Roy W. Pitchford

Memorial Services for Mr. Roy W. Pitchford, 73, of Monroe, LA will be held at 2:00 P.M., Sunday, January 15, 2017 at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Alexandria, LA with Rev. Chris Thacker officiating. Interment will be at a later date at Pineville Methodist Cemetery in Pineville, LA under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home, Monroe, LA.
Mr. Pitchford was born July 23, 1943 in Baton Rouge, LA, and passed away January 11, 2017 in Monroe, LA.
He enjoyed playing in chess tournaments and was a tournament director. He also enjoyed bowling and playing bridge. He worked in newspapers all over Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas as a sports writer, news reporter, editor and photographer. Mr. Pitchford spent many years as a leader in the Royal Ambassador Program of the Baptist Church, received his Master’s Degree of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Later in life, he became a pastor serving churches in Spearsville, LA and Midway, AR and supply preaching throughout Louisiana and Arkansas. Mr. Pitchford was an enthusiastic Astro fan and LSU fan. He loved talking to people and he loved to eat.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 42 years, Etta Sue Pinckard Pitchford; and his parents, Beryl and Leila Pitchford.
Survivors include his wife of 7 years, Julia Pitchford of Monroe, LA; daughter, Leila Pitchford-English and husband Gary English of Baton Rouge, LA; son, Thomas Pitchford and wife Heather Tisdale of Carmarthen, Wales; stepson, Christopher Shaw of Monroe, LA; sister, Mary Lee Melton of Pineville, LA; niece, Annette Gorny and husband Brian of Edmond, OK; and nephews, David Melton of Los Angeles, CA, and Josef Melton and wife Sarah of Watsonville, CA.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to KDEM on your local PBS station or the NELA Food Bank.