Seventh Generation

277. Debra Lynn SULLIVAN was born on Apr 22, 1955 in Redwood City, San Mateo Co., CA.²²⁸ She died on Sep 9, 1972 in Denham Springs, Livingston Parish, LA.

Obituary, The Baton Rouge Advocate, Sep. 11, 1972


ARNOLD, Mrs. Debbie

Died at 8:30 p.m. Saturday as a result of an automobile accident north of Denham Springs. She was 17, a resident of Route 2, Denham Springs and a native of Redwood City, Calif. Body at Seale Funeral Home in Denham Springs. Religious services at the funeral home at 1 p.m. Monday, conducted by the Revs. J. K. Pierce and Mike Dunlap. Graveside services at Amite Baptist Church Cemetery in Watson at 2:30 p.m. Monday. She is survived by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Reggie Sullivan of Denham Springs; three sisters, Cherel, Linda and Jo Ann Sullivan all of Denham Springs; a brother Paul Sullivan of Denham Springs; paternal grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Reggie Sullivan Sr, of Denham Springs; maternal grandmother, Mrs. Lena Wynn of Santa Clara, Calif.; maternal grandfather, Oscar Boatwright of Pine Bluff, Ark.

She was buried on Sep 11, 1972 in Amite Baptist Church Cemetery, Watson, Livingston Parish, LA.

Debra Lynn SULLIVAN and Johnny Ray ARNOLD were married on Apr 28, 1972. Johnny Ray ARNOLD was born about 1953 in Winnsboro, Franklin Parish, LA. He died on Sep 9, 1972 in Denham Springs, Livingston Parish, LA.

Obituary, The Baton Rouge Advocate, Sep. 11, 1972


ARNOLD. Johnny Ray

Died at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, as a result of an automobile accident north of Denham Springs. He was 19, a resident of Route 1 Denham Springs and a native of Winnsboro. He was a construction worker. Body will be at Seale Funeral Home in Denham Springs. Religious services at the funeral home at 1 p.m. Monday, conducted by the Revs. J. K. Pierce and Mike Dunlap. Graveside services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Monday at the Amite Baptist Church Cemetery in Watson. He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Arnold of Denham Springs; two sisters, Emily and Brenda Arnold, both of Denham Springs; his paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. John D. Arnold of Walker; and his maternal grandparents; Mr. and Mrs. Lambert J. Morris Sr., of Delhi.

The Advocate, Sep. 10, 1972, page 1 and page 6:


Mishaps in La. Kill 12 Persons

Traffic accidents and a drowning accounted for the deaths of 12 persons in Louisiana over the weekend with 6 of the traffic deaths resulting from a car-truck collision on La. 1019 just north of Thunderbird Beach near Denham Springs Saturday night.

Five of the six killed in the Livingston Parish accident were all the passengers in the auto. Trooper Mark Waddell and Lt. Frank Miller, who investigated the accident, said the car, being driven by Johnny Ray Arnold, 19, of Watson, was traveling south at a high rate of speed.

Officers said the car went out of control in a curve, skidded sideways across the center line and the passenger side of the auto struck the front of a pickup truck driven by William M. Davis, 45, of 3002 E. Mason, No. 110, Baton Rouge.

The car then turned upside down in a ditch, the patrolmen said.

"The impact almost cut the vehicle in half,: Waddell said of the car.

In the auto and dead at the scene along with Arnold were his wife, Debra Arnold, who was six months pregnant; Mae Arnold, Ed Evans and Rosanna Evans. Officers had not determined the ages or addresses of all the victims early Sunday but all were believed to have been from the Watson area.

The sixth victim of the Livingston accident was a passenger in the pickup truck with Davis and his wife. She was identified as Louise Relyea, 67, of Baton Rouge, who died later at Baton Rouge General Hospital.

Officals said Davis and his wife, Doris T., 51, were at Earl K. Long Memorial Hospital where their conditions were listed as undetermined.

He was buried on Sep 11, 1972 in Amite Baptist Church Cemetery, Watson, Livingston Parish, LA.