Earl Acree

SHREVEPORT, LA - Mr. Earl Acree, 79, passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 30, 2017, in Shreveport, Louisiana at Willis-Knighton Medical Center. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. at Rose-Neath Southside Funeral Home in Shreveport. Funeral services will be conducted at Summer Grove Baptist Church on Thursday, May 4^th at 11:00 a.m., followed by burial at Centuries Memorial Park in Shreveport. He is survived by his children and their spouses, Lisa and Carl Prothro, Bruce and Leslie Acree, and Troy Acree. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Joshua and Caleb Prothro, Amber and Alison Acree, and Jared Schonfarber. His great-grandchildren are Ryleigh Acree, Alyssa and Nicole Prothro, Elsie Prothro and Sydney Gray. Mr. Acree is preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Elsie Tedeton Acree. He is also preceded in death by his parents, Wesley and Camille Acree. He is survived by his four sisters, JoAnne Banks, Margie Simon, Gay Southern, Linda Simpson and one brother, Charles Acree. Mr. Acree was born in Point, Louisiana on November 16, 1937. He lived most of his life in Shreveport, where he was an active member of Summer Grove Baptist Church and the New Beginnings Sunday School class. Mr. Acree was a member of Gideons International for many years and was deeply committed to its mission of distributing Bibles to people all over the world. For 25 years, he worked at Bird and Son Roofing. Since then, he has owned and operated Earl's Lawn Service for over 37 years. Mr. Acree loved spending time with his family, especially at the lake in the summer. He enjoyed many outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, snow skiing, and playing and coaching softball with his children and church friends. He never met a stranger and touched many lives with his infectious smile and genuine concern for everyone he encountered. He had a joy for life and a love for Jesus and people that never wavered, no matter what happened. The family takes comfort in knowing that Earl and Elsie are finally home together in heaven, and that one day we will be reunited with them because of our trust and faith in Jesus Christ. "So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." 2 Corinthians 4:18. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Gideons International at P. O. Box 3802 in Shreveport, Louisiana, 71133.