Wiley Benard "Wiley B" Raborn Sr.
.
"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him" Psalms 28:7 Wiley Benard "Wiley B" Raborn, Sr., a life long native and resident of Baton Rouge, died on Saturday, 15 December 2012 and has entered into the ever-loving arms of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wiley was born in Baton Rouge, LA on August 26, 1924. After graduating from Baker Senior High School he went to work for Standard Oil (now ExxonMobil). His employment was interrupted by World War II and he became a member of the U. S. Army and was a Staff Sergeant with the 25th Air Depot Group deployed on the Pacific island of Guam. After receiving his discharge on 1 March 1946, Wiley returned to his loving wife Alpha and was reinstated as an employee of Exxon and retired after 41.5 years in 1982. At his retirement, he was a Sr. Section Supervisor in the Chemical Plants Construction Department and, at that time, Wiley was the only non-college graduate to advance to this level within the company. He was a true role model and example of the rewards of hard work. Wiley was also an avid fan of "ol timey" western movies and enjoyed country music, especially Roy Acuff. He and Alpha also loved to travel. Known for his quick wit and always being ready with a joke, Wiley has brought smiles to countless peoples wherever he was. Wiley was also a volunteer chaplain at the Baton Rouge General Hospital, on Picardy Dr., and was a long time member and deacon of, both, Monte Santo Baptist and University Baptist Church. Wiley will always be remembered for his Saturday morning phone calls to friends and members of University Baptist checking on their health, offering support in difficult times or just to listen. Wiley was preceded in death by his father, John Davis Raborn, Sr. of St. Helena Parish, his mother, Youndy Lavina Duplissey, of Evangeline Parish and his brother Dewey Raborn, of East Baton Rouge Parish. He is survived by his beautiful wife, of 68 years, Alpha DeMent Raborn, a daughter Alpha Lydia Cook and her son John Glenn with his wife Kathy and two sons, Tyler and Austin, and her daughter Youndy Christine; a son, Wiley Benard Raborn, Jr. and his son, Matthew Austin and daughter Molly Elizabeth with her husband Chris Heyne; a son, Michael Austin Raborn with his wife Cathy Hubbard Raborn, daughters Michelle Scott and Alisha Loupe, a son Christopher Michael and a son Adam Jared with his daughter Mia Nicole Mutz. He is also survived by a sister, Marjorie Jane Raborn Sandifer and four brothers; John Davis Raborn, Jr. of York, PA and Robert Lee Raborn, Sr., Charles Phanor Raborn and William Pierce Raborn, all of Baton Rouge. Services will be held at University Baptist Church, located at 5775 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, LA at noon on Tuesday 18 December 2012. The service will be preceded at 9:30 with a Masonic funeral ceremony and visitation from 10:00 –12;00. Wiley will be buried at Roselawn Memorial Park, located at 4045 North Street, Baton Rouge, LA. Following the burial, a reception for and a celebration of Wiley's life will be held at University Baptist at 1:30 pm. Pall Bearers for Wiley will be his four grandsons; Johnnie Cook, Chris Raborn, Adam Raborn and Matt Raborn and two nephews; Marvin Newman and Keith Sandifer. In addition to the entire Andrew Sunday School class, other honorary pall bearers are Bobby Kilpatrick, Keith Berchfield, Pat Brown, Milton Latham, Bobby Benedict and A. D. Riley. Though no longer with us physically, Wiley's spirit will be with his family and friends, and the countless persons he has touched with his kindness. Wiley will always be remembered as a loving husband, caring father, hard worker and a VERY GOOD MAN. "I knew a man with 3 sons that loved chicken. He invented a 3 legged chicken that was very, very fast. The man was once asked how the 3 legged chicken tasted and he replied "I don't know, I haven't caught him yet" What? You thought we could leave without one final Wiley joke??!!
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Published in The Advocate from December 15 to December 18, 2012
Wiley Benard "Wiley B" Raborn Sr.
.
"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him" Psalms 28:7 Wiley Benard "Wiley B" Raborn, Sr., a life long native and resident of Baton Rouge, died on Saturday, 15 December 2012 and has entered into the ever-loving arms of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wiley was born in Baton Rouge, LA on August 26, 1924. After graduating from Baker Senior High School he went to work for Standard Oil (now ExxonMobil). His employment was interrupted by World War II and he became a member of the U. S. Army and was a Staff Sergeant with the 25th Air Depot Group deployed on the Pacific island of Guam. After receiving his discharge on 1 March 1946, Wiley returned to his loving wife Alpha and was reinstated as an employee of Exxon and retired after 41.5 years in 1982. At his retirement, he was a Sr. Section Supervisor in the Chemical Plants Construction Department and, at that time, Wiley was the only non-college graduate to advance to this level within the company. He was a true role model and example of the rewards of hard work. Wiley was also an avid fan of "ol timey" western movies and enjoyed country music, especially Roy Acuff. He and Alpha also loved to travel. Known for his quick wit and always being ready with a joke, Wiley has brought smiles to countless peoples wherever he was. Wiley was also a volunteer chaplain at the Baton Rouge General Hospital, on Picardy Dr., and was a long time member and deacon of, both, Monte Santo Baptist and University Baptist Church. Wiley will always be remembered for his Saturday morning phone calls to friends and members of University Baptist checking on their health, offering support in difficult times or just to listen. Wiley was preceded in death by his father, John Davis Raborn, Sr. of St. Helena Parish, his mother, Youndy Lavina Duplissey, of Evangeline Parish and his brother Dewey Raborn, of East Baton Rouge Parish. He is survived by his beautiful wife, of 68 years, Alpha DeMent Raborn, a daughter Alpha Lydia Cook and her son John Glenn with his wife Kathy and two sons, Tyler and Austin, and her daughter Youndy Christine; a son, Wiley Benard Raborn, Jr. and his son, Matthew Austin and daughter Molly Elizabeth with her husband Chris Heyne; a son, Michael Austin Raborn with his wife Cathy Hubbard Raborn, daughters Michelle Scott and Alisha Loupe, a son Christopher Michael and a son Adam Jared with his daughter Mia Nicole Mutz. He is also survived by a sister, Marjorie Jane Raborn Sandifer and four brothers; John Davis Raborn, Jr. of York, PA and Robert Lee Raborn, Sr., Charles Phanor Raborn and William Pierce Raborn, all of Baton Rouge. Services will be held at University Baptist Church, located at 5775 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, LA at noon on Tuesday 18 December 2012. The service will be preceded at 9:30 with a Masonic funeral ceremony and visitation from 10:00 –12;00. Wiley will be buried at Roselawn Memorial Park, located at 4045 North Street, Baton Rouge, LA. Following the burial, a reception for and a celebration of Wiley's life will be held at University Baptist at 1:30 pm. Pall Bearers for Wiley will be his four grandsons; Johnnie Cook, Chris Raborn, Adam Raborn and Matt Raborn and two nephews; Marvin Newman and Keith Sandifer. In addition to the entire Andrew Sunday School class, other honorary pall bearers are Bobby Kilpatrick, Keith Berchfield, Pat Brown, Milton Latham, Bobby Benedict and A. D. Riley. Though no longer with us physically, Wiley's spirit will be with his family and friends, and the countless persons he has touched with his kindness. Wiley will always be remembered as a loving husband, caring father, hard worker and a VERY GOOD MAN. "I knew a man with 3 sons that loved chicken. He invented a 3 legged chicken that was very, very fast. The man was once asked how the 3 legged chicken tasted and he replied "I don't know, I haven't caught him yet" What? You thought we could leave without one final Wiley joke??!!
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Published in The Advocate from December 15 to December 18, 2012
