Funeral Services for Jimmy Earl Eldridge, 89, of West Monroe, LA will be held at 2:00 P.M., Sunday, June 14, 2026, in the chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home, West Monroe. Interment will follow in the Mt. Vernon Baptist Church Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 1:00PM until service time on Sunday, June 14, 2026.

Jimmy Earl Eldridge passed away peacefully on May 20, 2026, leaving behind a lifetime of stories, laughter, hard work, and enough gardening wisdom to keep tomatoes growing for generations.

Born on April 15, 1937, Jimmy lived a life rooted in family, faith, and dedication. As a young man, he proudly served in the United States Air Force before beginning a 37-year career with Riverwood International in West Monroe, Louisiana. He believed in showing up, working hard, and never taking life too seriously.

In 1960, Jimmy married the love of his life, Martha Zeagler Eldridge. Together they shared 59 years of marriage filled with love, travel, laughter, and devotion to one another. Martha preceded him in death just two months shy of their 60th wedding anniversary. Those who knew them well can easily imagine Jimmy deciding he had kept her waiting long enough.

While Jimmy enjoyed fishing, gardening was truly his passion. After retirement, he spent countless hours helping his mother, affectionately known to everyone as “Granny Pat,” tend a large garden plot. The blueberry bushes he planted for her kept half of the countryside in blueberries. Jimmy could grow just about anything worth eating.

Jimmy and Martha also loved traveling together, especially to Mountain View, Arkansas, where they spent many happy weekends listening to folks “pick and grin,” enjoying old-time music, mountain air, and the beautiful Arkansas countryside. They found joy in simple things: good music, scenic roads, and time spent together.

Jimmy was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Martha; both parents, Marvin Eldridge and Beatrice Prestridge; his three brothers; and many friends who surely welcomed him with a laugh and a familiar story.

He is survived by his son, John Eldridge and his wife Deborah; his daughter, Peggy Milliken and her husband Mike; his youngest sister, Kathryn; and many nephews and nieces. Jimmy was blessed with several grandchildren who in turn gave him several great grandchildren. He loved and cherished them all and took great pride in the fine human beings they are.

Anyone who knew Jimmy knew he always had a funny quip ready. Whether he was teasing family members, telling stories, or slipping in a one-liner at just the right moment, he had a gift for making people laugh. Jimmy will be laid to rest beside his beloved Martha at Mt Vernon Baptist Church Cemetery, reunited at last with the woman who shared his life, his travels, and undoubtedly many of his jokes.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Jimmy’s memory to Mt Vernon Baptist Church.

Though his loved ones will miss him deeply, they know somewhere Jimmy is already inspecting Heaven’s Garden rows, offering advice nobody asked for, and keeping everyone laughing along the way.