Sunday, September 8, 2013

Nelson & Olivia Loften Revisited

A recent discovery of obituaries for Nelson and Olivia Lofton and an notice of a marriage for Nelson by cousin, Michael Willis, have necessitated an update in the post about them.

In my first post about the Loftons, I did not have the dates of death for them, just a month and year for Nelson's death which was listed on the Social Security Death Index. Michael found obituaries and the marriage notice in the newspaper subscription, Genealogy Bank.  I subscribe to it as well, but don't use it very much.

I lived with the Loftons on and off while I attended Booker T. Washington High School in the 1950s. My folks moved to Metairie when I was in the fifth grade and I needed an address in New Orleans to be able to attend BTW. These obituaries brought back a lot of memories that I had forgotten including the address where I had once resided. I was not living with them at the time of Olivia's death so I knew of the deaths but I did not remember the details. Here are the details:

Lofton - at the late residence 2023 Jackson Ave on Wednesday, October 25, 1961 at 9:25 pm o'clock, Olivia Lofton, beloved wife of Nelson Lofton, foster mother of Dolores Ann Lugo, sister of Emily Derozan and the Florence Hyde Royal, aunt of Mrs. Marcelyn Royal Cahn; also survived by other relatives and friends of the family.  

Relatives and friends of the family, also pastor, officiers and members of Mount Zion Methodist Church , officers and members of Ladies Tammany Benevolent Association and Cement Masons Local 567 are invited to attend the funeral. Services from The Gertrude Geddes, Willis funeral Home, 2120 Jackson Ave. (parking adjoining on Saturday Oct 28, 1961 at 12:30 pm. followed by religious services at Mount Zion Methodist Church, Louisiana Ave at Magnolia St. Rev. R. F. Harrington officiating.

Interment in Mount Olivet cemetery, Wake Friday night at the funeral home. Gertrude, Geddes, Willis Funeral Home, Inc. in charge.

What this obituary failed to state, is that Olivia's sister died the next day and they were waked and buried on the same day.