Bud Bee Cason

Bud was a workaholic, having several successful careers. After graduating from Plainview High School, class of 1967, he went to West Texas State University in Canyon, TX. To help pay his way to WTSU, he worked weekends at Ranchers & Farmers Supply in Plainview; after several years he was made co-partner. Through his tenure at the feed/supply store, he was part of the hog operation that supplied for the beginning of the Jimmy Dean Sausage Company.

After college, Bud moved to his high school dream of journalism, serving as circulation manager for the Plainview (TX) Daily Herald and circulation business manager of the Lubbock (TX) Avalanche Journal. He then moved with the Worrell Newspaper group of Charlottesville, VA and successfully served with newspapers in San Marcos, TX, Corinth, MS, Suffolk, VA, and Cape May, NJ. In 1982 Cason achieved his high school dream of opening his own newspaper and became owner, publisher, and president of the Pasadena (TX) Press.

From Pasadena, Bud called long distance to his sweetheart from several years earlier while in Corinth, MS, and proposed. Bud and Kathy Jane Jones were married in 1982. She remained the love of his life and according to Bud was “God’s greatest blessing to me on this earth.”

Health issues resulted in him selling his interest in the newspaper. Bud and Kathy then moved to Amite, LA in 1983, where he briefly served as government reporter for the Hammond (LA) Daily Star. Jokingly, then Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Ed Layrisson hired Bud away from The Star “to keep him from writing” about him. Bud served as executive assistant to Sheriff Layrisson until Layrisson retired in 2004. Newly incoming Sheriff Daniel Edwards retained Cason until he retired in 2011.

An advocate of youth, Cason initiated Louisiana’s first Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program. He was Louisiana’s first DARE instructor and mentor trainer. Through his efforts as instructor Bud, he taught some 35,000 5th and 6th grade students throughout Tangipahoa Parish. Bud was honored as Tangipahoa Parish law enforcement officer of the year twice in 1988 and 1998. He was invited by President Bill Clinton to a White House Crisis Prevention Seminar in 1997.

A sports lover, Cason and his wife took many kids on trips to AstroWorld, Houston Astros games, Tulane football games and New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans games. He worked part time also on the primetime security force for the Superdome New Orleans Saints and Pelicans. He worked three national college football championship games, three national college basketball championship games, one Super Bowl, and numerous other sports and entertainment events.

Bud was a member of First Baptist Church, Covington.

He is survived by his wife, Kathy Jones Cason; sisters-in-law, Cheryl Murry, Plainview, TX, Gwen Cason, Lubbock, TX and Barbara Smith, Corinth, MS; nieces, Sharon McDonald (Mark), Henderson, TX and Amanda Riggs (Bryce) and family, Lubbock, TX, Terry McCauley and family, Richmond, TX, and Michelle Gosson and family, Abilene, TX; nephews, Jerry Dwyne Murry (Terra) and family, Delta, CO, Charles Murry (Sally) and family, Big Spring, TX, and Brad Murry, Lubbock, TX; great niece, Natalie Kelley (Nick), Lindale, TX; great nephews, Major McQuiston (Andi), Edwards AFB, CA, Zack Stephens (Morgan), Ada and Beau, and Jess Stephens, Corinth, MS; and numerous other nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Carol McCauley, Frankston, TX; two brothers, Jerry Murry, Plainview, TX, and John Cason, Lubbock, TX; brother-in-law, James McCauley, Frankston, TX; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Manley and Ada Lee Jones, Corinth, MS; and niece, Leigh Ann Stephens, Corinth, MS.

Funeral services were held in Hammond, LA.

A family and friends gathering will be held at Memorial Funeral Home, Corinth, MS, on Thursday, September 24, from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. Committal, scripture, and prayer will be at 2:30 pm at Holly Cemetery, Corinth. Rev. Warren Jones will officiate

Online condolences can be left at memorialcorinth.com for the Cason family.

Memorial Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements.