Minden · Ruston · New Orleans · Longview · Bossier City
The story of a North Louisiana woman at the center of two enduring families, told through the records, memories, and relationships that survive around her.
The center of the story
Born September 19, 1932 and raised in Minden, Gwen built a life shaped by education, family, faith, service, enduring friendship, and a remarkable willingness to begin something new.
Gwendolyn “Gwen” Almond was the oldest known child of James Turner Almond Sr. and Lalia Smith Almond. Her younger siblings were Jamie Almond Gaither, born in Minden in 1935, and James Turner Almond Jr. Later records place Gwen in Bossier City and consistently connect her to both siblings and their children. [2]
Gwen attended Louisiana Tech in Ruston, where family history records that she met Billy Dougal McKellar. A Bossier Parish newspaper index documents their engagement on July 22, 1954, page 1, column b. Their wedding date remains unconfirmed, but Billy’s 2020 obituary says they had been married 65 years, placing the marriage around 1954–55. [1] [9]
Their early married life took them to Longview, Texas, and then to Bossier City in 1966. Across those moves, Gwen built her own record of civic involvement, church life, volunteer service, teaching, close friendship, and sustained ties to the extended “Minden Family.”
Explicitly stated in a contemporary index, obituary, institutional record, or race result.
Preserved through firsthand family knowledge and identified here as such when an outside record has not yet been found.
Multiple records align, but a primary document has not yet been located.
Plausible and worth pursuing, but not presented here as fact.
Her own chapters
Gwen attended Louisiana Tech, where she met Billy McKellar. Billy’s attendance is independently documented; Gwen’s attendance and their meeting there are preserved through family history. By July 22, 1954, their engagement had been announced in the Bossier Banner. [1] [9]
Family-confirmedWhile Billy began private pediatric practice in Longview, Gwen became active in the Junior League of Longview. A digitized membership roster has not yet been located, so the site preserves this as family-confirmed history rather than an outside documentary claim.
Family-confirmedAfter the family moved in 1966, Gwen became deeply involved at First United Methodist Church of Bossier City and volunteered at Bossier General Hospital. A 2004 Methodist children’s-home donor record names Billy and Gwen together, and the church was still recognizing her birthday in 2025. [16] [12]
Family history with documentary supportA second chapter
After Bill, Diane, and Jim had gone to college, Gwen earned the certification needed to teach preschool. She then spent years teaching young children in the preschool program at First United Methodist Church of Bossier City. It was a new chapter, and a natural extension of a life already centered on family, church, and service.
Family-confirmedA glimpse of Gwen herself
In the 2005 Cajun Cup 10K, 73-year-old Gwen finished in 1:20:54.63. Her younger sister Jamie, age 70, finished two places ahead in 1:18:40.87. Three years later, they returned. Gwen, 76, finished in 1:30:19.9, and Jamie crossed four-tenths of a second later. The races both corroborate Gwen’s 1932 birth year and preserve a small, telling image of the sisters still moving through life together. [6] [7]
Billy’s obituary names running among his lifelong interests. Running was a shared thread among Gwen, Billy, and Jamie, not simply an isolated pair of race results.
Relationships at a glance
Gwen is the point where the Almond, Smith, and McKellar lines meet. The tree also preserves an open place for Zuma Barnett McKellar’s parents, whose identities have not yet been confirmed.
1884–1962 · wife not yet identified
Harris Community near Homer, Louisiana
1868–1960 · 1873–1952 · strongly indicated
Zuma Barnett McKellar’s parents remain an open research question.
Likely 1910–1991 · 1911–1987
1894–1972 · 1897–1991
September 19, 1932 · July 27, 1931 – April 7, 2020
married Sandra Spohn
married Tim Wheelahan
Partner Mark Weber · January 28, 1998
Across four generations
Dates marked “likely” or “about” remain provisional. The sequence shows how Minden, Louisiana Tech, medicine, and family life overlap across the Almond and McKellar stories.
John Dougal McKellar is born in 1868, Mary Ann “Hattie” Garrett in 1873, William Narl in 1894, and Zuma Barnett in 1897.
Strong inferenceCemetery records give May 26, 1884. He would become part of a long-established Almond network around Minden.
DocumentedJames Turner Almond Sr. is likely born August 4, 1910. Lalia Smith is born December 2, 1911.
Dates likelyBilly Dougal McKellar is born July 27 in Shreveport to William Narl and Zuma Barnett McKellar.
DocumentedSeptember 19 is recorded in her church’s 2025 birthday list. Her age in the November 2005 Cajun Cup independently places the year at 1932.
Very high confidenceA Bossier newspaper index places him among Plain Dealing graduates on May 27 and in college by September. He was only sixteen at graduation.
DocumentedFamily history records that Gwen attended Louisiana Tech in Ruston and met Billy there. Her class year and major are not yet confirmed.
Family-confirmedThe engagement reference appears in a Bossier Parish newspaper index dated July 22, page 1, column b.
Documented referenceBilly’s obituary reports 65 years of marriage by April 2020. The precise wedding date is still missing.
Strong inferenceHe graduates with Tulane Medical School’s class of 1955, interns in Shreveport, serves two years in the Air Force, and later completes pediatric residency at Charity Hospital.
DocumentedHe is president of the Student Senate and participates in multiple business, leadership, honor, and fraternity organizations.
Public profileGwen’s father appears to lead a fourteen-candidate Minden City Council field with 1,255 votes. Vander Almond dies later that year.
Identity strongly inferredBilly leaves private practice in Longview to become Chief of Pediatrics at Barksdale Air Force Base. The move begins decades of church, volunteer, and community involvement for Gwen.
Move documentedWilliam Narl McKellar dies March 30, 1972. Lalia dies in April 1987. Turner Sr. likely dies June 29, 1991. Zuma Barnett McKellar dies January 18, 1991.
Mixed confidenceDiane McKellar and Timothy Michael Wheelahan marry December 6 in Bossier City.
Genealogical recordThe sisters finish two Cajun Cup 10Ks in their seventies, almost side by side in 2008.
DocumentedHer obituary preserves the clearest modern record of the Almond siblings and their children.
DocumentedAfter 25 years at Barksdale and 26 more as a pediatric consultant, he retires at about age 85.
DocumentedHe dies peacefully on April 7 at age 88. Private services are held at Rose-Neath Cemetery in Bossier City. Gwen survives him.
DocumentedBrad and Brian Almond, Diane Wheelahan, William “Bill” McKellar, and Jim McKellar establish a $25,000 Texas A&M graduate fellowship.
Institutional recordFirst Methodist Bossier lists Gwen’s September 19 birthday, Peggy Padgham’s obituary names Gwen as a lifelong friend, and William “Bill” McKellar serves as chair of the church’s Leadership Board.
DocumentedThe Minden household
Their records give the clearest outline of the home Gwen came from: locally connected, civically visible, and closely tied to Louisiana Tech.
Turner was not simply a name in a census. In 1962, he appears to have finished first in a citywide council election.
Fourteen candidates sought five Minden City Council seats. Turner Almond received 1,255 votes, the largest total in the field, and won outright in the first primary. Age and context make Gwen’s father, rather than his recently graduated son, the very likely officeholder. [4]
Father · civic life
Likely August 4, 1910 – June 29, 1991
Turner was the son of Vander Almond and a brother of Mary G. Almond Garrett and Ernest Almond. He and Lalia were in Minden by at least 1935. His 1962 council result points to an established local reputation. The new council included Turner Almond, Lonnie Cupples, Joe Hunter, Travis Taylor, and H. G. “Cy” Williams under Mayor Frank Norman. A separate 1976 funeral record also lists a Turner Almond among the pallbearers for a prominent Minden man.
His obituary, occupation, exact home address, marriage record, burial place, and a confirmed photograph.
Mother · Smith family
December 2, 1911 – April 1987
Lalia was a daughter of Joe and Mittie Smith. Her known siblings included Iru Wade Smith Daugherty, Theran Smith, Hazel Ezell, and Helen Smith. A contemporary 1956 obituary for Hazel identifies “Mrs. Turner Almond” among the sisters, while Iru’s 2025 obituary independently names Lalia, Turner Almond, and Gwendolyn McKellar. [3]
Iru’s obituary ties the Smith, Almond, and McKellar branches together across a century.
June 30, 1935 – January 17, 2015
Born in Minden, Jamie Carolyn Almond appears in the 1955 Louisiana Tech Lagniappe as a sophomore majoring in Secretarial Science and a member of Phi Mu. She married Robert Edward Gaither and became a longtime Lafayette resident, homemaker, active member of Asbury United Methodist Church, tennis player, and bridge player. Her sons were Kevin and Michael Gaither. [2] [13]
Louisiana Tech, 1957–1961
Turner Jr. married Yvonne and later lived in the Fort Worth area. At Louisiana Tech he served as president of the Student Senate and belonged to Omicron Delta Kappa, Beta Alpha Psi, Delta Sigma Pi, Tau Kappa Epsilon, and Who’s Who. He became a CPA and worked with Ernst & Young. Brian Almond of Houston and Brad Almond of Dallas are strongly indicated as his sons. [10]
Marriage and medicine
July 27, 1931 – April 7, 2020
A pediatrician remembered for quiet competence, gentleness, and integrity, Billy built an unusually long career without becoming the larger-than-life figure his résumé might suggest.
Born in Shreveport and raised in the Plain Dealing orbit, Billy was the son of William Narl and Zuma Barnett McKellar. He graduated from Plain Dealing High School at sixteen, attended Louisiana Tech, and completed Tulane Medical School in 1955. After an internship in Shreveport, two years of Air Force service, and pediatric residency at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, he entered private practice in Longview. [1]
In 1966, he and Gwen moved their family to Bossier City. Billy led pediatrics at Barksdale Air Force Base for 25 years, then served another 26 years as a pediatric consultant for Louisiana Disability Determination Services. He finally retired in 2017, at about 85.
Kind, gentle, unassuming, funny, and a man of integrity. Former patients and fellow physicians recalled the time he gave children and the example he set for younger doctors.
Running, ping-pong, the Dallas Cowboys, bridge with Gwen, and the family’s yearly pilgrimage to the beach.
Gwen and Billy’s life in Bossier City was closely tied to First United Methodist Church. Billy’s obituary records more than 50 years of membership, and the church was still recognizing Gwen in 2025.
The next generations
Billy’s obituary and Jamie’s obituary together preserve the family’s modern structure with unusual clarity.
married Sandra Spohn
married Tim Wheelahan · December 6, 1986
Partner Mark Weber · January 28, 1998
Jim and Mark are retired and live in Palm Springs, California.
Katie Beville · Kristen McKellar · Megan Descant · Mary Lauren Barcelona · Matt McKellar · Madeline Wheelahan
A separate genealogy record identifies Megan, Mary Lauren, and Madeline as Diane and Tim Wheelahan’s daughters.Anna Kate · Camille · James Garrett · GiGi · Maggie · Alice · Parks · Whit
A life remembered
A memorial-fund account describes Kristen as a 2001 Airline High School graduate, a three-year member of the Blue Angels Danceline, an honor-roll student, and a participant in service organizations. She went on to Louisiana Tech and was killed by a drunk driver during her freshman year. Friends later established a scholarship in her name for Airline’s Blue Angels. Billy’s obituary identifies a granddaughter Kristen McKellar as having predeceased him. The identification is compelling, though the sources reviewed here do not explicitly state her parents.
Webster Parish roots
“Minden Family” was not merely a geographic label. It described a network of siblings, cousins, homes, meals, trips, and reunions that remained active across generations.
01
Gwen’s paternal grandfather, Vander Almond, was born May 26, 1884, died October 9, 1962, and is recorded at Gardens of Memory Cemetery in Minden. His known children included Mary G. Almond Garrett, Ernest Almond, and Turner Almond Sr. Mary’s obituary independently identifies Gwendolyn McKellar, Jamie Gaither, and Turner Almond Jr. as her niece, niece, and nephew.
Mary, born in 1911, worked as a bookkeeper for Turner Lumber Co. and was a longtime member of Beech Springs Baptist Church. A 1956 oil-and-gas instrument lists Vander Almond as a party to a Webster Parish leasehold agreement. Transcribed Gilgal Church records also include Vander and other Almonds, among them J. J., H. M., Walter, Marvin, and Fate Almond. Their exact relationships are not yet assigned.
02
Vander Almond Road still exists outside Minden. Nearby roads include Almond Circle, Almond Road, Henry Almond Road, and Joe Almond Lane. The concentration points to a meaningful local footprint, but no ordinance has yet been found proving whom each road honors.
Was “the farm” remembered by later generations connected to Vander’s documented property interests? The idea is plausible, not proven.
Family stories and discoveries
Genealogy is strongest when the names and dates lead back to how people actually spent time together.
Kevin Gaither’s obituary remembered meals and games in his mother’s childhood home, reunions at Toledo Bend and “the farm,” beach trips, and cousins visiting one another around the world. It specifically placed Gwen, Turner Jr., William “Bill,” Diane, Jim, Brian, and Brad inside that close extended family. Gwen was not simply the older Almond daughter who moved away. She remained part of a close Minden family culture for decades.
Gwen attended Louisiana Tech and met Billy there, according to family history. Billy’s attendance is independently documented. The 1955 Lagniappe lists Jamie Carolyn Almond as a sophomore in Secretarial Science and a Phi Mu member. Turner Jr. attended from 1957 to 1961 and led the Student Senate, and Kristen later enrolled there. Gwen’s class year, major, and portrait remain to be found. [13]
John Dougal McKellar is strongly indicated as William Narl’s father and Billy’s grandfather. Billy’s middle name appears to carry that family name forward from the Plain Dealing generation.
In 2023, Brad Almond, Brian Almond, Diane Wheelahan, William “Bill” McKellar, and Jim McKellar established the Dr. Robert Kevin Gaither ’96 Graduate Fellowship at Texas A&M. Each gave $5,000 toward a $25,000 endowment supporting graduate study in English or history. Brad described them as five cousins from Kevin’s maternal family in Minden. It is unusually clear modern evidence that the children of Gwen and Turner Jr. remained close to Jamie’s family. [5]
Friends remembered playing bridge with “Bill and Gwen.” The family was deeply tied to First United Methodist Church of Bossier City, while annual beach trips became a recurring family pilgrimage. A 2004 donor record also places Billy and Gwen together among supporters of the Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home. [16]
Gwen and Billy met as students at Louisiana Tech in Ruston. Both came from North Louisiana families, Gwen from Minden and Billy from the Plain Dealing area. By July 1954, their engagement had been announced in the Bossier Banner. Their meeting at Tech is family-confirmed; the engagement reference is documented. [9]
Peggy Padgham’s 2025 obituary named Genie Carson and Gwen McKellar as her two lifelong friends. Peggy, a Minden native, stayed connected with them through regular calls and texts. The record gives Gwen something dates alone cannot: evidence of a friendship she carried across much of a lifetime. [14]
Plain Dealing line
The cemetery cluster is persuasive, but one final census, obituary, or birth record would make the older parent-child link conclusive.
August 24, 1868 – April 20, 1960
March 9, 1873 – November 20, 1952
May 25, 1894 – March 30, 1972
December 24, 1897 – January 18, 1991
July 27, 1931 – April 7, 2020
An archive designed to grow
No image has been invented or assigned to a person without proof. These spaces will automatically fill when files with the names shown are added to the photos folder.
Contribute to the archive
Family history improves when someone recognizes a name, remembers a detail, or spots an error. Use this form to suggest a correction, add a fact or memory, identify someone in a photograph, or point toward a useful record.
Every submission will be reviewed before the site is changed. If you have a photograph or document to share, describe it in the form and Jim can follow up by email.
Sources and research notes
This is a research edition, not a claim of final genealogical proof. Records are listed so later discoveries can correct or deepen the story.
James Turner Almond Sr. and Jr. often appear simply as Turner Almond. Age, place, education, spouse, and context must be checked before assigning a record to either man. This site treats the 1962 councilman as Turner Sr. because he was about 51 and established in Minden, while Turner Jr. had only recently completed college.
Family knowledge is valuable evidence, but it is identified separately from outside documentation. September 19, 1932 is presented with very high confidence because the church birthday and 2005 race age independently align. Gwen’s Louisiana Tech attendance, meeting Billy there, Junior League work, hospital volunteering, preschool certification, and teaching are labeled family-confirmed until direct institutional records are located.