Home Care In Doyline, LA

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WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

Angela Neal: “I'm heartbroken. Mr. Stewart was an amazing man. He was well respected, admired and our trusted coach and principal. He was so much more than even that. I got to watch him be a wonderful dad to my high school friend Jamie Stewart Gressett.”

Shawn C. White: “Jimmy was my principal at Doyline. He was a great mentor to us. He will be missed in the Doyline community. He pushed us to be our best and saw the potential of the kids at the school. He was also on the last state championship team that Doyline had.”

Jack Thigpen: “So sad to hear this. Really a nice guy and a good coach that had a positive influence on many. He will be missed! Prayers go out to his family.”

Connie Eagles : “So many special memories of watching Jimmy, Tommy Joe, Steve Causey, and the rest of their wonderful teammates win the Class C State Championship in 1967!! Jimmy was a special friend!! Loved to hear him get tickled and laugh out loud!”

The tall drink of water known as Jimmy Stewart lived virtually his entire life on the same piece of rural property outside Doyline his family has inhabited for about 100 years.

Quiet and stately with a dry sense of humor, often portraying the same persona the “other” Jimmy Stewart exhibited on-screen, Doyline’s Stewart was a man loved and respected by many.

I first met the Doyline principal in the early 1990s when I was recruiting his daughter, Jamie Gressett, to pitch on my travel softball team. In order to secure Jamie, I was required to drive to the Stewart homestead and convince the 6-foot-5 Stewart that I was worthy of coaching his daughter. In 10-plus years of recruiting softball players, Stewart remained the only father who forced me to pass his observation test.

“My dad was really quiet but he was funny, and he always taught my brother (Ryan) and I to do the right thing,” Gressett said. “He told us to get involved in something, and his guiding principal was to love God, love your family, love your church, school and country.”

The 68-year-old Stewart, who had a stroke in 2011 and was in declining health since that fateful day, passed away Saturday after a long battle with the byproducts of the stroke, according to Gressett.

“After the stroke, it wasn’t long before he couldn’t read or write and it progressively got worse,” Gressett said. “It got to where he was forgetting words and where he couldn’t drive. For the last couple of years, his mind was still good, but he couldn’t say anything. He understood the conversation that was going on, daddy just couldn’t contribute.

“He went in the hospital in November when he got really sick, and he had been in hospice care since December.”

Services have been set for the former Northwestern State baseball and basketball standout and Doyline principal, who served the school for 20 years. Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday at Roseneath in Minden with a memorial service slated for 1 p.m. Wednesday at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Minden. The family will hold a private graveside ceremony in Sibley.

“My dad was my softball coach and I rode to school with him from the seventh to the 12th grades, so we got to know each other pretty well,” said Gressett, who married former Louisiana Tech baseball player Dan Gressett. “Even though he was big on NSU, especially Mike McConathy’s basketball team, my dad was OK with me attending Tech and marrying a Tech guy. Technically, he was a Tech graduate too because he received his master’s there.

“And, he liked Dan. Heck, I pretty much married the same person. Dan is a coach and now an assistant principal/coach.”

Stewart earned All-Gulf States Conference honors as a Demon in 1971 for coach Herbie Smith. During his senior year Stewart was 7-4 with a 1.69 ERA. He started 23 games in his NSU career and completed 22 of them.

After graduation, Stewart signed with California Angels organization and eventually advanced to Triple A. He was reportedly considered one of the Angels’ top pitching prospects until a shoulder injury ended his career.

Shreveport Captains’ manager Norm Sherry initially signed the then 23-year-old Stewart to play for the Captains, according to The Times files. He played for Quad City, El Paso, Salt Lake City and Hermosillo, Mexico, during the winter.

“I got tickled thinking of my dad living in Mexico,” Gressett said. “But he liked it there. He always said they treated the baseball players like gods.”

Stewart taught mathematics and coached basketball and baseball before becoming principal at Doyline and serving from 1985-2004. He also coached at Minden leading the basketball team to the state finals and won three state titles as the pitching coach on the Tide baseball team coached by Marvin Jones.

He played on the last Doyline basketball team to win a state title (50 years ago), playing with the late Tommy Joe Eagles, who played at Tech. Stewart was signed by Tynes Hildebrand at NSU.

As a softball coach at Doyline, he guided the team to the state playoffs four times.

Jimmy Stewart retired in 2004 after 32 ½ years in public education. Stewart and his brother, Bill, have an endowed basketball scholarship at NSU.

Twitter: @JimmyWatson6

7 Dec 13:54 UTC: First to report: USGS after 11 hours.

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After winning its first LHSAA state boys basketball title in 53 years, Doyline swept the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class B All-State team with the top two selections, according to Tuesday’s second All-State team.

Superstar Decari Markray, an unsigned senior with a stunning array of basketball skills, was named the Outstanding Player, while coach Michael Normand was tabbed as the Coach of the Year. Markray averaged 21.6 points and 9.7 rebounds for the Panthers in leading them past Simsboro in an overtime period in the state championship game.

Normand received top coaching honors for directing his team to a 33-2 record and the first title since former Louisiana Tech and Auburn head coach Tommy Joe Eagles and former Northwestern State athlete and Doyline principal Jimmy Stewart were two of the team’s standouts. Both men are now deceased.

“These guys were on cloud nine,” Normand said of his team on the drive back from the title game. “We’ve had a few runner-up banners put up, but that’s all since 1967.”

Northwest Louisiana basketball teams fared well on the LSWA team. Simsboro landed two first-team senior selections in LSUA signee Jakemin Abney (23 points) and Kalep Crane (23 pts.). Pitkin’s Garrett Edwards (32 pts.) and J.S. Clark’s Shaquay Hunt (18.5 pts.) rounded out the first team.

NW La. also dominated the second team with Stanley’s Jacobi Forte (19.2 points), Zwolle’s Kobe Montgomery (21.8 pts.) and Doyline’s Jamaria Clark (17.2 pts.) making the squad.

Florien’s 5-foot-10 senior Gracie Sylvia was the only area player making the girls’ top five after she averaged 13.3 points. Making the second team were Stanley junior McKayla Williams (28.7 points) and Zwolle senior Savanna Robertson (10.9).

Fairview and Hathaway dominated the girls’ All-State team with the Player of the Year, Rylee Jinks, and the Coach of the Year, Courtnee Hollins-Young, respectively. Jinks averaged 14 points and 10 assists per game.

Twitter: @JimmyWatson6

Decari Markray, Doyline, 6-4, Sr., 21.6

Kalep Crane, Simsboro, 6-1, Sr., 23.0

Garrett Edwards, Pitkin, 6-5, Sr., 32.0

Shaquay Hunt, J.S. Clark, 6-0, Sr., 18.5

Jakemin Abney, Simsboro, 6-3, Sr., 23.0

Second team

Colby Augustine, Hathaway, 6-0, Sr., 21.5

Kobe Montgomery, Zwolle, 5-10, Sr., 21.8

Collin Coates, Runnels, 6-6, So., 17.5

Jamaria Clark, Doyline, 6-1, Fr., 17.2

Jacobi Forte, Stanley, 6-2, Sr., 19.2

Outstanding player: Decari Markray, Doyline

Coach of the Year: Michael Normand, Doyline

Honorable mention: Ben Holliday, Runnels; Mason Jeane, Quitman; Trey Boyd, Monterey; Sean Laughlin, Converse; Jordan Fuller, Doyline; Kervantae Scott, Forest; Jackson Weldon, Florien; Aiden Soileau, Elizabeth; Henry Shuffler, Episcopal School of Acadiana; Landry Alligood, Anacoco; Ethan Williams, Fairview; Tevin Williams, Mt. Hermon; Hartland Litolff, Holden.

LSWA Girls first team

Rylee Jinks, Fairview, 5-6, Jr., 14.0

Chloey Guidry, Hathaway, 5-3, So., 16.0

Vanessa Duhe, Lacassine, 6-0, Jr., 11.7

Gracie Sylvia, Florien, 5-10, Sr., 13.3

Maggie Manuel, Fairview, 5-10, Sr., 20.8

Second team

McKayla Williams, Stanley, 5-6, Jr., 28.7

Savanna Robertson, Zwolle, 5-5, Sr., 10.9

Jaycee Hughes, Holden, 6-0, Sr., 17.0

Laynie Jinks, Fairview, 5-5, Sr., 15.6

Jordyn Semones, University Academy, 5-6, Jr., 16.0

Most Valuable Player: Rylee Jinks, Fairview

Coach of the Year: Courtnee Young, Hathaway

Honorable mention: Cally Hooks, Anacoco; Emma Hutchinson, Holden; Lizzy Habetz, Midland; Destiney Jones, Stanley; Kylee Portilloz, Choudrant; Macey Moss, Castor; Crystal Craten, Forest; Rylee Cloud, Fairview; Andrea Gray, Monterey; Madison Suire, Hathaway; Clara Womack, Quitman; Kylee Johnson, Oak Hill; Krissy Broxton, Lacassine.

One of Doyline’s most outstanding players to grace a Panther court had chosen where he will play for the next level. Doyline’s Jamaria Clark who scored over 3200 career points as a Panther will head to Lee College in Baytown, Texas. He will trade in the blue and gold for scarlet and gray.

Clark will be heading to the NJCAA Region XIV which is the same conference of local Bossier Parish Community College. Clark has ambitions of being seen by a Power 5 eventually once his stint is over with the Navigators. “They’re the program that best fits me,” Clark said. “They are talking about building a team around me as long as I put the hard work in. Hopefully, I can Power 5 after that.”.

A Power 5 team might give a glance at the Doyline prodigy. According to MaxPreps, Clark was the 5th average scorer in the nation and top in Louisiana with 36.9 points per game. “Juicy” also had achieved over 50 points a game on seven occasions and reached a school record of 70 points in a game. Clark was also a two All-Area MVP, three-year district MVP, and made the Class B all-state team for four years.

During his signing ceremony speech, Doyline Mike Normand described Clark. “I’m telling you,” Normand said. “Most people in here don’t know how many hours he is here in the gym with his Dad drilling day after day…He’s got good DNA, he’s got good skills, but he has a work ethic that has been unmatched by anybody I’ve coached. One thing I’m going to say, he would not be denied.”. Normand goes on to thank Clark for his loyalty to our school and community. “That shows more who you are than scoring 70 points and I want you to know that I appreciate it”, said the Doyline head coach.

Although Clark is heading to the big metroplex of the Houston area, he won’t forget his roots in Doyline. “Doyline means everything to me,” Clark said. “I had so many chances to leave but I didn’t want to leave. I want to leave my legacy here. I want to show everyone that you can make it out of here without leaving.”

One of Clark’s favorite memories at Doyline was bringing a state title back to the Webster Parish town. This was the first state title since 1967.

Not only is Clark a lifer in Doyline, but his family is also part of the Panther history. His dad, Roderick Clark, Sr., was part of the 2001 state runner-up squad and also his assistant coach at Doyline. “Juicy” has also been playing with his two other brothers Damarion and Keidric. Another Clark is coming up in youngest brother Roderick Jr.

Being his coach on the sidelines all his life, it’s going to be a different but exciting experience for Roderick Clark. “It’s going to be fun for me,” his father said. “I like to see how he deals with adversity. It’s gonna be another big step for him.”. The advice he will give “Juicy” is dropped off in Baytown, “Keep your head on the swivel and stay grounded.”

You have the Dad perspective but to a mother no matter how much of a mega-super basketball star Juicy becomes, Jamaria will always be her baby bird leaving the nest. “With me as a mother, I’m still trying to take it all in,” Tinora Clark said. “He’s the firstborn so he’s close to my heart. It’s a new beginning. He’ll do well. I think they [Lee College] have been very hands-on and let us know what’s been going on.” Her advice to her son was “Always trust your intuition and lean on the Lord.”

So watch out Houston, this cat (get it, he’s a Panther… never mind) is bringing the dawg with him. “I’m going to bring that dawg,” Clark said. “I feel like I’ve been doubted by a lot of different colleges. So I’m going to bring that dawg with me. Also winning because I’ve been doing that all my life.”

DOYLINE, LA (KSLA) - The Doyline community is honoring a councilman and veteran who passed away last week.

The phrase 'community legend' doesn't do justice do the impact that 94-year-old Billy Reeves had in and around the village of Doyline in southwestern Webster Parish.

The mayor of Doyline, Gary Carter, lowered the flag to half-staff Monday afternoon, October 17, in honor of four-term councilman Billy Reeves who passed away Friday. Hours later, friends and loved ones began arriving for his visitation service nearby in Minden.

Rev. Melvin Fletcher, who will officiate Reeves' funeral on Tuesday said, "He knew everyone, you know. Being 94-years-old, he'd been around awhile."

Reeves wore so many hats in life from war veteran and purple heart recipient, to reserve deputy, police chief, national guardsman, and he was a member of every civic group you can think of; he was even the water board president.

He often repeated the same phrase. Mayor Carter recited, "For God and country. And he lived it and breathed it."

There are so many different stories about Billy Reeves, almost as many as the number of people who remember them. One involves a former mayor of the village of Doyline, who said in his 11 years in office he only remembers two times ever that Billy was not at a meeting. Those were for family reunions. Otherwise, he was never late.

But it's not Reeves' punctuality he'll be most remembered for; instead, it was his interest in others. "He loved people, just loved people," recalled Mayor Carter.

Carter said they loved to poke fun at one another. "One of his phrases that he loved to tell me was he hasn't whooped a 50-year-old today but the day wasn't over, so. (laugh)"

Reeves' good friend, State Senator Ryan Gatti, posted a clip on Facebook, filmed in September when Reeves endorsed a veteran running for office. They let the cameras roll and Billy was asked his secret to long life. He couldn't help but mention the mayor. "Being around Gary Carter (laugh). No, clean living."

Funeral services for Reeves will begin at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 18, at West Lake Baptist Church in Doyline.

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