Memorials are collected by the funeral home on behalf of the family.
Mavis Erma Doughetry Guelker

Mavis Erma Dougherty Guelker was born June 10, 1931, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She died peacefully at her home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on July 25, 2026, at the age of 95.

She was the youngest of ten children born to Ben and Blenda Dougherty. Her best stories of growing up usually started, “Mamma and Daddy were gone one day….” and ended with an adventure with her siblings or nieces and nephews. She met Jack Guelker from Anoka, Minnesota, and they married in December of 1949. They moved their family to Covington, Louisiana in 1964 and then, once their children were grown, moved back and forth between Arkansas and south Mississippi, eventually settling in Arkansas until 2015, because Mavis loved the mountains. Their commitments to God, church, and family remained strong throughout their 68-year marriage. She was honored to be the wife of a deacon and together they served those in need and lived their lives according to the highest standards.

She is preceded in death by her husband Jack; her brothers and sisters, Lloyd Dougherty, Dennis Dougherty, Lois French, Pauline Sharp, Carol Hovern, Ione Dumas, Ruby Martin, Norma Stone, and Theda Lande; daughter Sandra Guelker Loyd; stillborn twins; and great granddaughter Virginia Bennett.

She is survived by her daughters, Norma Jane Guelker and Jackie Guelker Hannaman (Bobby);

grandchildren Melissa Bennett Favre, Paul Bennett (Karin), Daniel Bennett (Amy), Benjamin Bennett (Mandy), Rhett Hannaman (April), and Lydia Hannaman;

great grandchildren Jessica Favre, Allison Favre, Bennett Favre (Ellie Kingston), Sheila Bennett, Rebecca Mikler (Alex), Christian Bernard (Dylan), Hope Bennett, Grace Bennett, Hayden Hannaman, Robbie Hannaman, and Dylan Arnold;

great-great grandchildren Cohen Woods, Reid Brown, Riley Brown, Paisley Fagan, Vivian Fagan, Jessie Fagan, Emelia Favre, Hadley Kingston, Adam Al Sabbagh, Lily Mikler, Lynn Mikler, and Rowan Bernard.

Her many nieces and nephews, while not listed here, were precious to her.

Mavis cared very much about fighting hunger. In lieu of flowers, donations to your local food bank or another of your chosen charities in her memory would be greatly appreciated.

The family wishes to thank Ochsner Health physicians and Pinnacle Home Health and their hospice team for their support and kindness.

Services will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at University Baptist Church, 5775 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. and services will begin at 11:00 at the church. Immediately after, friends and family are invited to a gathering at Norma’s house, 315 Wylie Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808.

As per Mavis’s wishes, her ashes will be interred next to Jack’s and Sandy’s graves at New Zion Baptist Church in Covington, Louisiana, in a private service at a later date.

Arrangements were caringly handled by Church Funeral Services in Baton Rouge, LA.