Extracted from The Alexandria Daily Town Talk (Alexandria, LA)
Monday, April 18, 2005

Zelma Halford Ryan

Services for Zelma Halford Ryan will be at 10 a.m., Wednesday, April 20, 2005 in the chapel of Hixson Brothers in Alexandria with the Rev. David Boothe officiating. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery, Effie.

Mrs. Ryan, 86, died at home on Sunday, April 17, 2005.

She was born in Montrose, Jasper County, Miss., on Oct. 27, 1918. She was one of 15 children of Benjamin Albert Halford and Virgie Helen McCarty Halford.

Zelma Ryan retired from Walgreen's Drug Store in 1962 and was an active member of the Electa Chapter #10 of the Order of the Eastern Star. Mrs. Ryan was a faithful member of Calvary Baptist Church, Alexandria. She lived by the Ryan family motto, ``Malo Mori Quam Foedari,'' which means ``I would rather die than be disgraced.''

Mrs. Ryan was preceded in death by her parents, Benjamin and Virgie Halford; her beloved husband, Gilbert; three brothers and four sisters.

She is survived by a daughter, Rita Ryan of Centerpoint; a son, Wayne Ryan and wife Nelda of Alexandria; grandchildren, Lynn Williford of Mishawaka, Ind., Aaron Williford and wife Cynthia of Ruby, Elvis DeFreese of Centerpoint, Jeffrey Ryan and wife Dory of Alexandria, Jeremie Ryan and wife Katie of Natchitoches and Jenifer Ryan of Alexandria; eight great-grandchildren; sisters, Betty Halford Brock of Greer, S.C., Mary Edith Halford Turner of Spurger, Texas, and Leora Halford Hendrickson of Kearney, Neb.; and brothers, Houston Halford of Alexandria, Lavone Halford of West Berlin, Vt., and James Allen Halford of Stafford, Kan.

Pallbearers will be Terry Halford, T. J. Haddix, Nolan Ryan, Gene Ryan, Kevin Ryan, and Michael Ryan.

Friends may call from 4 until 9 p.m. Tuesday and from 8 a.m. until time of service Wednesday at the funeral home.

The family asked that memorials be made to the preschool ministry of Calvary Baptist Church, 5011 Jackson St., Alexandria, LA 71301.

To extend online condolences to the Ryan family, please visit us at www.hixsonbrothers.com.