Lorenzo "Pappy" Easly III, age 44, of Evansville , Ind. , passed away on Wednesday, February 22, 2006, at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth , Texas .

"Pappy" was a 1980 graduate of Bosse High School . He served in the U.S. Air Force and was honorably discharged in 1985. Pappy was a huge sports fan and an avid tennis player, winning several tournaments over the years. He also enjoyed weightlifting and was a talented artist and poet.

He leaves to cherish his memory two sons, Lorenzo IV and Loren Julius Easly of Fort Wayne, Ind.; mother and stepfather, Shirley and Willie Gray of Evansville, Ind.; father, Lorenzo Easly Jr. of Metairie, La.; sisters, Lisa McNary, Kim Easly, Karen Easly Irvin and Kristie Parrish, all of Evansville, Michelle Lewis of LaPlace, La., and Toni Wilmore of Los Angeles, Calif.; brothers, James Parrish Jr. and David Parrish of Evansville, and Lawrence Wilmore of Los Angeles, Calif.; and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, March 1, 2006, at 11 a.m. at Cleaves Memorial C.M.E., 650 Line St. , with Rev. Della Porter and Rev. Adrian Brooks, Sr. officiating, with burial in the Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call at Mason Brothers Memorial Chapel on Tuesday, Feb. 28, from 6 until 8 p.m. Final care and arrangements have been entrusted to Mason Brothers Memorial Chapel, 1001 Lincoln Ave. , (812) 421-8692.