Lena Bell Elkins Wilder

Funeral services for Mrs. Lena Bell Elkins Wilder, 86, of Monroe, LA, will be held at 10:00 A.M. Friday, January 14, 2022, at Loch Arbor Baptist Church in Monroe, LA, with Pastor William Sikes officiating. Interment will follow in Loch Arbor Baptist Church Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. Thursday, January 13, 2022, at Mulhearn Funeral Home Sterlington Rd. in Monroe, LA.

Mrs. Wilder was born August 7, 1935, in Rayville, LA, and passed away Friday January 7, 2022, at her home in Monroe. Mrs. Wilder was a retired school bus driver for Ouachita parish and a member of Loch Arbor Baptist Church. She was a beloved mama, grandma and great grandma. She loved flowers, cooking and reading cookbooks. She loved reading until she lost her vision a few years ago. Mrs. Wilder loved to be at home with family.

Mrs. Wilder was preceded in death by her husband, Carl W. Wilder; parents, John William Elkins, Sr. and Mary Irma Collins Elkins; baby brother, Huey Allen Elkins; and sister, Bessie Caronne.

Survivors include her son, Robert “Bobby” L. Wilder and spouse Dawn Wilder; daughter, Donna C. Wilder and her sweetheart David Rich; grandchildren, Deanna L. Buchanan and spouse Blake Buchanan, Danielle Willis and spouse Austin Willis, and Ashlee N. Nale and spouse Nicholas Nale; great grandchildren, Boston Buchanan, Tyler Ann Buchanan, Teagan Willis, Kaiden L. Nale, and Hadlee M. Nale; siblings, Juanita Saucier, Mary Ovdiyenko, Rosie Clark, James Ray Elkins, John W. Elkins, Jr., Helen Cramer and family; and brother-in-law, David Carter and spouse Myra Carter.

Pallbearers will be J.D. Stephens, Kasey Crum, Adam Crum, Josh Crum, Josh Carter, and Keith Evans.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.