Mrs. Nelda Raye Sanders Thompson

Haughton, LA

Services to celebrate the life of Nelda Raye Sanders Thompson will be held at 1:00 pm Tuesday, November 16th at Centuries Memorial Funeral Home. Officiating will be Rev. Willis Dear. The family will receive friends and loved ones on Monday November 15th between the hours of 5:00pm.-7:00pm at the funeral home. Interment will follow in Centuries Memorial Park Cemetery.

Nelda passed away on November 12th, 2010 at the age of 81 after a long and valiant battle with Alzheimer's. She fought with great faith, courage, strength and grace.

Born in DeQueen, Arkansas, Nelda spent her youth there as well as San Antonio, Texas. She attended Southern State in Magnolia, Arkansas where she met the love of her life, Hal Jean Thompson. After a very brief courtship of just two weeks, they married and settled into a “Vetville” trailer for veteran students. She received a Master's Degree in education from Centenary College. She shared her lifelong love and commitment to learning with all of her students during her many years of teaching. The majority of her teaching career was in the Caddo Parish School System. Nelda followed her husband's job in the oil field to South America from 1974-1984 where she taught in American schools in Bolivia and Venezuela. Daddy used to laugh and say all the other wives collected gold but mom enjoyed the wood carvings of the different areas and cultures. She was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church. She became a member of Summer Grove United Methodist in 1959 and was also a Sunday school teacher for many years.

She is preceded in death by her beloved husband of almost fifty years. Left to cherish her memory, her daughters Melanie T. McFerrin and husband Bill, of Llano, Texas; Rebecca Thompson of Haughton, Louisiana; and Sandra Thompson of Pollok, Texas; eight grandchildren, Amanda T. Stettler, Kimberly G. Hart, David Gilcrease, Heather O. Taylor, Chelsea O'Con, Rachel McFerrin, Ashleigh Thompson and Sarah McFerrin; and seven great-grandchildren.

Our family would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to all of those who have loved, cared for, and supported our Mother and Grandmother as well as those who have stood by our side through her extended illness. A special thank you to Terry and Betty Booty, and Bill Pipkin for their devoted friendship to our parents and family. We would also like to thank the many caregivers who loved her as their own. Your kindness and compassion will always be remembered.

Thank you Mom for all the love and lessons you gave to all of us throughout your life. You will always be loved and missed. A life well-lived, you have given so much to so many.

“A teacher affects eternity, he can never tell where his influence stops.” - Henry Brooks Adams

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. II Timothy 4:7

Memorials may be made to The Alzheimer's Association 910 Pierremont Rd. Shreveport, LA 71106; St. Jude's Research Hospital for Children 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105; or the charity of choice.

You may offer condolences and sign the guest book by visiting www.centuriesmemorialfh.com.

Centuries Memorial Funeral Home

(318) 686-4334