Waple R. Lilley

Funeral service for Waple R. Lilley will be held 11 AM, Tuesday, March 29, 2011 in Westside Baptist Church with Rev. Wayne Morrow and Rev. Bill Hudson officiating. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery at Bentley, La. under the direction of Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home. Visitation will be Monday, March 28, 2011 from 5 PM until 8 PM in the funeral home and on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 from 10 AM until service time in the church. Waple R. Lilley, a longtime resident of Natchitoches, left this earth on March 26, 2011, at the age of 77 after a short, but courageous battle with cancer. Waple was born May 13, 1933 in Marthaville, Louisiana to William Rlandy and Ruth Graves Lilley. He was survived by his wife of 57 years, Len Lilley, two children, W. Alan Lilley and wife Lisa of Lafayette, LA, and Pamela L. Gray and husband Jerry of Texarkana, TX, five grandchildren, Jeffrey Johnston and wife Crystal, Zachary Lilley, John Kody Gray, Sarah Hebert-Lilley and Dylan Gray, and two great-grandchildren, Skylen and Daxton Johnston; two brothers, Gene Lilley and his wife, Loretta, and Nolan Lilley and his wife Judy and Mickie Lilley, sister in law, along with numerous nieces, nephews, uncles, aunts and cousins, all of whom he loved dearly. He was preceded in death by his brother, Roland, and his parents. Waple's family extended far beyond those who were related to him. He had a special kinship to his church family whom he had the privilege of worshiping with at every church he attended. At the time of his death he was a member of, and deacon at, Westside Baptist Church in Natchitoches, Louisiana. He was also very proud of and enjoyed a special relationship with all the students, teachers, and administrators that he was privileged to have taught, coached and worked with in his 30 years in the Sabine and Natchitoches Parish school systems. After graduating from Belmont High School in 1951 Waple attended Northwestern State University on a basketball and track scholarship from 1951-55, where he met the love of his life, Lena Maye Wilkins, whom he married on October 15, 1954. After graduating from NSU with a B.S. in Physical Education, he was honored to return to his High School alma mater, Belmont High School, as a teacher and coach, leading the team to the Louisiana State Class C Basketball Championship in his first year as a coach. From 1956 until 1963, he taught and coached at Belmont High School, Marthaville High School and Readhimer High School and acted as Principal at Readhimer High School and Fairview Alpha High School from 1963 until 1978. While coaching and teaching, he earned his Masters Degree and Masters plus 45 from NSU. He was voted Louisiana Class C Coach of the Year and Outstanding Principal during his tenure as a coach and principal. From 1979-86 he served the Natchitoches Parish School System in administrative and supervisory capacities, retiring in 1986 when he worked as a real estate agent in Natchitoches until his final retirement in 1990. He served in the US Army as a 1st lieutenant. Waple was an avid fisherman and enjoyed sharing his love of bass and perch fishing with anyone who would spend a day with him on a lake. He enjoyed traveling with his wife Len in their Motorhome, and making new friends all over the United States. He loved attending church, worshiping, and teaching Sunday School. The family would like to extend a special thank you to Dr Hogg & the nurses at Hospice of Natchitoches for the care that they afforded Waple & the family. Pallbearers will be Jeff Johnston, Zack Lilley, John Kody Gray, Todd Hampton, Robert Morgan, Darryl Gallien, and Dylan Gray. Honorary pallbearers will be the Deacon staff of Westside Baptist Church.