March 30, 1926 – July 25, 2017

FERRIDAY — Services for Willena C. Varnado, 91, of Ridgecrest, who died Tuesday, July 25, 2017, at Clarity Hospice of Baton Rouge, will be 2 p.m. Friday at Young’s Funeral Home Ferriday Chapel.

Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Young’s Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from noon until service time Friday at the funeral home.

Mrs. Varnado was born March 30, 1926, in Lucien, the daughter of Versie Vardaman Calcote and Rutha Posey Vardaman.

She was a member of Sevier Methodist Church and a social worker for the state of Louisiana. She loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Varnado was a strong woman. She was also active in the POW-MIA cause during the 70s through the 80s because of the loss of her son.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Housley Varnado; her parents; one son, Michael B. Varnado; one daughter, Connie Patricia Varnado Fisher; three brothers, Henry Calcote, Loyd Calcote and Lamar Calcote; and one sister, Mary Lou Calcote Barloy.

Survivors include one daughter, Deborah Varnado of Ridgecrest; three sisters, Bernita Calcote Reeves and husband, Ronnie, of Monticello, Elva Calcote Smith and husband, Melvin, of Long Beach, and Lynette Calcote Curry and husband, Allen, of Ocean Springs; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and a number of nieces and nephews.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gary Sinise Foundation at garysinisefoundation.org.

Online condolences may be sent to youngsfh.com.