Harold J. Gunnells

A Mass of Christian burial for Harold Joseph Gunnells will be held on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, beginning at 11:00 am in Christ the King Catholic Church in Simmesport with Father Kurian Zachariah officiating. Burial will follow in the Gunnells Family Cemetery.

Visitation will be held at Escude Funeral Home of Simmesport (625 Main St. SImmesport, LA. 71369) on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 beginning at 4:00 pm until 9:00 pm with a Rosary at 6:30 pm and Wednesday morning from 8:00 am until departing for the church. Pallbearers will be Chad Gunnells, Tony Gunnells, Tater Gaspard, Mark Gaspard, Logan Gaspard, and Randy Gunnells.

Harold Joseph Gunnells was born on August 17, 1944, to Billy and Mabel Gunnells at home in Lettsworth, Louisiana. He married Carolyn Lacour on May 11, 1963, in Morganza. They have been married for sixty-three years this May 11th. They had four children, Tony, Mark, Lynn and Chad; four grandchildren, Mark Anthony, Logan, Josie, and Tony; and four great-grandchildren, Kase, Cohen, Clay, and Banx; and a son-in-law, Tate. He is preceded in death by his parents, Billy and Mabel Gunnells; brothers, Huey, William "T.T.", and Charles; sister, Catherine Bowman; sister-in-law, "Coo"; brother-in-law, John Bowman; and his sons; Tony and Mark.

Harold passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by those he loved and who loved him on Monday, May 4, 2026.

He spent his entire life living on those 119 acres that his mama and daddy bought all those years ago when they married. He was born there, raised there, raised his family there, and died there. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

Harold missed his calling. He should have been a comedian. He was always so quick with a joke. I'm sure everybody here has had a big belly laugh many times with him and his jokes and stories. He was the family comedian. Quick on his feet with a come-back or a jab, but always funny and never to cut anyone down.

Hunting was his passion. Rabbit, squirrel, and coon hunting with the dogs were his favorites. Raymond, Kenneth, Chad, Logan, and Mr. Layton were his hunting podnas. Ask Mr. Layton about the time Harold shot through his buggy.

Mark Anthony will have a lifetime of memories from his first squirrel hunt and first deer hunt with the dogs, to shucking corn over the levee and just sitting at the table and laughing with him and Aunt Carolyn. Logan will remember the hunting, the phone calls, and the laughter, always the laughter. Tony and Josie will have a lifetime of memories because they lived next door to him every day of their lives. They spent their entire childhood with him and Aunt Carolyn just a few steps away. Tony will miss his Poppa and all the weeks and days spent crawfishing across the levee to make a little spending money. And Uncle Harold would have been so proud of Josie. She is his only granddaughter, and she will be earning her college degree in just a couple of weeks. 

He will be missed so much by his wife, children, grandchildren, brothers and sister, friends, and just everybody who knew him.

Him and Carolyn lost two of their sons, Tony and Mark, years ago and it almost broke them. To bury two of your children is something that will break your spirit, but Harold pulled through with the love of his wife and remaining children. He has a grandson with both of their namesakes, Mark Anthony, and another grandson named after his oldest, Tony.

He worked many years as a boilermaker, then went into the logging business with his brothers and brother-in-law for ten years, before going back to boilermaking until he retired. After retirement, he spent his days working side-by-side with Chad, taking care of the cows, bailing hay, fixing fences, feeding dogs and chickens, hollering at each other, and anything else that needed doing around the place.

He made his daily trip to Ira's up until the very last day he was able to drive. He loved to go see Natasha and whoever else was there. Always cracking a joke and getting a laugh. Another daily routine was his phone calls to Logan to laugh and cut up and tell stories on that phone. They would have each other rolling and laughing, and even Cohen and Clay would get in on the laughter as they got old enough to listen in and understand the silliness of it all.

All the brothers lived right here on this place, together with their families. For a time his two sisters lived here as well. There was a lot of love and quite a few knock-down-drag-outs over the years, then right back to normal by the next day. They were there for each other, would do anything for each other, and loved one another unconditionally. Raymond and Kenneth are going to miss him being here, riding his buggie over to Kenneth and Wanda's almost daily to sit on the patio with them and Raymond, and to see if Wanda had any cakes or cookies in the kitchen. He had a love and fondness for his two sisters, Catherine and Pettie Sue, as well as his brothers-in-law, Jaybird and John.

Three years ago Harold was diagnosed with Parkinson's, and he managed pretty well until a year ago. He went into the home but didn't do well while there, so Carolyn, Lynn and Chad decided to bring him home five months ago. Lynn and Tate made the decision that it would be best for Lynn to become his primary caretaker and for Lynn to spend the majority of her time there with him. His family has taken care of him up until the end, with Chad caring for him on weekends, Lynn during the week, and his niece Kimberly being there during the day when Lynn had things to do for her and Tate's logging business. And Carolyn was by his side every night of his adult life, until the day he drew his last breath.

He had too many nieces and nephews to name them all, and he got along with and loved each and every one of them. He was truly one of the favorite uncles.

Each one of us here has a favorite story or memory from their time with Harold. Let's hold that memory dear and be thankful for the time we had with him. I have one more thing to share before I close... Carolyn spent many years praying prayers and The Rosary, asking God to place it on Harold's heart to go to Church with her. One day, around three and a half or four years ago, Harold walked in and told Carolyn to wait for him to get dressed so he can go to church with her, much to Carolyn's surprise. From then on, he went to church with her every weekend until he went into the nursing home, then Lynn wheeled him to service while he was in the home as well. At the end of his life, Harold was right with The Lord, and we can all take comfort in that.

Escude Funeral Home of Simmesport, 625 Main Street Simmesport, LA. 71369, (318-964-2324) has been entrusted with the funeral arrangements.