had coffee sitting on dynamite boxes at the table he made.
When WWII began, Earl was working in Lake Charles in the aviation industry but volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Corps. He served as a navigator and radio operator in a C-47 and was involved in every major operation requiring troop movement in the European theater. His plane was shot down three times. He was captured by German soldiers but managed to escape by using a small pistol he kept hidden in his boot. He was taken to a field hospital but ran away to rejoin his crew and served all the way to D-Day.
After returning home, he and Violet lived on their farm in Singer. Earl worked for Trunkline Gas Company until his retirement and spent his remaining days - until Violet retired from her job as a U.S. Postmaster - raising cattle, hunting in Colorado and fishing at Toledo Bend.
During his lifetime, he was struck by lightning three times and had several other brushes with death at the hand of his horse and of careless drivers. Still, he carried on and served his community and friends as a police juror and all around good neighbor.
Earl recently marveled, “I don’t know why God has kept me here, but I’ve just outlived this old body.”
He is preceded in death by his parents, William Sylvester and Rosa Hollingsworth; his wife of 75 years, Violet (Pruitt) Hollingsworth; four brothers; two sisters; and his son-in-law John Harris.
He is survived by two daughters, Sharon Harris and Terri (Gerald) Landry; grandchildren, Christian (Melissa) Harris, Joshua Harris, Skye (Matt) Truax; and four great grandsons to carry on his legacy of honest living, loyalty, and perseverance.
A memorial service will be held 11:00 am, Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at Labby Memorial Funeral Home in DeRidder. Friends may visit from 9:00 am to 11:00 am before the memorial service.
Earl will be buried by Violet in the Newlin Cemetery at Singer.
The family wishes to give special thanks to Jeanette Dunn and Edith Harris, loving caregivers, and to ask that, in lieu of flowers, any donations be made in Earl’s name to the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home, P O Box 4196, Monroe, Louisiana, 71023, [email protected]
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