The Loss of a Legend

Aubrey William Buie, Sr.

HAUGHTON, LA - Funeral services for Rev. Aubrey William Buie, Sr., 87, of West Monroe, LA, will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday morning, February 20, 2008 at the Souls Harbor United Pentecostal Church with Rev. Tom Johnson and Rev. Jimmy Masters officiating. Interment will follow at 2:00 p.m. in the Hillcrest Memorial Cemetery under the direction of the Hillcrest Funeral Home of Haughton.

Rev. Buie passed from this life on Sunday, February 17, 2008 at The Oaks in Monroe. He was preceded in death by his parents, Milton William "Bud" Buie and Ida Mae Hilburn Buie.

Rev. Buie was born on Sunday, March 14, 1920 in Lecompte, Louisiana, graduated from Tioga High School in 1938 and married Gloria Gwendolyn Morgan on June 2, 1941 in Alexandria, Louisiana where he attended the First Pentecostal Church pastored by Gloria's father, Rev. A. T. Morgan. Aubrey was employed by the Baptist Hospital in Alexandria as an x-ray technician while also studying medicine under Doctor Barker, the hospital's Chief of Staff.

Rev. Buie received his call to the ministry in 1939 and was subsequently ordained into the ministry by Rev. Dan Hayes. During almost seventy years of ministry, he pastored congregations in Ball, Bossier City and New Orleans, Louisiana, Kilgore, Texas, South Bend, Indiana, DeRidder, Alexandria and Bastrop, Louisiana, Sherman, Texas, West Monroe and Jena, Louisiana. He was the founding pastor of several of these churches and many ministers received their calling under his anointed leadership.

As a skilled draftsman and builder, Reverend Buie assisted many pastors in the design and construction of new church sanctuaries. He was an avid sportsman enjoying both hunting and fishing.

He is survived by Gloria Gwendolyn, his wife of sixty-seven years; three sons and their wives, A. W. Jr. "Bill" and Lou Buie, Sandy Lake, LA, Ralph "Buddy" and June Buie, Monroe, LA and James "Jimmy" and Linda Buie, Livingston, TX ; two sisters, Maxie Mae Frake, Bossier City, LA and Norma Faye Teekel, Bossier City, LA; one brother, Archie Duncan Buie, Blanchard, LA; five grandsons, Michael David Buie, Christopher Marcus Buie, James Arthur "Jaime" Buie, Jonathan Joel "Jay" Buie and Jeremy Wayne Buie; nine great grandchildren, numerous cousins, nephews, nieces and extended family.

Visitation will be Tuesday, February 19, 2008 from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the Souls Harbor United Pentecostal Church in Calhoun, Louisiana. Flowers, greetings and cards may be sent to the church at 113 Slocum Road, Calhoun, LA.

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Grandpa could have been a doctor, engineer, lawyer or any other profession and certainly would have succeeded beyond any one's expectations. Instead, at God's leading and direction, he lead men and women to The Great Physician, built churches, campgrounds and congregations and as his grandsons found out, he laid down the law.

Whether it was the finer points of horseback riding, shotgun etiquette, the tanning attributes of the big red belt, or the gourmet qualities of a Taco Bell Chalupa; whether he was saying, "Stay out of the garage! Stay out of the barn! Get off the Roof!" or heaven forbid if he caught us playing hide and seek in halls, Sunday school rooms and offices of the church in Sherman. Grandpa was never one to hold back his opinion, his direction or his discipline. And in that, he was a blessing to his grandsons. It meant that he was paying attention, he was looking on and giving of his time.

On one particular occasion for me, back when he and Grandma were in Sherman, Grandpa took notice of my interest in music and more specifically the trumpet. I am sure that he had more important things to do that day, but he took me down the stairs to a little room off the sanctuary. There he picked up a trumpet and handed it to me. He began to show me how to hold it, how to purse my lips and then how to create a sound. After that, every day of that summer vacation I begged him to take me down and teach me some more. And he did. He started to teach me a song. Fortunately for me, it only required one valve. Little by little he taught me the whole thing. To this day, I don't know how he knew what he was doing, but the seed he planted in me over 25 years ago still produces fruit that I enjoy today. The little song he taught me was this....

Oh I want to see Him, look upon His face

There to sing forever of His saving grace

On the streets of Glory, let me lift my voice

Cares all past, home at last, ever to rejoice


Welcome home, Grandpa. Welcome home.