Funeral services for Dr. Lionel Thomas Wolford, Jr. will be at 5:00 PM, on Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church, Monroe, Louisiana with Father John Paul Cristin officiating. Interment will be at Port Hudson Military Cemetery in Zachary, Louisiana.  Visitation will be held from 4:00 until time of service on Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church.

Dr. Lionel Thomas Wolford, Jr., after a long illness, passed away peacefully in his sleep early on the morning of January 6, 2024 with his daughter, Marie, and his aide, Riley Lee, at his side.

He was born in Jeanerette, Louisiana on March 30, 1928, the first child of Dr. Lionel Thomas Wolford, Sr. and Carrie Louise Poirson Wolford.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Charles Arthur Wolford and his wife of 48 years, Marion Ann Dolan Wolford.

He is survived by his three children: Marie Barat Wolford (Monroe), Ann Marie Wolford (Longmont, CO) and Lionel Thomas Wolford, III (Tom) (Monroe).

His very active childhood filled him with fond memories of his neighborhood playmates active in all boy activities that one may imagine on their acreage along the Bayou Teche; spending time with his fox terriers (Tiny and Rex); raising chickens that he attained the top 4H award for Iberia Parish with; enjoying exploring, hunting and fishing in the Atchafalaya Swamp, and multiple North/South Jeanerette boys sporting duels. He graduated from Jeanerette High School in 1944 when he was 16.

He attended The Virginia Military Institute (VMI) graduating when he was 19 with a BS in Chemistry in 1947 (class ’48 B) and maintained many lifelong friendships with his classmates (Brother Rats).  He was the Class Agent for the VMI Quarterly for many years; his last submission was published in the September issue.  Anyone who reads his quarterly submissions realizes that his attention to detail and historical accuracy was enlightening and enjoyable, his memory was superb, and his storytelling ability was delightful.

He married his beloved Marion on June 19, 1948, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Jeanerette; they were both Jeanerette natives.  He always said that he was so shocked that Marion said yes when he proposed but that his choice was the best and luckiest decision of his life.

He spent four years as a Lt. in the United States Army.  In 1951, he served in the Korean War.  He was in K Company, 24^th Infantry Regiment formally known as the Buffalo Soldiers.  His artillery Unit where he was a Forward Observer was in ‘hot combat’ from March through May, 1951.  It participated in a large battle on April 22, where he became a Purple Heart recipient.  During the last quarter of his life, he began, with zest, to write his memories of Korea giving great attention to detail and accuracy of the Deuce Four, his combat unit, its battles and the individual struggles of his fellow soldiers and their lives.  He has many notebooks filled.

After his four years in the military, he and Marion settled in New Orleans where he enrolled in Tulane University.  Upon completing his MS in Chemistry, he went on to earn his PhD (1957).  During that time his first child was born.  He accepted a post-doctoral scholarship at the University of Michigan (1958), and the family of three moved to Ann Arbor.

The following year, the highly credentialed graduate began his research career where he attained many patents; some of his discoveries are still in use today.  He climbed the research job ladder and moved his family to many wonderful locations for stimulating jobs which enabled great education opportunities and enlightenment for his three children.

He was transferred to Monroe, Louisiana, in 1980 where he retired in 1982 and began new studies at Northeast Louisiana University attaining a second MS, this one in Toxicology.  Upon completion, he was contacted to be the in house leader for a large group of research chemists working on multiple grants at the University of New Orleans.

He was forced to retire in 1992 to care for Marion who had been diagnosed with a glioblastoma.  He was her dedicated and loving caregiver and nurse for four years until the fatal affliction won.

His hobbies have always taken up a huge part of his life.  He always kept, at least, three books on his bedside table; as children, we always accompanied him to the library every week.  Lionel’s favorite topics were history (especially the Civil War) and westerns, but he read everything.

He was an avid golfer his entire life and qualified for and participated in the National Senior Olympics.  He was able to play and do well until he was 89.

He loved coaching softball and Little League.  While living in St. Louis, he coached his oldest daughter’s softball team (10 year olds) to the City Championship and still has the autographed softball given to him by her team.  His second daughter played varsity softball for Villanova all four years of her attendance.  He managed many Little League teams in Freehold, New Jersey that his son played on.  They were well known winners in the community.  He was always very proud to hear the updates on the successful men that his players have become.

He was a disciplined and studious bridge player and believed that his good bridge skills were what got him through college.  He joined the ACBL (American Contract Bridge League) in 1965 and thoroughly loved competitive bridge.  He joined the local ACBL unit 211 in 2002 and rarely missed a night game.  In 2009, his middle daughter accompanied him to a large tournament (over 5,000 attendees) in Las Vegas, where, by winning his last gold points, he attained his lifelong dream and goal of becoming a Life Master.  In 2013, he started playing competitively online on BBO (BridgeBaseOnline).  He recently achieved his Bronze Life Master and was very proud to still be winning at 95.  He participated in his last game on BBO on 8/26/23.

His passion for professional baseball, football, college basketball and professional golf kept him glued to the television every weekend.  He especially loved HIS college teams, plus LSU and Big East basketball.  He will be watching Michigan from Heaven.

He was a lifelong Catholic and has been a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Swartz, LA since 1980.  He has been a member of the Knights of Columbus since the 1950’s.  He has been a member and past president of the North Lakeshore Lion Club since 1980, but had joined the local Lions Club wherever he lived; he was a hard worker for over 60 years.  He has been a member of the ACS (American Chemical Society) since 1953.

He knew that he had led a very full and wonderful life.

The family would like to especially acknowledge his attentive and compassionate caregiver supplied through the VA, Riley Lee, and his ever so kind and considerate Hospice aide, Purdell Nelson.

Memorials may be made to the International Lions Club or the St. Lawrence Catholic Church, 357 Swartz School Road, Monroe, LA 71203.

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