Alton Leander Lea

Alton Lea was born Sept. 3, 1909, in Washington Parish to Moses Alces Lea and Ophelia Walker Lea. He graduated from Baton Rouge High School and LSU, where he earned a bachelor's in business administration and did master's work in agricultural economics. He was an avid LSU fan. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, ranked as a specialist mail clerk and stationed in Tampa, Fla. Employed by the U.S. Postal Service from 1936 to 1969, he retired after 16 years as postmaster. In real estate for many years, he developed Laurel Lea and Indian Mound subdivisions. A member of First Baptist Church for more than 82 years, he was active in many areas of church life, including Eastland Bible Class, Boy Scout troop leader, Sunday school superintendent and a deacon. He served on the board of the Baptist Theological Seminary, supported the Haggai Institute and assisted in starting Laurel Lea Baptist Church. Mr. Lea was a member of Delta Sigma Pi, Kiwanis, the American Legion and the Masonic Temple. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Ruth Chaney Lea; sisters, Pearl Lea Harris and Eva Lea Stahl; brothers, J.W. Lea and Maxwell A. Lea Sr.; and a nephew, William Joseph "Billy" Lea. He is survived by two daughters and their spouses, John and Catherine Lea Kelleher and Rod and Laura Lea Collet; sister, Betty Lea Hubbs; grandsons, Ray Barber, Jason Collet and Kevin Kelleher; granddaughters"“in-law, Jackie Hamilton and Heather "Davy" Collet; and five great-grandchildren, Liam and Isabella Barber, Ellie and Amelia Collet, and Jasmine Kelleher. Special thanks to Carolyn Gross, Horace Heard, Tamrah Bindon, Paulette Major, and the many caregivers throughout the years. Thanks also to the staff of Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: National Parkinson Foundation at 1501 N.W. 9th Ave./Bob Hope Road, Miami, FL 33136-1494,www.parkinson.org" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.parkinson.org">www.parkinson.org, or The Macular Degeneration Foundation, P.O. Box 531313, Henderson, NV 89053,www.eyesight.org" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.eyesight.org">www.eyesight.org. He died Saturday, March 15, 2008, at age 98"° at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. Visitation at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government St., on Wednesday, March 19, from 11 a.m. until service at 2 p.m., conducted by Dr. Ferris Jordan and the Rev. J. Mark Holland.