Funeral services for Benny, 93 and Carrie Hortman, 87 will be Saturday, August 19, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. noon at the First Baptist Church in downtown Monroe with the graveside service following at Hasley Cemetery.  Visitation will be that morning at the church from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service.

Carrie was born on Halloween in 1935, the youngest of six children to Cleat and Ruth Dumas, but didn’t get a name until Christmas when everyone put a name in a hat and her sister Doris’s name was chosen and she got the name Clarabell.

When she started school the teacher asked her what her name was and she said Carrie and so that was the name she went by for the rest of her life for everyone – but for her friends and family that she grew up with in Farmerville, who still call her Carrie Bell to this day.

Benny was born in Monroe on June 7th in 1930 to Gordie and Marvin Hortman and was the oldest of three boys and they made their home on South Grand street in Monroe.  Fast friends with the Smith family for over 80 years it was hard to hear a story about his parents that didn’t involve the Smith family in some way.

His brother Joe said that Benny would always include him in everything he did with his friends even though he was a few years younger, and he always appreciated that he was always included.

Carrie was attending Louisiana College when her Mom got sick and she left College and came home to help her sister Doris take care of her.  Her sister tried to get her to go back to college but she was sitting on the doorstep with her suitcase when her sister returned home after dropping her off and insisted on staying and helping her with their mother until her passing.

Benny joined the army after high school and was sent to fight in the Korean War and it was so traumatic he never ever mentioned it a single time to his children.  But after seeing people starve to death over there no one in the family was ever allowed to waste a single bite of food.

They met at First Baptist Church in Monroe and were soon married there on June 3rd, 1961.  They had two sons and built their lifelong home in the Town and Country subdivision right outside Monroe where they lived for the next 62 years.

Carrie worked as a PBX operator for the welfare department until shortly after their first child was born and Benny worked for the phone company for the next 35 years.

Active at First Baptist, Carrie sang in the choir and became a Sunday School teacher with Maureen Rutherford while Benny became a deacon and they attended church there with their family and friends over the following decades.

Benny Hortman was preceded in death by his parents Marvin and Gordie Hargrove Hortman and a brother Joe Allen Hortman.

Carrie Bell Dumas Hortman was preceded in death by her parents William Cleaton “Cleat” Dumas and Ruth Rogers Dumas, step-mother Jewell Dumas, two brothers Travis Dumas and Elvin Dumas, three sisters Doris Dumas, Esther Dumas Lindow and husband Herman and Lovie Dumas Mashburn and husband Bill.

Benny and Carrie are survived by their sons, Ricky Hortman and Marvyn Hortman and his wife Hillary; their granddaughter, Nola and grandson Henry; Marvyn’s former wife, Gina V Burt; and their grandchildren, Jakey and Gretta. Benny’s brother, Don Hortman and his former wife Darlene; their children, Holly Weber and her husband Jim, Merri Hortman, Will Hortman and his wife Angela; Benny’s nephew-in-law, Butch Bruce; Benny’s grandniece, Angela Dawson and her husband Allen; and their children, Mary Katherine, Benjamin, and Matthew.

The family would especially like to thank Dr. Prem and his wife for all of their time, care, unwavering help and support over the years.  I don’t know what we would have done without them.  Dr Brad Johnson for his constant help and always being a guiding force for navigating the confusing health system when we were lost in it, and Dr. Napoli for seeing after their hearts.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home

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

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