Gloria Jean Leggett Gilstrap

Funeral services for Gloria Jean Leggett Gilstrap, 80, of Farmerville, LA, will be held at 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in the chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home Monroe, with Rev. Hank Hamilton officiating. Interment will follow at Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at the funeral home.

Gloria Jean Leggett Gilstrap was born in Anniston, Alabama on August 26, 1944, and after a short but hard-fought battle with cancer, passed away at home on March 14, 2025. She is preceded in death by her parents, William “Billy” H. Leggett and Frances Lillian McNeese Leggett; her husband, Jesse Carl Gilstrap; and her son, Gregory “Greg” William Gilstrap.

Survivors are son, Brad Gilstrap; daughter, Terri Gilstrap Hearn (Rick); grandson, Jake Hamner (Allison); granddaughters, Erica Hunt (Heath), Jessica Hearn; Greg’s children, Garrison Gilstrap, Ella Gilstrap and their mother Staci Gilstrap; great grandson, Max Hunt; sister, Darlene Leggett Hortman; and multiple nieces, nephews and cousins.

Pallbearers will be Brad Gilstrap, Dr. Rick Hearn, EdD., Jake Hamner, Garrison Gilstrap, Heath Hunt and Connor Debevec.

Jean married Carl Gilstrap in 1966 and once Carl returned stateside from his deployment in Korea; they made their home in Monroe, La.

As a fortunate stay at home mom, she devoted herself to raising their 3 children Terri, Greg and Brad. Her tireless energy was channeled into every sporting event, dance recital and school function. If there was a carpool need, Jean’s infamous station wagon was loaded with kids. No field trip or family vacation was conducted without Jean’s “Griswold” mobile in the convoy.

Once her children were grown, Jean dedicated herself to the preservation of the beauty of Louisiana. She had joined the Bayou Desiard Garden Club in Monroe, La. in 1983 and her love of flowers and creating spectacular flower arrangements grew to the point that she became a licensed florist and owner of Monroe City Florist.

Jean’s time serving with the BDGC led her to meet former Governor Mike Foster’s wife, Alice and learn of Alice’s desire to beautify Louisiana through the planting of wildflowers along the state’s roadways. They created the “Yellow Brick Road Project” and with the help of local garden clubs all over the state, they planted sunny yellow coreopsis seeds along Louisiana’s highways and interstates.

In 1992, Carl and Jean built a home on Lake D'arbonne in Farmerville, Louisiana. She joined the Farmerville Garden Club and made lifelong friends there. With their help, she coordinated not only the wildflower projects but Cleanest City Contests for Monroe, Farmerville and many cities and townships across the state. Jean helped her friends, Mayor Danny Smith and his lovely wife Ann organize and Federate the Marion Garden Club in 2011. And of course, she immediately became a member.

Not one to let grass grow under her feet, Jean has served as judge and Cleanest City Chairman across the state for decades. Her devotion to seeing Louisiana in its best light put many miles on multiple minivans. Keeping litter off the roadways and out of the many bodies of water across our state moved Jean to become involved with the LGCF Environmental Schools. Using her knowledge of improving the environment, Jean presented at several schools in North Louisiana, teaching young students the importance of butterfly gardens, natural landscaping, and the roles bees play in keeping our landscapes healthy.

As a Master Gardener, Jean presented at multiple AG Expos talking about the parts of the flower and how important bees are for pollination. Jean’s devotion to her various groups and clubs gave her the opportunity to travel our country and a few others. She decorated a float in the Rose Parade, and met P. Allen Smith at Moss Mountain Farm, saw the Redwood giants in California and the tropical paradise of Costa Rica to name a few. Her love and knowledge of gardening and devotion to a clean Louisiana has been passed to her children, grandchildren and now a great grandson. It is her hope that future generations will continue in her footsteps and “Keep it clean for Jean!”

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Louisiana Garden Club Federation or the LGCF Blue Star Marker or Scholarship Fund. LGCF, Inc. 121 Shadyside Ave., Lafayette, LA. 70506-5536.