James Kenneth Eads

Kenneth Eads, 68 of Orange passed from this world into the arms of his Lord and Savior on Monday, September 2, 2013, after a brief illness at Baptist Hospital in Beaumont.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 7, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange. Entombment will follow at Forest Lawn Cemetery in West Orange with Reverend Jeff Bell officiating. Serving as pallbearers will be Lance Eads, Chad Boatman, Richard Hyder, Darryl Sons, Tommy Braquet, and Greg Pickard. Honorary pall bearers are Landon Eads, David Bean, Alvin “Cajun” Duhon and Quincy Procell.

Visitation for Mr. Eads will be Friday, September 6, 2013, from 6 to 9 p.m at the funeral home.

Kenneth was born in San Francisco, CA on March 21, 1945 to Chester Arthur and Vera M. (Skaggs) Eads. He was a member of Cove Baptist Church.

Kenneth loved sports in high school and played football until he graduated from Stark High School in 1963. He served 6 years in the Army National Guard and was honorably discharged in 1969. Kenneth was employed at DuPont Sabine River Works in Orange in 1965 as an instrument technician before retiring in 2009 with 44 years of service looking forward to the golden years.

Mr. Eads was a simple man, loved life, friends and his family. He was blessed with the friendship of his coworkers that continued after his retirement. He enjoyed the special hunting trips to Colorado to hunt deer and elk with his DuPont buddies. Kenneth loved Monday night football, team roping, raising and watching his son show miniatures horses, playing basketball, Jr. High football, the later FFA. In his golden years his grandson Landon was the light of his life. They enjoyed riding the 4-wheeler, baseball, feeding the minis and riding the big tractor together.

He was preceded in death by his father, Chester Arthur Eads and sister, Katherine Hyder.

Mr. Eads is survived by his wife of 26 years, Gail (Free) Eads; mother, Vera M. Eads; sons, Lance Eads and Chad Boatman, and his grandson, Landon Eads. He is also survived by his nephew, Richard Hyder and wife, Debbie; great niece, Jessi Hyder and numerous nieces, nephews, and relatives.

A Heartfelt thanks goes to Acadian Ambulance, the ER nurses and Dr. Konjoyan at Baptist Hospital in Orange, the ER and ICU nurses and physicians at Baptist Hospital in Beaumont for their diligent lifesaving efforts and special care of Kenneth.