of Bigelow, AR

January 9, 1939 - July 6, 2023

Louis Eldon Lea, Sr. died after a sudden illness at Conway Regional Hospital on July 6, 2023.

He was born on January 9, 1939 in Conway, Arkansas to Della Keathley Lea and Ambrose Ancil Lea, Sr. He is preceded in death by a son, Louis E. Lea, Jr. ''Bill Lea''; a brother, Ambrose Ancil Lea, Jr.; a sister, Brenda Olivia Lea; along with his parents.

He is survived by a son, Bruce Lea of North Little Rock; a sister, Gloria ''Ginny'' Lea Musgrave of Sherwood; nephews, Scott Musgrave of Sherwood, Matthew Lea and Ancil Lea, III of Conway; a niece, Kelli Jo Lea Beavers of Little Rock; Aunt Lucy Sovers of Corona Dimar, CA and Uncle Bob Keathley of Bakersfield, CA.

He attended Conway Public Schools and participated in all sports and held the conference record in pole vaulting for 17 years and many other state records. He played baseball through the Legion ball.

He grew up working at his father's mobile service, after working on cars and became a good mechanic and his hobby was working on old cars and drag racing. He won a lot of trophies in drag racing and has continued restoring cars all his life.

He was a member of the National Guard. He was attending college when his unit was activated during the Berlin crisis. After his active duty he went to work as an engineer for Missouri Pacific Railroad and worked there until he retired.

He liked to fly and after flying his own small plane, he got a commercial license and bought a cargo plane, that he flew for several years and was offered a co-pilot position with Delta Airlines.

He was raised in the First Nazarene Church of Conway and was a Christian. He will be missed by family and friends and especially the lunch crew at Holly's Restaurant in Conway.

Funeral service will be held at Roller-McNutt Funeral Home on Wednesday, July 12, 2023 at 1:00PM. A private family burial will be held at Heffington Cemetery in Enola.

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