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Poss, Asa Richard
3/7/2003
| Reverend Asa Richard Poss, age 65, died peacefully in his sleep Friday, March 7, 2003 of cardiovascular disease and diabetic complications. His parents, Reverend Thomas Gaston (Buster) Poss, and Hazel Clark (all of the Little Rock Methodist Conference in Arkansas), a sister Beverly Price and husband Gordon Price of Monroe, Louisiana preceded him in death. Richard is survived by wife Nelda Poss and daughter, Laura, of Monroe, Louisiana; daughter Teresa and husband Eddie Lockwood, and children Taylor and Shelly of Monroe, Louisiana; daughter Sherria and husband Jay Henry and children Max and Zack of Start, Louisiana; son Asa Richard Poss, Jr. and wife, Kathy of Burnsville, North Carolina and children Angela Poss and son Bradley of West Monroe, Louisiana; stepson Darren Heath Briggs; stepdaughter Tara Renee and husband Derrick Graybeal and daughter, Destiny, of Burnsville, North Carolina. Richard left one brother, Johnny Poss and wife Eileen of Cabot, Arkansas and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins and one uncle, Robert Meek and wife of Monticello, Arkansas. Richard was born in Carlsbad, New Mexico on July 27, 1937. Later his parents moved to Arkansas to live. He attended the Catholic Elementary School in McGehee for the early years of his education and graduated from McGehee High School. He entered the ministry as a 17-year-old young man in the First United Methodist Church of McGehee. He attended college in Magnolia, Arkansas at Southern State and Arkansas A&M in Monticello, Arkansas. He then attended Perkins School of Theology Pastor’s School and Advance Studies where he received his Elders in May 1966. Richard and Nelda married in Bayou Meto United Methodist Church on November 25, 1959 with her father as the presiding minister. After serving several churches in the Little Rock Conference from 1956 to 1974, Richard and his family transferred to the Louisiana Conference to serve from 1974 until 1999 when he retired while serving Claiborne and Wilhite United Methodist Churches in West Monroe. After 43 years of serving churches, Richard became Co-Chaplain of the Glenwood Hospital in West Monroe and the Glenwood Regional Medical Center Hospice program where he continued to serve until his time of death. Richard was also serving Reveille and Union Methodist Churches. Richard was not only a minister of the word, but often sang for others. His favorite song was “Others” which he would sing during many of his sermons. He not only sang the song, but also lived the song. Richard was active as a Mason in several lodge groups, visited many homes, hospitals and nursing homes singing songs of praise. Even though Richard worked in the hospital, he was often there visiting and taking care of others after hours. He spent hours on the telephone praying, talking, and listening to people in need of his time. Richard didn’t surprise his family with his trips to take others to the doctor, pick them up at the bus station and take them home, make coffee and sober up others in his kitchen, feed people that wanted food at his table, take people needing help to get it, take in the truck driver out of the cold until his company would pick him up, drive miles to take someone to see a friend, and many other helps. In his spare time, Richard could be seen in his jacket and ULM cap ushering people at the ULM baseball games, riding his motorcycle for toys for children, or eating his morning breakfast at a small popular Monroe restaurant listening to others’ problems, and talking about their health or family problems. Richard loved his family, was dedicated to his church and concerned about the Christian training of all. He wanted everyone to share his love of Christ and the work of the church. His grandson stated, “Pa-Pa went to sleep and dreamed that he was in Heaven with God. He liked it so well that he stayed.” And so he did. Nelda Poss |
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| Source: Journal Louisiana Conference 2003 (Memoirs) | |
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