Death At Ninety-one
On March 5, 2008, Rayburn died at St. Tammany Parish Hospital north of New Orleans. He had been hospitalized in February and was diagnosed with lung cancer. In his last years, Rayburn tinkered with tractors, cut hay, and hunted quail. Friends and family said that he maintained those practices until weeks before his death. Rayburn was a member of the Masonic lodge and a Shriner. Rayburn was preceded in death by his parents, wife, son, a grandson (died at two days in 2000), one sister, Polly R. Rizan, and three brothers, John Daniel Rayburn, Thomas D. "Doc" Rayburn, and Robert B. "Bob" Rayburn. All three brothers died separately in 1966. Survivors included his daughters, Tommie Jean and Betty Ann; son-in-law, William Bedwell; daughter-in-law, Cidette Lewis Rayburn (born 1946), the widow of former Sheriff Rayburn, all of Bogalusa, and five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
Services were held on March 8 at his home congregation, Palestine Baptist Church in Washington Parish. Interment was in the church cemetery, which is also adjacent to Rayburn’s farm.
Republican Governor Bobby Jindal ordered flags on state buildings flown at half staff on March 7 to honor Rayburn.
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“It is not death therefore that is burdensome, but the fear of death.”
—Ambrose (c. 333–397)