Jean McGlothlin Doerge

Funeral services celebrating the life of Jean McGlothlin Doerge will be held Thursday, April 2, 2026, at First Methodist Church in Minden. Visitation will be held at the church from 11 AM until 1 PM with the service immediately following with Rev. Steve Berger and Rev. Rodney Wood officiating. Burial will be at Gardens of Memory in Minden, Louisiana under the direction of Rose Neath Funeral home and a reception will be held at the church following the burial.

Jean was born June 4, 1937, in Galbraith, Louisiana and left this earthly life on March 30, 2026, in Minden, Louisiana. She was a retired educator with the Webster Parish School Board and a retired legislator for the state of Louisiana.

She was preceded in death by her parents Thomas and Cora McGlothlin, sisters Neva Nida, Avena Rachal, Jannie Rachal, Gen McGlothlin-Bienvenu, husband Everett Doerge and son-in-law Kevin Lester.

She is survived by her daughter, Sherie Lester, grandsons, Justin Lester (Allison), Jacob Lester (Lainie), two great granddaughters, Avery Lester and Callie Jean Lester and numerous nieces and nephews.

Jean graduated from Northwestern State University in 1958 and began her career in education. She and her husband taught in several different school before finally returning to Minden and Minden High School where she taught for 28 years becoming the head of the business department and was the advisor for FBLA. During that time, she and her students earned many awards on both the state and national level.

She retired in 1992 after 34 years of teaching to support her husband as the state representative of District 10. After his death, she was elected in 1998 to fulfill his unexpired term. She continued to hold this position until 2012. During her term as a legislator she worked tirelessly for Webster parish creating a fire and emergency training facility and secured state support to fund the relocation of the Northwest Louisiana Technical College to its current site. She also secured foundation for the operation of the Germantown Colony Museum and authored a bill to create the museum’s governing board and secured funding for a visitor’s center at the colony. After her legislative career ended, she became the director of the Gemantown Colony Museum.

Although she had a wonderfully accomplished career and life, her greatest joy was her family. She was close with her sisters and her daughter, grandsons, and great granddaughters. They were truly the light of her life and as she said many times, her greatest accomplishment.

Donations can be made in her name to First Methodist Church, Minden; The Webster Parish Council on Aging; or St. Jude.