Obituary of LJ Causey

Mr. LJ Causey was born to Monroe and Ella (Magee) Causey on June 9, 1925 in Tylertown, Mississippi. He was the youngest of 15 siblings; 2 sisters and 12 brothers. In 1946, LJ married Burnett Manning, and in March of 1947 his first child, Joyce, was born. Later he married Ida Mae Thompson and a total of 15 children were born of their union. Their first child, LJ, Jr.(wife Bobbienell) deceased, was followed by Alice Fay (husband Burnell Garner), Heidi (deceased); Leonard Ray (wife Genail); Dorothy (deceased); Jacqueline ( husband Carl Pierce; the twins; Rhonda and Donald (Wife Catrina); Carmella (husband Robert Brazile, Jr.); Lillie (husband Boyce Faire – deceased); Beverly (husband Matthew Jackson, Sr.); Archie (wife Sonja); Cora; Jimmy, and last but not least; Mary. Mr. LJ also had a 3rd and 4th set of children which included: Jetta Causey (Porter); Lindsay Kelley; Zack & Jada Causey; Auzie Kelley; Joyce Kelley; and the final child, LJ Causey. Mr. LJ was a colorful man. The story is that he stole Ida Mae Thompson from her dad’s home, and one week later they were married. As a result, he was scared to return to her home, but when he got there, her father told him to come on inside – because he, himself, had also stolen HIS wife! In 1970, Ms. Ida Mae left Louisiana and moved to Klamath Fall, Oregon. Her sister sent money to help move the children from Louisiana to join her. Alice Fay, the lodes daughter, and Bobbienell, a daughter-in-law, dressed up the children like they were headed to school and snuck them onto a Greyhound bus from Louisiana. The bus dropped them off in California, and Ms. Ida Mae, her sister and brother-in-law drove to California, picked them up and brought them back to Klamath Falls, where Ms. Ida Mae was living. Then Mr. LJ, his son-in-law, Lionel Lewis, his eldest son, LJ, Jr., and his daughter La Tonia traveled together all the way from Louisiana to Klamath Falls. They made the trip without a map because Mr. LJ could not read. He showed what a persistent and colorful guy he really was by following directions given to him by Ms. Ida Mae, and they arrived safely without any problems! After a few months in Klamath Falls, Mr. LJ’s brother, Bishop Robert Causey, came to Klamath Falls and helped move the family to Seattle, WA. One year later Mr. LJ moved his family to Tacoma, WA while MS. Ida Mae moved with 10 of their children to Portland, OR. After he became too ill to work, Mr. LJ moved to Portland, where he remained until his death. In Louisiana, Mr. LJ had been a puff wood huller and he worked for the city of Tacoma, WA. He was also a scrap metal collector, and was known as a hard worker until illness forced him to stop. Mr. LJ Causey was the only child remaining of his parents at the time of his death. He leaves to mourn his memory 20 children, 59 grandchildren, 89 great-grandchildren, 12 great-great grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, and good friends. The Lord said, “Well done, my good and faith servant.”