R. B. "Berlon" McClanahan

Funeral services for R. B. “Berlon” McClanahan will be held at 2:00 PM, Tuesday, August 1, 2023, from the sanctuary of Bethany Baptist Church, Hebert, Louisiana with Pastors Marty Earnest and Cody Earnest officiating. Interment will follow at the Bethany Cemetery under the direction of Riser and Son Funeral Home, Columbia, Louisiana. The family will host visitation at the church from 10 AM until time of service at 2 PM on Tuesday, August 1, 2023.

R. B. “Berlon” McClanahan was born August 7, 1927, in Mangham, Louisiana and, at the age of 95, passed to his eternal heavenly home July 30, 2023, after an extended illness. Preceding him in death was his beloved wife of 63 years, Ethel Bamburg McClanahan; his parents, Ruby Ives and Annie Hall McClanahan; brothers: Dan McClanahan, Charles Kennon McClanahan, George McClanahan, and Isaac McClanahan; sisters: Edna Godwin, Laura Bell Pardue, Lois Goins, and Oudia McClanahan.

He is survived by daughters, Janie M. Earnest and Cindy McClanahan; sisters: Vera Wood, Gwen Brown, Margie Roberts, and Maxine Duchesne; granddaughter, Ashley Cree Gregory; grandsons, Pastor Marty M. Earnest (Claudia) and Chad Gregory; great-grandsons: Matt Holloway (Katie), Pastor Cody Earnest (Haleigh), and Kade Gregory; great-granddaughters: Jessica Shipp Ryan (Casey), Jacie Webb, and Emma Gregory; great-great-grandsons: A. J. Holloway, Emmett Earnest, and Reed Earnest; and great-great-granddaughter, Atlee Holloway.

Berlon was born during the 1927 flood, grew up on the farm at Hebert during The Great Depression, served in the U.S. Army during World War II (First Infantry, Heavy Artillery Regiment) in Germany and France. He received the Eisenhower Medal and Belgium Medal of Honor. He later returned to his home, the Hebert community in Caldwell Parish. There he became a successful cotton farmer for 51 years. After retiring from farming, he was employed by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Caldwell Parish Sheriff’s Department.

Berlon was a lifetime member of Bethany Baptist Church and attended Boeuf River Worship Center where his grandson is pastor. He had an unbounding love for his family, church family, community, and nation. He loved the land, duck hunting, hanging out at the seed business with the guys, gardening, feeding the birds and squirrels, and riding his four-wheeler.

Berlon leaves a legacy that will forever be remembered!! He was a man of his word, a man of outstanding character and ethics, hard-working, generous, loving and kind!! He will never be forgotten!!

Until we meet again!!

Serving as pallbearers will be Randy Duchesne, Mark Kelly, Billy Lane McClanahan, Shane McClanahan, and Donnie Williams. Honorary pallbearers are Steve May, Nathan Kelly, David Parker, Sammy Shipp, Clyde Duchesne, Rod Shipp, Roy Reynolds, Troy Patton, Scott Meredith, James Mixon, and Ciecil Hicks.