Minnie Dolly Neal Searcy

Minnie “Dolly” Neal Searcy
        Funeral services for Mrs. Minnie Donnie Elizabeth “Dolly” Neal Searcy, 92, will be held on Saturday, April 28, 2012, at 2:00 pm at the Archibald First Baptist Church in Archibald, La.  Mrs. Searcy died Wednesday, April 25, 1012 in Rayville, La.  Visitation will be held at Archibald First Baptist Church, from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm on Friday, April 27, and again Saturday afternoon before the funeral service from 12:00 pm until 2:00 pm.  The funeral is under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Homes of Rayville, La.  Mrs. Dolly will be laid to rest in the Lynn Cemetery in Archibald, La.
        Mrs. Searcy was preceded in death by her mother, Donnie Clay Halley Neal; her father, George Neal; her brothers George Averette Neal and Benjamin Austin Neal; her husband, K.T. Searcy; and her youngest son, Melvin Ray Searcy.
        Mrs. Searcy was born February 6, 1920 near Marion, La.  An uncle called her “Dolly Dimple” when she was just 8 months old and the nickname stuck.  Mrs. Dolly met her husband, K.T. Searcy (1914-1968), at a church party for her church’s Baptist Young People’s Union.  In 2000, she wrote, “On Saturday nights a lot of the time we would go to somebody’s house and have a play party, peanut parching, pop corn and make syrup candy.  We had music and dancing too.  This is how K.T. and I met…at church parties.”  They were married on her 15th birthday in 1935 and lived in Franklin Parish, moving around for a number of years, before moving to their newly constructed home in Archibald, La. in 1958.  Mrs. Dolly lived in her home until 2006 and led an independent life into her 80s.  Her final move was to Colonial Manor Nursing Home in Rayville, La., where she spent her remaining days.
        Mrs. Dolly began her walk with the Lord early in life, when she was just a child and was taken to church on Sundays and any other time church was had in their little town.  In a handwritten account of her life given in 2000, Mrs. Dolly said “I was taught the foundation of our faith and I accepted Jesus as my Savior at a summer revival at Pleasant Hale Church (formerly Hale School) when I was 12 years old.”  She was among a group of young people who were baptized in Big Creek at the bridge that summer.
        Mrs. Dolly would go on to teach her family about Jesus, and served as a Sunday School teacher for her church family for an estimated 50 years!  She was active in church her entire life, singing in the choir, volunteering in the church library and with many Vacation Bible Schools, and was a member of the DMA Club.  Mrs. Dolly loved to read and was an avid gardener.  Her lawn always was lush with flowers, azaleas, roses and
spider lilies.  Mrs. Dolly worked for many years at Yancey’s Pharmacy in Rayville, La., followed by many more years at Delta Sales clothing store in downtown Rayville, La. until her retirement.
        Mrs. Dolly is survived by her children: son, Joe L. Searcy and his wife, Wanda, of Baton Rouge, LA; daughter-in-law, Sunshine “Sunny” Searcy of Pearl, MS; daughter, Elizabeth Searcy Allen and her husband, Gordan, of Rayville, LA; and daughter, Renea Searcy Whitehorn and her husband, Ryland, of Dallas, TX.  She also is survived by 12 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and 9 great-great grandchildren, as well as many other extended family members, friends and her church family at Archibald First Baptist Church.
        Serving as pallbearers are Tim Allen, Randy Bell, Grant Blakeney, Joe DuBoulay, Jacob Mullis, Jeff Searcy, Keith Searcy and Brian Allen.  Honorary pallbearers are Tom Hill, David Castleman and Randy Joiner.  The celebration of Mrs. Dolly’s life will be led by Bro. John Cleveland and Bro. Pat Lofton.  Her eulogy will be voiced by her son-in-law, Ryland Whitehorn. 

Visitation will be from 5-7 PM Friday @ Archibald First Baptist Church