Home Care In Zwolle, LA

ZWOLLE, La. (KTAL/KMSS) — A Sabine Parish woman is set to turn 100 next week, but the celebration will happen early for this youthful centurion.

Murline Cooper Finuf is turning 100 years young on December 5. Aimwell Baptist Church in Zwolle, where Murline has been a member since 1983, is throwing a bash on Saturday from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. in her honor.

Murline’s life journey began 100 years ago in Pickering, La., just south of Leesville, when she was born to biological parents Nancy and John Cooper.

Nancy Cooper passed away in 1925 when Murline was only three. Murline and four of her siblings went to live at the Masonic Children’s Home in Alexandria in 1926.

“I lived there 15 years,” Murline said. “The people in charge of the home were good Christian people and gave you their hope. I was happy as could be.”

Two of her brothers and three of her sisters also went to the children’s home, but Murline says her youngest brother did not because he wasn’t old enough.

“You had to be at least 3 and not older than 13,” she said.

When Murline came of age, WWII was in full swing. She began working at the draft office, where there was one particular workday she’ll never forget.

“I drafted my husband,” she said with a chuckle.

The couple met at a local trade school.

“We weren’t married when I worked at the board,” she said. But the pair married in 1944 and then “M,” as she called him, was sent off to fight with the Army. Murline says M served in a tank battalion.

After the war, the happy couple raised three sons, including a set of twins. She has six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

When asked about the secret to having a long life, Murline had plenty of advice.

She said to eat your vegetables, for one.

“We ate a lot of vegetables when I was growing up, and I still eat a lot of vegetables.”

When asked what vegetables she eats, Murline said, “All of them.”

She also said it’s very important to know how to deal with stress.

“If I can’t handle a problem myself, I give it to God.”

Murline said it’s easier than it sounds.

“You just talk to Him often, just like He’s a person right there with you.”

She sometimes ends her prayers with, “I’ll talk to ya later.”

Murline loves the Food Network, especially The Pioneer Woman. She still drives herself to church every Sunday and loves going to flea markets and garage sales, where she looks for baskets.

When somebody sends her a card, she puts it in a basket. Every day she stirs up the cards in the basket and picks a few out and prays for those people.

Murline calls it her prayer basket.

Murline said one of the biggest lessons she has learned in this life is that it’s important to love the Lord but don’t forget to let the Lord love you.

If you would like to send Murline a birthday card, you can send it here:

Murlene Finufc/o Aimwell Baptist Church1892 LA-1215Zwolle, LA 71486

ZWOLLE, LA (KSLA) - A Zwolle, Louisiana rehab program is changing people's lives one car wash at a time.

Mark Rivers is the Pastor and Founder of New Creation Church. He runs the Holy Water Car Wash and the program that it's affiliated with. Rivers founded the rehab program, and he approaches his ministry with plenty of personal experience.

"I lived the life of an addict. I was addicted to crack cocaine, meth, Xanax, and Lortab," he explained.

He was in and out of jail for 17 years. The last time he got arrested was when he came to his realization.

"I was addicted to drugs and I didn't like the person that I saw in that mirror," recounts Rivers.

Sitting in jail, he decided to turn his life around after speaking with a local pastor. Two years later, he was back in Zwolle, but wasn't pleased with what he found.

"There was nothing going on in the churches to help people."

Rivers says he feels it isn't the state's responsibility to change people's lives. He says it's the churches responsibility to help people who can't help themselves.

"I think the church has forgotten that. That's why I started this ministry," he said.

Taylor Jennings and Layton Jamison are two of the men currently in the program. 23-year-old Jennings struggled with prescription drugs and he says the drugs took him away from his 3-year-old daughter.

"I couldn't even look my daughter in the face" says Jennings.

He came to New Creation on his own in hopes of turning his life around.

Jamison, 18, struggled with alcohol and crashed his motorcycle.

"I broke my neck in two places. Luckily, I walked away from that without surgery or anything. I'm lucky to be alive," says Jamison.

Jamison is about 3 months into the program and says he has never been happier.

"I re-dedicated my life, and getting my life right. Now I'm starting to live right. Living for God. I haven't had anything but blessings since then."

New Creation is in the process of expanding their church and their dorms. People can admit themselves to the program, but it also takes offenders ordered into the program through the court.

Once a person completes the program, Rivers helps them establish a job to keep them on a successful path.

For more information about the program or New Creation Church, visit their Facebook page.

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ZWOLLE, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Weyerhaeuser makes a major investment in Zwolle and other northwest Louisiana communities as it launches a new endeavor intended to revitalize the area.

Weyerhaeuser announced the launch of a new $5 million THRIVE Program to support their rural operating communities across North America. Weyerhaeuser will invest $1 million in each community over the next several years.

Zwolle, La., and other rural areas of northwest Louisiana are the first to receive the investment. The forestry manufacturing company’s new THRIVE Program aims to improve the company and its impact on its community by investing one million dollars into each selected town and meeting with community leaders.

“We really just want to support this community and build it up. I mean, at the end of the day Zwolle was selected because it’s one of our operating communities that has challenges. And we want to make sure that we were part of the solutions to those challenges and meeting those challenges. ” said Weyerhaeuser Regional Public Affairs Manager Deano Orr.

Weyerhaeuser says the THRIVE Program will work closely with local leaders and other stakeholders to tailor investments and help ensure all plans and priorities make sense at the community level.

“The whole idea of us being here is to listen to see what the issues the challenges are here, while the community as well as the rural, northwest communities surrounding, and we want to make sure that we listen and understand what the challenges are. And we want to be part of that solution. And we want to support it financially as well” said Orr.

Weyerhaeuser says they have very important and longstanding relationships with Louisiana, the company operates five manufacturing facilities, manages 1.35 million acres of timberland, and employs more than 1,000 people in Louisiana. Especially its rural areas, like Zwolle.

Weyerhaeuser wants the THRIVE Program to ensure we’re making the greatest possible difference in these communities and everywhere we operate.”

Weyerhaeuser expects to announce additional THRIVE communities next year. They say investments will be made over the next several years with input from community leaders and employees.

Thea Lyn'Asia Daniell Carheel

Thea Lyn’Asia Daniell Carheel, 19, of Zwolle Louisiana entered into her Heavenly Home on Monday, May 8, 2023 in Zwolle, Louisiana. Visitation will be held for her on Thursday, May 11, 2023 at Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Many Chapel, 9891 Texas Highway, Many, Louisiana from 5:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. with a rosary to begin at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be Friday, May 12, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 307 Hammond Avenue, Zwolle, Louisiana with burial to follow in the church cemetery.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents Momo & Popo Ezernack; her uncles, Lamar “Goobie” Laroux, Theo “Yellow” Carheel, Herman “Geese” Green, & Dennis “Bo” Jones. Left behind to mourn her passing are her mother, Jamie Laroux of Zwolle, LA; her father, Theo Daniel Carheel of Zwolle, LA; her grandfather, Pye Laroux of Zwolle, LA; her brothers, Corey Ezernack & Kaitlyn of Zwolle, LA, Derion Laroux of Zwolle, LA, Dyllyn LaRue of Zwolle, LA, Jaylon Calhoun of Zwolle, LA, and Tynlyn Laroux of Zwolle, LA; her sister, Tu’Panga Calhoun of Zwolle, LA; her godparents, Douglas & Elena Long of Zwolle, LA; her stepmother, Kandi LaRue of Zwolle, LA; and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, friends, and other relatives.

Thea was one that took pride in her nationality, to honor her heritage she was highly active in the Choctaw Apache Rising Sun Youth Group. She was honored with the title of Tribal Princess, and she did not take this position very lightly. She devoted many hours and days educating others about the Native American way of life, the ceremonial procedures, and the history of the tribe. She did as much as possible to ensure the traditions and the teachings of the tribe would continue to thrive and grow for many years to come.

Serving her as pallbearers will be Kelsey Meshell, Christian Meshell, Mykeia Turner, Alexa Park, Jacob Laroux, and MJ Wiseman. The Choctaw Apache Rising Sun Youth Group will serve as herhonorary pallbearers.

The family would like to thank everyone for the prayers, support, love and food that has been shown to them during the loss of their loved one.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Thea Lyn'Asia Daniell Carheel, please visit our flower store.

Obituary Service Schedule

William Robert Anderson, Jr.

William Robert Anderson, Jr., also known as "Bob" or "Dad", 79, of Zwolle, Louisiana, gained his angel wings Saturday morning on December 17, 2022. After a long hard battle with cancer, Robert passed away peacefully in his sleep surrounded by his children. Robert was born on January 23, 1943 to William Robert Anderson, Sr. and Grace Doris (Jarvis) Anderson in Shreveport, Louisiana.

A celebration of life with close friends and family will be held on Tuesday, December 20, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. at his residence- 752 Hess Road, Zwolle, LA 71486. All family and friends are invited and welcome to attend to say a final goodbye to William and to pay their respects to his family and loved ones.

Robert attended Byrd High School in Shreveport, Louisiana. Soon after, he married his first wife Helen Lucille Brown, the mother of his four children, Julie, Johnny, Robbie, and Randy. Robert joined the United States Army when he was 18 years old where he acquired his trade as an electrician. He was stationed in France where his first son, Johnny was born and when they traveled back to the United States, his first child, Julie spoke French. Soon after, he was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina where Robbie was born. His last child, Randy was born six years later in Shreveport, Louisiana. After the Army, Robert's career took off at Western Electric Plant (also known as AT&T then Lucent) where he became a foreman and industrial electrician until his early retirement at 50. He then began working for himself buying a few properties and fixing them up with the love of his life, Betty who encouraged him and was his driving force. He enjoyed traveling and vacationing with his children, family, and friends. In his free time he enjoyed a cold brew down at the local pub and socializing with the guys. Robert loved playing bingo, dominoes, gambling, and the buffets at the boats. Finally, he retired comfortably and settled peacefully at his home on Lake Toledo Bend just south of Zwolle. In addition, he loved to ride motorcycles and had many throughout his life. He was an avid fan of new cars that he would trade in a heartbeat. The neighbors often wondered "who was driving up in a new car?" because they did not recognize it. It turns out it was Robert in his new car. Robert had a close bond with his loving sister, Kay Quittner and brother-in-law, Andy.

Preceding Robert in death are his parents, William Robert Anderson, Sr. and Grace Doris (Jarvis) Anderson; and his wife, Betty Lillie Anderson. Those left behind to cherish his memory are his daughter, Julie Anderson Frantz and husband, Doug of Suffolk, VA; his sons, Johnny D. Anderson and Pam Lane of Shreveport, LA, William “Robbie” Anderson and wife, Alicia of Wood River, IL, and Randy L. Anderson and wife, Diana of Wake Forest, NC; his sister, Kay Anderson Quittner and husband, Andrew of San Marcos, TX; his brothers, Donald Lee Ross of Shreveport, LA and Jerry Wayne Ross of Shreveport, LA; 11 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren; along with a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Condolences can be made to the family at www.rose-neath.com