Services for Edgar Allen Tuten will be held at 2:30 pm on Thursday, March 6, 2025, at Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston.   Visitation will be prior to the service from 1:00 P.M. to 2:30 P.M. at Trinity Methodist Church.  Interment will be a private family burial.

Edgar Allen Tuten was born on September 15, 1944, in Brenham, Texas, to Mildred and Joe Tuten and was welcomed into his heavenly home on March 2, 2025.  Allen was born loving all things outdoors and working with his hands.  If you gave him a hammer and a saw, he would start creating.  Digging in the dirt was also a passion whether he was looking for arrow heads or planting over 15,000 daffodils at his home.  He could expertly identify every tree and plant he saw in his yard and beyond.  He had many awards, accomplishments, and successes, but he was best known to all for having a gentle, kind and servant’s heart. He lived his life putting God first, his wife MaryBelle second, followed by his family, friends, and his community.  Allen graduated from Ruston High School and attended Louisiana Tech University where he earned a BA degree in Business and a MA degree in Business Administration as well as completing a Hospital Administration Development Program from the University of Alabama, Birmingham.  Allen worked his way up from Switch Board operator to CEO of Lincoln General Hospital, retiring in 2001.  He was a member of the Louisiana Hospital Association Board of Directors for ten years serving as Board Chairman for one year.  He earned Diplomat status in the American College of Hospital Executives.  Upon retirement he worked as a part time consultant and staff member for Reeves Memorial Medical Center, and in 2013 celebrated 50 years in the health care field.

Allen Tuten touched the lives of many people locally, nationally, and internationally as a humanitarian volunteer and healthcare professional. This was not a one-time project, but a lifetime legacy of service to others.  He gave of himself, his time, and his resources, and enjoyed mentoring both adults and youth to do the same.  He had a strong desire to foster these traits in others and modeled a servant heart that he felt was important to our society.  Allen’s service and career found its base in Ruston, the community he loved, and from that base his benevolent impact spread to touch all ages, races, and many nationalities throughout the world.

Allen began developing those traits that would lead to a life of humanitarian service as a teenager.  He was a leader in his school, church, and Boy Scouts, attaining the rank of Eagle Scout.  As an adult he organized the first Medical Explorer post for high school students.  He also taught outdoor camping skills for his daughters’ Brownie and Girl Scout troops.

Allen’s church was always a priority in his life.  He taught fifth grade boys’ Sunday School for two years followed by 25 years as an adult Sunday School teacher.  He served as chairman of the Administrative Board, chairman of the Pastor Parish Relations Committee, devotional leader for a Wednesday night study group, an adult leader and teacher of Weekend of the Cross for 18 years, organized the wheelchair ramp construction ministry and completed 14 ramps, led children’s sermons, served as a lay pastor, and volunteered wherever needed.

Through his church and Louisiana Volunteers in Mission, Allen participated in or led nearly 50 construction missions around the world.  He is most noted for projects in small rural churches in Alaska. In June of 2013 he completed his 26^th trip to Alaska to perform volunteer work.  Other mission sites included South Louisiana, Arkansas, North Carolina, the Navajo Nation, England, the jungle of Peru, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, Venezuela, India, and the Marshall Islands. Each mission trip project was at his own expense and before retirement he used his vacation time to participate.

In retirement, Allen was certified as an early responder and joined the Red Cross in 2000, responding most often in Louisiana, but spent 2 weeks in New York following Superstorm Sandy.  He helped Trinity United Methodist establish a Red Cross Shelter after Hurricanes Ike, Katrina and Gustav.  Trinity continues to be an emergency shelter site today.

Allen also has a strong legacy of service to the Ruston Community.  He was a member of the Ruston Rotary Club for 50 years.  He served as president for 2 different terms and wrote and secured the grant funds to start a backpack program for food insecure students that continues today.  He was recognized by Rotary International as a Paul Harris Fellow.  A proud graduate of Ruston High School, he has led efforts to strengthen and sustain the Ruston High School Alumni Association and was currently serving as president of the association.  Allen was elected to the Lincoln Parish School Board at the age of 30, serving a total of 7 terms in 26 years including multiple terms as Vice President and President.  Another gift of his talents to the Ruston community was his active involvement in set construction and theater productions with Ruston Community Theatre.  He even performed in four productions earning a “Rustony” Award for best actor in a minor role in 2009.

Allen served on the Boards of the Ruston Lincon Chamber of Commerce, Lincoln Bank, Louisiana Tech Wesley Foundation, Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home, Mount Sequoyah Retreat Center, Lincoln Parish Wildlife Federation, and North Central Louisiana Habitat for Humanity where he recruited over 350 volunteers and supervised hands-on construction.  Allen wrote a weekly column for the Ruston Daily Leader entitled, “Sportsman’s Paradise” for three years.

Other special interests of Allen included competing in triathlons, playing co-ed volleyball, making his famous “Grandaddy’s bread,” raising chickens, hunting, and catching his limit of fish.

Honors and Awards:  1974 Ruston Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Young Man (state finalist), Grand Prize Winner of the Peach Festival Cookery Contest, 2007 Rotary “Service Above Self Award”, 2011 Ruston Lincoln Chamber of Commerce “Bill Best” Humanitarian Award, 2013 Ruston High School Distinguished Alumni Award, and December 4, 2024 was proclaimed Allen Tuten Day by the mayor as a result of his significant commitment to civic engagement and volunteerism in the City of Ruston.

The legacy he was most proud of was the family that he created with his high school sweetheart, MaryBelle. They spent 58 adventurous years making memories and enjoying spending time together.  They visited all 50 states, more than 60 countries, and six different continents during their marriage.

They treasured their time spent cheering their family on as they achieved success in school, sports, theater, church, community leadership, and their professional careers.  Grandaddy was quick to let you know that he was proud of you, and he loved you.  He leaves them with lots of special memories and a wide range of furniture projects and other woodcrafts that fill their homes and hearts.

He is survived by his wife MaryBelle Kirkland Tuten; daughters Maribel Tuten Childress and husband Dan, Bella Vista, AR; Maradith Allyn Tuten Boone and husband Dr. Ryan Boone, Baton Rouge, LA.; and his bonus daughter Kim Mulkey.  Grandchildren:  Marybelle Christine Beaulieu (Gardner) Fayetteville, AR; Christian Childress, Sachse, TX; Jon Childress and Aaron Childress, Bella Vista, AR; Caroline Boone, Ella Boone and Hattie Boone, Baton Rouge; his first Beaulieu great-grandchild expected this fall. His mother Mildred Tuten; brother Jim Tuten and wife Linda; brother-in-law Neill and Barbara Kirkland; and a supporting group of nieces and nephews and a host of loving friends.

He is preceded in death by his father Joseph Daniel Tuten, father and mother-in-law Dr. Neill S. Kirkland and Mary Belle Taylor Kirkland Holstead and brother, Billy Joe Tuten.

Pallbearers:  Harry Fristo, Mickey Mays, Aaron Childress, Christian Childress, Jon Childress, Gardner Beaulieu, R. Neill Kirkland, and Jon Kirkland. Honorary Pallbearers: Ruston High School Class of 1963 Lunch Bunch and Soul Food Life Group.

In memory of Allen Tuten, memorials may be made to Ruston High School Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, PO Box 1694, Ruston, LA 71273; Lincoln Health Foundation (payable to) Lincoln Parish Schools Backpack Program (memo line), PO Box 2635, Ruston, LA 71273-2635; and Louisiana Tech University Foundation, Tuten Endowment Scholarship (memo line), PO Box 1190, Ruston, LA 71273.

Online condolences may be extended to the family at www.kilpatrickfuneralhomes.com

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