Dear Friends,

Mrs. Erleen Tombaugh Black, our mother, of Ringgold, LA, passed away Friday, May 5, 2017. She died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 93. The tender care of many professionals has blessed her as her age advanced. We are grateful to Dr. Alan J. Borne, her Internist of 20 years, for his expert care of our mother from her days as a successful realtor through the rest of her of her life. Also, involved in her late life care was the devoted staff of Montclair Park Memory Care in Shreveport, LA and the following talented hospice nurses:  Cheri Baker, RN, Robyn Watkins, RN and Brenda Williams, RN. The team from Divine Healthcare Sitting Agency, led by the remarkable and dear Vanronica Russell, provided personal daily care and attention that gave meaning to her final year of life. In our mother's final weeks, she was attended by the compassionate and expert staff of Aime Hospice Inpatient Unit led by Robin Hill, RN, Executive Director and Bryan Colvin, RN, Nurse Manager. We also acknowledge Catherine Orr, Aime Patient Care Coordinator, who introduced the family to Aime, and was at our Mother's side for many hours in her last days. We also want to express our appreciation to Rev. Dr. Carl Rhoads, Associate Pastor, Director of the Alter Guild and Senior Adult Ministry of the Shreveport First United Methodist Church of Shreveport, LA for his numerous ministerial visits to our mother over the last 9 years.   Our family is overwhelmingly grateful to these professionals for their devotion and gifts of caring for our mother and family.

Mrs. Black will be laid to rest with her late husband, Byron D Black, Sr., in the Social Springs Cemetery, in Red River Parish LA Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at 10:30 AM. The Memorial Service will be at 1:30 PM of the same day at the First United Methodist Church, Ringgold, LA.  A Memorial Reception will follow the service in the Fellowship Hall of the church. Reverend Terry C. Willis will be officiating all services. He is the retired Ruston District Superintendent, Louisiana United Methodist Conference. Reverend Willis was the Pastor at Ringgold United Methodist in our youth, and is a friend to our family.

Mrs. Black was born October 18, 1923.  She was preceded in death by our father, Byron D. Black, Sr. her brother, Frank E. Tombaugh of Lockhart, TX, and her parents, John Lee Terrell Tombaugh and Myrtle Onie Guttery Tombaugh of Martindale, TX.   She is survived by her four children, Cynthia Black Payne, MD and husband D. Keith Payne, MD of Shreveport, LA, Linda Black Parker, MD and husband Donald A. Parker of Atlanta, GA, Byron Dale Black, Jr and wife Bobette Woodard Black, and Janie Black Fox, MD. and husband Clement Wade Fox, MD.; her nine grandchildren, John Payne, Ann Payne Green, Jake Black, Ashley Black, Ronda Black, Rebecca Fox, Catherine Fox, Caroline Fox, and Katie Fox, her step-grandson John Alan Parker, her great-grandson, Ira Samuel Whitman Green, and her step great-grandson William Henry Parker.

Mrs. Black was born in Dripping Springs, Texas to our grandparents and lived her childhood in the Texas Hill Country.  As a young woman she moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where at 19 years of age she met and married a handsome young United States Army Air Force officer, Lieut. Byron Dale Black.  Shortly after their wedding, Lieut. Black left to serve his country in WWII during which he flew fifty missions over Europe as a bombardier in a B-17.   During his tours of duty Mrs. Black worked in support of the country in an airplane manufacturing facility and volunteering in the Officer's Wives organization.  She became a skilled seamstress/tailor, model, cook, and artist.

In 1953, Capt. and Mrs. Black were stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier, Louisiana.  At that time, they decided to leave military life as they had fallen in love with the rolling hills and peaceful lakes of northwest Louisiana.  They purchased a farm in Red River Parrish where they raised beef cattle, Coastal Bermuda, and had a selection of farm animals and garden produce.  In January of 1954, they welcomed their first child, Cynthia Ann.   Over the following ten years they were blessed with three more robust, healthy children; Linda, Byron, Jr (Ron), and Janie.

Mrs. Black was a devoted and creative mother and a skilled and innovative partner in the management of the farm.   She volunteered with the Hall Summit School PTA of which she served as president for 1 year, taught Sunday School at Ringgold First Methodist Church where the family were members, and supported the Red River Parrish 4-H Clubs with many volunteer hours.   Mr. and Mrs. Black combined efforts to dig a generous pool and build a dam across the creek on the farm to create a swimming hole that was enjoyed for years by the family and neighbors.  Mrs. Black read extensively on timber, pasture, and cattle management, worked in consultation with the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service and Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry to improve the quality of care given to the land, crops, and animals that made up the farm.  She skillfully supported, encouraged, and advised her children's endeavors in sports, music, farming, and 4-H projects from fashion sewing to trapping.   Erleen made it possible for her children to attend theater, symphony, and other musical and sport performances.  One year she made the girls beautiful matching dresses from an exotic leopard print corduroy and our brother exquisitely tailored suit and we all went to Shreveport to see Carol Channing in "Hello Dolly!"  It was a new world to us!

She raced her 3rd child to see who would enroll in college first. At age 56 she enrolled as a full-time student at LSU in Shreveport with a determined goal to graduate with a degree.

After the very early and unexpected death of her husband on September 20, 1981, she changed direction and pursued a career in real estate. She worked in that field for the next 10 years and at one time she was top producer in her office.  Mrs. Black was also very active in the lives of her grandchildren.  Remarkably, she even became a certified elementary age soccer and T-ball coach in her late 60s.   Mrs. Black continued to manage the farm and its resources.  She read and was knowledgeable on current political, health, and social issues, and visited the elderly.  She traveled with her children and grandchildren and traveled to visit her out of town children.

Through-out her long and productive life, Mrs. Erleen Tombaugh Black was strong, intelligent, creative, and determined.  She advocated tirelessly for her family and her Christian beliefs.  She believed strongly in education and defending the weak and less fortunate.  She was self-educated in whatever skill she needed to support her family and make life better for them.   Over the decades of her life her skills spanned the spectrum from farming, cattle ranching, tailoring, building parade floats, roofing, building brick chimneys, fashion modeling, timber management, real estate, nutrition, swimming, basketball, soccer, T-ball, and many other areas.   Mrs. Black was a woman of substance, character, and determination.  At all times and in all things, she was a force with which to be reckoned.   She is and was greatly loved and she will be missed.

Last but not least, in lieu of flowers, our mother and we would be honored if if you sent a memorial to The Louisiana Methodist Children's Home, 904 DeVille Lane, Ruston, LA, 71270-6313.

With our love and gratitude,

Cyndi, Linda, Ron, and Janie