Joseph William Lott Jr.

Joseph W. Lott, Jr.

Funeral services celebrating the life of Joseph W. Lott, Jr. affectionately known as “Papa Joe”, will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at Boone Funeral Home, 2156 Airline Drive, Bossier City, Louisiana. Visitation will take place at 10:30 a.m. prior to the service. Pastor Justin Haigler of The Simple Church will be officiating. Immediately following the ceremony, family and friends are invited to join us for lunch at the home of Joe and Wendy Lott, in Benton, Louisiana. The burial for Joe will be the following day, June 24, 2026 at Shiloh Baptist Church where he will be laid to rest next to Sally, his beloved wife of 67 years. 

Joe passed away peacefully on June 17, 2026 at the age of 96 with family members by his side. He was born on April 14, 1930 in Blackshear, Georgia to Ellen, (Campbell) Lott and Joseph W. Lott Sr. Joe was the eldest of their three children. He had a younger brother, Atwood Marion Lott, and sister, Queechy Ilene Lott. At the age of 12, Joe’s father went off to fight in World War II and his mother had health issues that prevented her from caring for her three young children. He lived with various family members and helped work on their farms after school. Joe had a large, black squirrel that he named Johnny that would follow him to and from school each day. The pet squirrel became his joy in those extremely tough early years. Joe also worked for years at Pierce Trading Company even at this young of age.

Joe entered into high school in September 1944 and attended high school in five different places. At 16 years old with his father‘s approval, he entered the US Maritime Academy in St. Petersburg, Florida, and completed his training. Upon completion, he moved to High Springs Florida and graduated to earn his degree. At 18 years old without support and direction, he enlisted in the US Army.

It quickly became apparent to the people Joe was around that he was very motivated, tough, extremely bright and had an excellent knack for spelling. He quickly advanced to company clerk and was responsible for much of the direct communication to the officers in each battalion or Medical Center he was employed in. Joe served his country on multiple bases within the United States, France, Germany, and South Korea. During a commission to travel to Croix Chapeau France with the 28th General Hospital he met many lifelong friends that he continued to see over the past 35 years at annual reunions.

In Fairbanks, Alaska, he was manager of a 1900 member NCO club at Fort Wainwright with over 68 employees. Here he also earned his 32nd degree Mason. Joe received multiple accommodation medals from the Army prior to retiring after 20 years of service which led Joe and Sally and the family to move to Camden Arkansas.

Army retirement led to a very busy civilian life as Joe was accustomed to. He purchased Lott’s Sporting Goods store and spent many long hours there but that soon led him to take on a Manager position in the 1200 member Camden Country Club. Following this employment Joe used his Army experience to become an agency director of the Southwest Arkansas Health Planning Agency. Joe took on this responsibility for over 20 years as well as being the chairman of the South Arkansas Democratic Committee. In 2002 he finally retired although this almost immediately led to volunteer work.

In 2002 Joe became chairman of the Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) and the Local Emergency Planning Committee (L.E.P.C.) both of which are under Homeland Security. He led this effort for five years before deciding to move to Bossier City to be closer to family. In 2010 Joe turned 80 years old and a large outdoor Birthday celebration was held with all of his friends and family. We also celebrated with a trip to Key West, which was one of his favorite places around. Only Covid in 2020 stopped the celebration of his large outdoor birthday parties over the next 17 years which he’s greatly enjoyed with his family and many friends.

Joe is proceeded in death by his loving wife Sally Tim Barham Lott, his parents Joseph Lott and Ellen Campbell Lott Spicer, and his brother Atwood Lott and sister Queechy Lott Martin. Left to cherish, his memory is his sister Rita Spicer Waite, children Tamara Lott, Tanya Lott Kelley and husband Rodney and Joseph Lott and wife Wendy. Grandchildren are Ashley Lott, Austin Lott, Patrick Kelley and Jonathan Nardi and wife Shannon.

A very special thanks to all of the Cypress Point staff that cared for him especially his special nurse Mandi Gerard and his favorite therapist Amy Weimar.