A celebration of the life and legacy of Elbert Leon “Bubba” Via, Jr. will be held at 1:00 P.M., Monday, March 21, 2022, in the Worship Center of First Baptist Church of West Monroe. Visitation will be held from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M., Sunday, March 20, 2022, at Kilpatrick Funeral Home in West Monroe. Officiants will be Pastor Michael Wood, Dr. Mark Fenn and longtime friends, Dr. David Uth and Dr. Dennis Swanberg. Bubba will be laid to rest in Mulhearn Memorial Park cemetery.  Services are under the direction and care of Kilpatrick Funeral Home of West Monroe.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Mammie and Elbert Via, Sr.; a grandson, Philip Aaron Soignier; and his brother, John “Jay” E. Via. Bubba is survived by his beloved wife of 57 years, Linda Welch Via; daughter, Kimberlynn Via Lewing; grandson, Nathaniel Luke Soignier; sisters, Yvonne Via Norman and Rita Via Moak; nieces, Angel Via Liles, Debbie Harris, Jackie Norman and Sherri Norman; nephews, Brent Via, Bradley Via, Christopher Grimm, Jason Grimm and John Via, Jr.; great- nephew, Matthew Arendsen and many other great nieces and nephews and lifelong friends.

Bubba was a loving husband, father and grandfather and had many friends.  The legacy of his life will live through the lives of the many people he impacted.  Bubba believed in studying God’s word daily and faithfully practiced that principal.  Being an auditory learner, each night he listened to sermons that he downloaded on his IPad.

Bubba and Linda loved to travel and took many trips in the United States and abroad. His favorite trip was to Israel with Linda, their daughter Kim, and grandson Aaron.   In his younger years, he was an avid outdoorsman who loved to play golf, hunt and fish.  In his later years, he loved woodworking and spent many hours in his shop at home.    Recently, he had begun taking piano lessons.

Bubba was born in Shreveport, LA.  His family moved to Monroe when he was 2 years old.  He attended Ouachita Parish High School where he excelled in sports, sang in the choir and participated in many clubs.  Upon graduation in 1962, he entered the United States Air Force serving his country for 4 years.  Upon his honorable discharge, he attended Northeast Louisiana State University.  While attending college, he worked as a Ouachita Parish deputy sheriff and drove a Monroe City school bus.  In his junior year, he was employed by the Internal Revenue Service where he received valuable training as a revenue agent.  Upon graduation, with a degree in accounting, he began his career working fulltime as an agent for the Internal Revenue Service.  He was chosen to be an instructor teaching tax law in New Orleans, Dallas, Denver and St Paul, Minnesota.  After 9 years of continuous travel, Bubba decided he wanted to be at home with Linda and Kim.  He studied for and passed the CPA exam in 1981 and started his own accounting practice.  He was a member the LCPA and AICPA.   He loved his work and was at his desk the last day of his life.

Bubba and Linda were 2 of the first 4 members of the median adult New Dioko Life Group at First West.  He taught Sunday school for many years.  He was a member of Monroe Rotary Club, a Mason and a Shriner and belonged to many other service organizations.  He was on the board of the Louisiana Baptist Foundation.

Honoring Bubba as pallbearers will be Bob Pritchard, Robert Brewer, Ed Hakim, C.A. Lowe, Dr. Bill Gordon, Raymond Winn, Matthew Arendsen, Brent Via and Ken Barrington. Men of the New Dioko Life Group will serve as Honorary pallbearers.

Memorials honoring Bubba may be sent to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennesse or www.stjude.org or to the donor’s choice.

Online condolence messages may be sent to the family at www.kilpatrickfuneralhomes.com.

Kilpatrick Funeral Home

West Monroe, LA