Richard Lee Colquette

Richard Lee Colquette, 84, passed away on Saturday evening, April 2, 2011. He was born in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, raised in El Dorado, Arkansas and was a resident of Shreveport, Louisiana for almost 40 years. He was a scholar, businessman and educator having received B.A. and M.S. degrees from Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge and a M.B.A. from Columbia University. He also attended the University of Arkansas; Texas A&M University; West Virginia University; University of Michoacan in Mexico; and University of San Marcos in Peru where he was a Rotary Foundation Fellow. He served with distinction in the United States Army during World War II and the Korean War. He had a long financial career with Standard Oil and Humble Oil & Refining companies in Houston and Baton Rouge before retiring to focus on his true passion of library science during which he held many positions in the administration of the Louisiana State University libraries in Baton Rouge and Shreveport, including serving as the Director of each institution's library. He was an active member of Rotary International, Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, First United Methodist Church in Shreveport, and numerous civic organizations. Mr. Colquette is survived by his nephew, Richard E. Gathright and wife, Louise, of Pompano Beach, Florida, and his nieces Gaye G. Clark and husband, Kevin, of Bountiful, Utah; Lark G. Swartz of Conway, Arkansas; and Dana G. McDonald of New Orleans, Louisiana. He is also survived by his grand nephews and nieces, Justin Clark, Richard Gathright, Jr., Lindsey Gathright, Trey Elliott, Ashley Waldron, Hope McDonald and Eric McDonald; and his great grand nieces and nephews, Emma Kate Elliott, Preston Elliott, Samantha Truleigh Furness, and Ashton Waldron. He is also survived by his brother-in-law, Joe L. Gathright, and his wife, Kathy, of Austin, Texas. He was predeceased by his father and mother, Richard Thomas Colquette and Essye Lea Johnson Colquette, and his sister, Betty Colquette Gathright and her husband, Emmette F. Gathright. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 9, 2011, at Arlington Memorial Park in El Dorado, Arkansas and with Rev. Doctor Carl Rhoads of the First United Methodist Church, Shreveport officiating. Services are under the direction of Young's Funeral Directors. A reception will be held immediately following the service at the El Dorado Golf and Country Club. The family requests in lieu of flowers that memorials be made in Mr. Colquette's name to the First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1567, Shreveport, La. 71165-1567 (phone 318-424-7771). An online guest registry will be available at www.youngsfuneralhome.com.