Jeff Guilliams

On Monday, December 2, 2019, Jefferson Oliver Guilliams, Sr, loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend passed away at the age of 82.    He was known as Mr. Jeff,  Dad, Paw-Paw and Papa to all who loved him.   He was born on December 15, 1936, in Winnfield, LA to Luther Oliver Guilliams and Lucy Mae Wood Guilliams.  He married the love of his life, Jeanette Barbo Guilliams, 65 years ago on August 14, 1954.   They raised 3 sons, Jeff Jr, Mike, Rusty, and 1 daughter, Susie.  Jeff started his own electrical and air conditioning business 43 years ago in 1976.   He was an expert gunsmith so in addition to Guilliam’s Electric, he opened Jeff’s Guns 10 years later.   His business later became a family business, which included his 3 sons and grandchildren.   There wasn’t a day that you could walk into Jeff’s Gun’s, and not here laughter, jokes, and visiting among family, friends, and customers.   There wasn’t a stranger that would walk through the door just to see Jeff and here a joke or two.  For many years he had a passion for fastpitch softball and he loved pitching.   A few years later, slow-pitch softball became a weekly hobby, he then sponsored his own team Guilliam’s Electric which included his sons, and close friends.  Another one of his hobbies was Square Dancing with his wife, traveling all over for about 15 years.   They had a passion for dancing, so when the square dancing ended, Country and Western dancing became a passion and following this they joined a Cajun Dance Club.  Jeff and Jeanette did everything together, they had a love for life and laughter including roller- skating, snow skiing, traveling, dominos and supper clubs.  Later in life, Jeff fell in love with the game of golf which became his hobby until diabetes took over his body.  Jeanette wasn’t going to let his new hobby exclude her, so she also took to the game of golf and together they played in many couples golf tournaments in Louisiana.  Jeff was preceded in death by his parents, Luther Oliver Guilliams and Lucy Mae Wood Guilliams; a son, Jeff Guilliams, Jr.; a daughter, Susan Elizabeth Guilliams; a granddaughter, Meaghan Guilliams Beaudoin; and brothers, James and Charles Guilliams. He is survived by his wife, Jeanette Barbo Guilliams; sons, Rayburn Russell Guilliams and Michael Gene Guilliams; grandchildren, Rachal Wheat, Jonelle Pommier, Ashton Corley, Russ Guilliams, Ana-Alicia Smelley, Zach Guilliams, Tyler Guilliams, Taylor Guilliams, and Jesse-Cole Guilliams; great-grandchildren, Yenag, Brooklyn, Sadie, Grant, Griffin, Hunter, Kahne, Rylie, Brenna, Maeley, Brayden, Trace, Emerson, Oliver Ross and Lincoln Michael; sisters, Jena Davis, Melba Pinder,  and Doris Antley; and a brother, Donnie Guilliams; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Jeff was a family man at heart and lived his life for his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  He worked from the time is was 9 years old until just a few years ago and he could never do enough for any of them.  He didn’t say “no” very often and always said he wanted to see his earnings from his hard work being lived by the ones he loved most.  A service to honor the life of Jeff Guilliams, Sr., will be held at 2 pm on Thursday, December 5, 2019, at First Baptist Church of Natchitoches with Rev. Tommy Rush officiating.  Burial will follow at Memory Lawn Cemetery in Natchitoches.  The family will receive friends from 12 pm until 2 pm on Thursday the 5th at First Baptist Church of Natchitoches. Those honored to serve as pallbearers include Ricky Primm, Bruce Primm, Shane Berry, Jesse-Cole Guilliams, Russ Guilliams, Zach Guilliams, Tyler Guilliams, and Taylor Guilliams.