William Wendell Thetford

Published 10:39 am Wednesday, March 19, 2014

A private graveside service will be held for William Wendell Thetford at Greenoaks Memorial Cemetery in Baton Rouge, La., Harrigill Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Thetford, 92, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, March 16, 2014, at his residence. He was born on June 3, 1921, in Pleasant Hill to Leland and Carrie Kelly Thetford.

He was in the U.S. Navy and served on the USS Marblehead for six years. He worked as a supervisor for Cargill Grain Company in Port Allen for 32 years until his retirement. He was a member of Florida Boulevard Baptist Church there.

He moved back to Pleasant Hill and established a logging business and cattle ranch. He was a faithful member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church where he served as treasurer until his illness. He also attended Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in Bogue Chitto until the death of his wife.

Preceding him in death were his parents; his wives, Mary Love Moss Thetford and Burnita West Smith Thetford; his sister, Evelyn Thetford (Carroll) Smith; his brother, R. Bryant Thetford; and nephew, Don Thetford.

Survivors are his son, Wayne Thetford of Pleasant Hill; daughter Debbie Thetford Beaty Foster of Pleasant Hill; brother, Hubert Thetford and wife, Colleen, of Childress, Texas; two nieces, Stacy Thetford Longley and husband, Jack, of Childress, Texas and Caroyln Smith and husband, Ed, of Wesson; three grandchildren, David Beaty and wife, Melody, of Bay Minette, Ala., Carrie Beaty Grigsby and husband, John, of Malvern, Ark., and Robbie Beaty Williams and husband, Kyle, of Bogue Chitto; eight great-grandchildren, Wes Williams, Cheyenne Davie, Addison Beaty, Beau Williams, Colt Beaty, Sadie Beaty, Ty Beaty, and Grant Grigsby.