A Mass of Christian Burial for Mr. L. J. Cheek will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, September 5, 2025, at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church with the Rev. Edwin Rodriguez officiating.  Burial will follow in the St. Alphonsus Hilltop Mausoleum.  Arrangements are under the direction of Hixson-Ducote Funeral Home of Bunkie.

L. J. age 94, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 1, 2025, at his home, surrounded by his wife and family as he always wished.  He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

L. J. attended school in Bunkie and started working as a teenager after the death of his father to help support his mother and two younger siblings still at home.

He married the love of his life 75 years ago and they began raising their family in Morrow, LA in the mid 50's where they had a few acres of land and some cattle, his favorite hobby.  He eventually bought 70 acres in the early 70's on Luke Martin Road, better known as the Bunkie Short Cut, where he made their home till today.

L.J.'s early career began in the oilfields around Eola, then Southwest Louisiana and eventually West Texas.  He and Verna Mae moved back to Avoyelles Parish in the late 50's again working in the local oil fields.  In the mid 60's he began working at Mayo Auto Parts in Cottonport where he was a salesman and road delivery man.  During this time, he was also a US mail courier transporting mail between Bunkie and Alexandria.

In the late 70's he went back to work in the oil industry as a Tool Pusher and drilling superintendent for Fortenberry Drilling Co. of Natchez, MS and then Great Southern Oil and Gas of Lafayette.

In 1989 he retired from the oil industry and began raising cattle full-time, his favorite passion.  He loved making hay and tending to his cattle daily.  He was a very hard-working, kindhearted man who helped anyone that needed help.

In 1989 he joined the St. Alphonsus Knights of Columbus Council # 3088 and attained the level of 3rd degree.  In the early 90's he joined the 4th degree Knights and was a member of the Father Ryan Assembly #0318 in Bunkie.  L.J. received the Order of Merit award from the 4th degree Council in 2009, which is an award for dedicated and distinguished service.

L.J. loved volunteering to work at the many fundraising events put on by the K.C.'s over the years and always took the lead organizing and cooking the meat for many K.C. dinners.

He also loved watching his grandchildren grow up over the years attending many graduations and weddings.

He is preceded in death by a son, John Wayne Cheek; his parents, William Pinkston and Eliza Ponthier Cheek; and siblings, Lena Mae Baker, William Andrew Cheek, Huey Pierce Cheek, Ruby Francis Gualtiere and Lynda Ann Lemons.

Survivors include his wife; Verna Mae Bernard Cheek of Bunkie; his children, Janet Cheek Giglio (Frank) of Bunkie and Jody Lynn Cheek (Melinda) of Bunkie; his daughter-in-law, Janell Redmon Cheek of Evergreen; sister, Ethel C. Charrier of Baton Rouge; grandchildren, Kimberly Cheek Greene, Bradley John Cheek, Anthony Louis Giglio, Christopher Michael Giglio, Clinton Paul Giglio, Jody Lynn Cheek, Jr., Brian Lemoine and Amanda Lemoine Taylor and 10 great-grandchildren.

Friends may visit on Thursday from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. with a rosary at 6:00 p.m. and Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. at Hixson-Ducote Funeral Home of Bunkie.

Online condolences may be sent to www.hixson-ducote.com