July 22, 1971 – October 8, 2019
Kelsey D. Bagwell of Mooringsport, Louisiana, transitioned into the next on Tuesday, October 8, 2019, following a period of illness. Kelsey was the son of Roy C. Bagwell and the late Barbara Leudtke. He leaves behind his wife of 28 years, Jeanie Spears Bagwell, his brother, Kevin Bagwell of Memphis, TN, and two beloved dogs, Travis and Lady.
Kelsey was born and raised in Winnfield, Louisiana. He attended Winnfield Senior High School and played tuba in the award-winning marching band. He attended Northwestern State University, where he majored in education in order to realize his lifelong dream of teaching. He was proud to come from a long line of teachers, including his maternal grandmother, great-grandmother, and his maternal great-aunts. He found his calling in the classroom, bringing his varied experiences and perspectives to bear in giving his students a realistic picture of life after high school and encouraging them to achieve more than they believed themselves capable of. His debate teams were the joy of his professional life. Kelsey was a Renaissance man who taught a variety of subjects including English, speech, and drama. Outside of the classroom, he wrote essays that were touching, well-constructed, and above all, intellectual. He had a way with words, whether he was describing a serious topic or making his friends and family laugh with his fantastic wit.
A lifelong animal lover, Kelsey was proud to be a founding member of the Winn Parish-based Heart of Louisiana Humane Society. It was through HLHS that he studied the art of dog training, which he would go on to completely ignore with each animal that permanently shared his home. Alongside his wife, he fostered numerous cats and dogs and was often called upon to help with the worst behavior cases. He transformed each of these cases into loving companion animals via positive reinforcement, and was delighted when they matched with a forever home. He also offered free training sessions for each animal adopted through HLHS.
Kelsey was active in anti-bullying campaigns via social media. His brightly painted nails, the delight of his nurses, marked him as standing against bullying in all of its forms. At the time of his death, Kelsey had recently become aware of The Trevor Project and was interested in the creation of a Shreveport-Bossier City chapter.
Kelsey had the great fortune of finding the love of his life young and spending nearly 30 years with her. He treated his wife with infinite kindness and bragged about her to anyone who would listen. Throughout their marriage, he behaved toward her as though he were a teenager with a huge crush, and his love was returned in kind.
Kelsey’s personal motto was “If you’re not having fun, what’s the point?” He favored loud socks, upbeat music, the color purple, and dad jokes. Kelsey was an orange-yellow soul in a blue-green world. The light that he takes with him can never be replaced, but the legacy he leaves is one of service, peace, and kindness.
Services for Kelsey will be held Saturday, October 12, 2019 at Centuries Memorial in Shreveport, Louisiana. Visitation will begin at 1 PM and the service will begin at 2. As an alternative to flowers, donations may be made to Heart of Louisiana Humane Society, The Trevor Project, and/or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Attendees are encouraged to wear your most hideous socks.
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