Larry & Madelyn Crain

Larry Lytell Crain and Madelyn Stone Crain
Mom and Pop
MawMaw and PawPaw

Larry and Madelyn Crain have a new address—their Heavenly home on the streets of gold where there is no sickness or sorrow. Larry and Madelyn passed away on Saturday, February 13th, 2021.

They are survived by their 3 children: Patricia Franklin (Adrian)-Baker, LA, Connie Parker-Little Rock, AR and Larry D. Crain (Barbara)-Chuckey, TN; 4 grandchildren: Julie Dodson (Scott)-Katy, TX, James McMenis (Caro)-Denham Springs, LA, Jeffrey McMenis (Marcy)-Metairie, LA and Matthew Franklin (Kacie Farriel)-Gonzales, LA; and 11 great-grandchildren: Jessica (Jesús Robles), Logan, Zachary, Ethan, Mason and Morgan McMenis, Joe and Jace Dodson, Jeronimo Vela-Lopez, Demi Danzie, and Ella Franklin. Madelyn is survived by her 3 sisters-Shirley Honeycutt, Barbara Walton and Floy Rea. They both are survived by numerous nieces and nephews.  They also leave behind many friends who they called family—their brothers and sisters in Christ.

Larry was born on April 27th, 1928 in a shack outside of El Dorado, AR in a place known as Crain City. Madelyn was born on March 10th, 1930 in Spearsville, LA and was valedictorian of her high school. Larry and Madelyn were married on August 4th, 1950 and had just celebrated their 70th anniversary quietly due to the pandemic. They loved each other dearly. They loved their family, their God, and their church-Circle Baptist and then Foster Road Baptist. They were Circlelites and then in Joy Club. Their love for the church ran deep, and they served the Lord with all their hearts. Larry was ordained a deacon at Union Baptist Church in AR, where he and Madelyn were very active and supportive members of the church. They always loved to travel. As their family grew up, they spent a lot of time tent camping. As they got older, their love for traveling continued-not in a tent but in a RV. Several trips were made with dear friends like J.W. and Virginia Potts and also Billy and Sis Prestridge. One time Pat, Adrian, and Matt were tent camping in Michigan when Pat looked up and said “Adrian, that looks like Mother and Daddy”, and it was! That night everyone ended up sleeping in their trailer because it was raining “cats & dogs”! Their travels took them from the east coast to the west coast and from Canada down to Mexico. Larry was a World War II vet, once guarding Rudolph Hess in Spandau Prison, and then also involved with the occupation of Berlin and Berlin Airlift. He was called back to service during the Korean War. Larry worked at American Oil Refinery in El Dorado, AR and then moved the family to Baker in 1971. He was a process operator at Hoechst Celanese until retirement. He was a skilled carpenter and jack of all trades. Madelyn was an excellent cook, seamstress, and crocheted afghans and spreads. In her early years she attended business college in El Dorado before working as an office assistant in the El Dorado News-Times newspaper. For many years she worked as a tax preparer at Montgomery Ward in Baton Rouge.

Madelyn is preceded in death by her parents Marie Rockett Stone, Clarence Stone and nephew Bobby Walton. Larry is preceded in death by his parents Colleen Bates Crain and Bennie Crain, sister Maxine Fontaine, half-sisters Carolyn Wooten and Virginia Ann Johnson, and nephew Charles Fontaine.

Pall bearers are Larry D. Crain, Adrian Franklin, James McMenis, Jeff McMenis, Matthew Franklin and Scott Dodson.

Funeral services will be at Foster Road Baptist Church on Monday, February 22nd. Visitation is from 10 am to 12:30 pm with the service at 12:30 pm and grave-side service at 2 pm at Louisiana National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Baptist Children’s Home or Foster Road Baptist Church.