Funeral services for Mr. M.W. Dison, age 88, will be held at 2:00 P.M., Friday, April 8, 2011, at Ridge Avenue Baptist Church in West Monroe. Officiating will be Rev. Calton Yeager. Interment will follow at Union Grove Cemetery in Lillie, LA under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Homes of West Monroe. M.W. Dison, son of Willie Duke Dison and Marion Jefferson Dison, was born on July 18, 1922 in Summerfield, LA where he spent his childhood and attended school. Mr. Dison passed into eternity on April 4, 2011. In 1942, he joined the U.S. Navy and was assigned to the Battleship USS Indiana. During WWII, the USS Indiana was instrumental in the battles of the South Pacific, including Guadalcanal. M.W. received 12 battle stars for his service to our country while aboard the Battleship USS Indiana. He was part of the “honorable generation” of WW II servicemen. In 1945, he was discharged from the Navy and returned to Shreveport, LA where he met our mother, Lillian Annie Farrar. Lillian was the registered nurse taking care of his grandmother in the hospital at that time. They were united in marriage on May 28, 1949, in Shreveport and started their young family. At the time, M.W. was working for Friden Typewriter and Business machines. Several years later, M.W. transferred to the Friden office in Monroe and made his home in West Monroe. He continued his career with Friden until 1974. In 1975, he went to work for General Motors in Monroe until his retirement in 1992. M.W. joined Ridge Avenue Baptist Church shortly after moving to West Monroe and rarely missed a Sunday or Wednesday service in 60 years. He felt called by the Lord to minister to the children and taught 2nd grade Sunday school from 1960 until 1995. He touched many lives and loved teaching his Sunday school class. He also served as a deacon and was later given the honor of Deacon Emeritus. He was currently a member of the Fellowship Sunday school class. Upon retirement, M.W. stayed busy. He was an avid walker and was proud of his Glenwood Mallwalker 10, 000 mile status. He and our mother enjoyed taking “day trips” to visit family and friends. They also enjoyed having lunch at the West Monroe Senior Center and made many good friends there. They were members of the Senior Choir at Ridge Avenue Baptist Church, “The Rock of Ages”. They had lifelong, dear friendships within their circle of friends at Ridge Avenue. When our mother became ill in the Fall of 2007, M.W. made sure he was always with her and took wonderful care of her until the Lord called her home in December of 2007. In January 2008, M.W. moved into the NELA War Veteran's Home and embraced a new life there. He enjoyed so many new people to talk to and all the events the veteran's home had to offer, especially BINGO. He really grew to love his caregivers there, who took wonderful care of him. M.W. loved the pecan trees and spent most of his time outdoors during the fall picking up pecans to give to friends and family. M.W. was the happiest person we've ever known and was rarely seen without his hat on. He worked hard and lived a simple life. He was devoted to his family and church. He was always helpful, generous and of course, funny. You never could tell what he might say next. He was a good father; always fair and never showed partiality among his 5 children. His reasoning was usually sound and he never wavered. Those who knew him best called it the “World according to M.W.” He loved to laugh and could be heard above the noisiest crowd. His life truly reflected the fruits of the Holy Spirit which lived inside of him. He had visions of Heaven and longed to be in the light of Perfect Peace. We know he's there now, but we will miss him so much. M.W. was preceded in death by his wife, Lillian Farrar Dison, and his parents, Willie Duke Estep Dison and Marion Jefferson Dison. He is survived by his children; son, Gerry Dison and his wife, Sandra, of West Monroe; daughters, Gigi Parker and her husband, Keith of West Monroe; Gina Mitchell and her husband Don of Plano, TX; sons, Greg Dison of West Monroe, Geoffry Dison of Monroe; brother, Clyde Dison and his wife, Marie of Haynesville, sister, Madge Huff of Start, LA; grandchildren, Emily Kennedy and husband, Rocky of Farmerville, Abby Dison of West Monroe, Jessica White and her husband, Chris of Eldorado, AR, Lillian Beard and her husband, Jason of Eros, LA, Natalie Dison, Gregory Dison, Arielle Dison, Erin Dison all of West Monroe, Meredith Mitchell and James Mitchell of Plano, TX. He is also survived by great grandchildren, Griffin, Drake and Wyatt Kennedy of Farmerville and Devin White of El Dorado, AR, Judah, Abella, Gracie and Titus Beard of Eros, LA. The family wishes to thank the NELA Veteran's Home's nurses and caregivers for their wonderful care. Serving as pallbearers will be Chris White, Rocky Kennedy, Gregory Dison II, Keith Parker, Don Mitchell and James Mitchell. Honorary pallbearers will be the men of the Fellowship Sunday School Class. Visitation will Thursday, April 7, 2011, from 5:00 P.M. until 9:00 P.M. at Kilpatrick Funeral Homes of West Monroe. Memorial contributions may be made to Ridge Avenue Baptist Church People Carrier fund or the charity of your choice.