Melton Neal Wheat, 89, of Jena, passed from this life on Tuesday, July 7, 2020, at Rapides Regional Medical Center in Alexandria.
He was born Sunday, March 15, 1931 to the union of his parents, Thomas Reginald and Susan Elizabeth Wheat.
Services were held at 10 a.m., Friday, July 10, at Pritchard Baptist Church in the Old River Community with Rev. Terry Doughty officiating.
Interment followed in the Pritchard Cemetery at Rhinehart under direction of Magnolia Funeral Home of Alexandria.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Howard Wheat and Reginald Wheat; two sisters, Mattie Smith and Mildred Masters.
Those left to cherish his memory include his wife of 66 years, Jo Ann Kuhn Wheat of Jena; three daughters, Sharlott Faulkner and husband Richard of Belah, Sue Morris and husband Jackie of Whitehall and Mary Beth McCartney and husband Tim of Whitehall; seven grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; and six greatgreat grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Charlie Bird, Eli Cooper, Ben Dosher, Todd Fannin, David Francis, Robert Huffman, Robert Joy and Jim Zeagler.
Honorary pallbearers were Richard Faulkner, Jackie Morris, Tim McCartney, Brent McGuffee, Jimbo Grantham, David Jones, Brad Reagan and Chase Jenkins.