BIG SPRING - Louis Edward (Sousa) Stallings died July 1, 2022, surrounded by family and caregivers at his home in Big Spring.
He was born at the family home in Lomax on Nov. 3, 1931, delivered by pioneer Doctor G. T. Hall. He started school at age five and skipped a grade because "he was so smart." He attended the oneroom Lomax Community school, and later Stanton High School, where he excelled at all sports. He graduated at 16 and attended McMurray College and then Howard County Junior College, where he played basketball, baseball and quarterback on the only football team HCJC ever had. He later transferred to North Texas State University and graduated at the age of 20.
He met Luan Creighton at the annual Lomax Community Fourth of July Celebration in 1946. They were married at the First Baptist Church of Big Spring on Dec. 22, 1951, and recently celebrated their 70th anniversary. After graduation from North Texas, he was enlisted into the Army and was stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, until his honorable discharge as a Sergeant in 1954. Louis and Luan made their home in Big Spring where he began a long career in the life insurance business. The illness of their oldest child (Dian) caused the family to relocate to Dallas in 1964 to be near specialists, who were treating the 10-year-old for what we now know as anorexia.
In 1969, he accepted a position in San Antonio with Farm Bureau Insurance Company as agent for Wilson and Atascosa Counties. In 1973, he transferred to Brownfield as agent for Terry and later Bailey Counties. The following year he was promoted to District Sales Manager for West Texas and relocated back to Big Spring.
In 1977, he purchased the Patterson Insurance Agency in Big Spring. In 1981 he sold the agency and, for the remainder of his career, was an independent life insurance broker working with other agents and representing several large insurers. He won many awards for his achievements in the industry including being a member of the Million Dollar Roundtable, but his greatest satisfaction was recruiting and working with young agents and teaching them the business that he loved. He was also a former Trustee of Howard College.
He accepted Christ at a Methodist revival when he was 16. As a young father, he made certain his family attended churches that taught the bible as God's inspired Word. His faith in Jesus Christ as his personal savior and only hope of heaven was a conviction and a fixture in his prayers. He was characterized by kindness, fairness and courtly manners. In his frequent trips to hospitals during his final year he never failed to tip his hat to ladies or to remove it whenever appropriate. He was an inspiring example to his sons and grandsons in the way a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather should conduct himself. All ladies were treated respectfully but special attention was reserved only for Luan, the love of his life.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur J. Stallings and wife, Odessa Lomax Stallings; and a sister, Evelyn Stallings Adkins.
He is survived by one brother Arthur J. "Jimmy" Stallings Jr of Midland; his wife of 70 years Luan Creighton Stallings of Big Spring; and four children, Dian Griffin (Lane) of Vincent, Kyle Stallings (Jamie) of Midland, Layne Cooper (Dan) of Lamesa, and Todd Stallings (Connie) of Midland. He is also survived by 17 grandchildren, 12 grandchildren-in-law; and 29 great-grandchildren.
Grandsons Tom Griffin, Dan Griffin, Ben Griffin, K.C. Stallings, Tyler Stallings, Jacob Froman, Michael Froman and John Stallings served as pallbearers. Services were July 6, at the Nalley-Pickle Rosewood Chapel in Big Spring. Pastor Doug Shelley of East Side Baptist Church presided. Interment followed at Trinity Memorial Park.
Arrangements were under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home.