Katherine Elizabeth Magee

Katherine Elizabeth Lunday Magee (June 29, 1922 - April 29, 2019) Beth Magee, the daughter of William Baker "Bill" Lunday, a World War I veteran, and Zaidee Mason Lunday, was born in Pelican, Louisiana on June 29, 1922. She was a descendant of a pioneer DeSoto Parish family. Her grandparents Dr. William H. and Anna Hart Mason settled in the Grove Hill community and later moved into Pelican in the late 1800s, after the construction of the railroad. One of Beth's most vivid memories involved the Louisiana maneuvers in 1941. Hundreds of young soldiers arrived by train in Pelican and shopped at the local stores, much to the delight of the young ladies of the town. Beth often told of meeting Dwight Eisenhower and George Patton at the store run by her father and mother (formerly Dr. Mason's office). Beth graduated from Pelican High School in 1939. She married James Franklin Magee, a World War II veteran, in 1942. After living in Texas for several years, Beth and Franklin moved back to Pelican with their young daughter Jan in 1960. Beth was a member of the Pelican United Methodist Church where she taught Sunday School, worked with the MYF group, and served in many other ways through the years. She was involved in various community activities, including 4-H leadership and the Home Demonstration (later Extension Homemakers) group. She was a board member of the Pelican Cemetery Association. Beth worked for several years at Dink's Grocery (at the corner) in Pelican. For the last several years Beth has lived with her daughter Jan Magee Greer and husband Randy in Pelican. Until then she had lived in the home she shared with her husband who passed away in 1976. Beth loved working in the yard, growing beautiful flowers, and sharing her space with cats, dogs and birds. She loved animals and she loved her family and friends. It was a common thing for Beth to remember folks with a card, a bouquet of flowers from her yard, or maybe a batch of her famous little pecan pies. In recent years If one inquired how Beth was feeling, her usual response was "I can still talk and eat!" She was recognized as the oldest breast cancer survivor in DeSoto Parish at the annual luncheon each year. When she was 94, Beth traveled 2000 miles with Jan and Randy to Minnesota where she enjoyed a reunion attended by over 40 family members. In 2018, Beth was blessed to be on the scene when her great-grandchild was born in Baton Rouge. Beth was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her grandparents, grandson Randall Franklin Greer and by her granddaughter Jennifer Elizabeth Greer. She is survived by daughter Jan Greer and husband Randy, grandson Dr. Josh Greer and wife Dr. Jamie Hatcher Greer, great-grandson James Randall Greer, sister Martha Nornberg, nephews Ronnie Nornberg and wife Lana, and Ken Nornberg and wife Kathy, and her little dog "Twinkie". Other extended family members include 23 great-great nieces and nephews. Rev. Ed Dilworth, former pastor of the Pelican United Methodist Church, will conduct the funeral service at Rose-Neath Funeral Home in Mansfield on Friday, May 3, 2019, at 2:00 PM. Visitation will be Thursday, May 2, from 5:00 - 8:00 PM. Burial will be in the Pelican Cemetery with prayers offered by Bro. Sam Wheless, pastor of Pelican UMC. Pallbearers will be Christian Brown, Paul Craig, Bruce Garlington, Kenny Guillotte, Bobby Lewis, Stephen Lewis, John Lewis, and Ricky McPhearson. Honorary pallbearers are great nephews Chris Nornberg, Darren Nornberg, William Nornberg, Jonathan Nornberg, Kyle Nornberg and Matt Nornberg. The family is forever grateful to caregivers Debra Gallaspy "my right hand", Betty Sue "Grace" Howard "my left hand", Mary Howard Franklin, Peggy Waters, and Chrissy Henderson. Special thanks to Dr. Wen Liu and Sarah Young, PA, Dr. Paul Schuler and the ICU staff at WK Pierremont. The following memorial suggestions are offered by the family:   Pelican United Methodist Church PO Box 103 Pelican, LA 71063   DeSoto 4-H Foundation Jennifer Greer Scholarship 10117 Hwy. 171 Grand Cane, LA 71032   NW Louisiana Humane Society 2544 Linwood Ave Shreveport, LA 71104