Swept Away: The Albert Pike Flood

SHANE EDWARD BASINGER, 34, of Shreveport made his family - wife, Kerri, son Kyler, 14 and two daughters, Jadyn, 8, and Kinsley, 6 - the center of his life. Heworked at his friend Anthony Smith’s farm and at Intier Automotive. He spent his free time fishing, barbecuing and hunting. Shane was a Dallas Cowboys fan, the life of just about any social gathering and a daddy who doted on his little country girls.

JADYN RHEA BASINGER, 8, of Shreveport was born on Cinco de Mayo. She was her daddy Shane’s shadow, tagging at his heels whenever he was outside. Jadyn loved putting on makeup and painting her nails, but shunned frilly clothes in favor of mismatched jeans and T-shirts, and her beloved boots. Her parents called her JJ.

KINSLEY ANN BASINGER, 6, of Shreveport was a St. Patrick’s Day baby. She was a sweet and quiet little girl who, like her sister, Jadyn, loved wearing boots. She also adored hair bows. Kinsley still slept with her baby blanket, which had been patched and sewn back together so many times it was barely possible to make out its moons, stars and bears. Her nickname was Anny.

JULIE FREEMAN, 53, of Texarkana, Texas, lived next-door to her granddaughter, Kylee Sullivan. She loved shopping for and spoiling the little girl. Julie also was her daughter Amanda Willis’ best friend and “the smartest woman alive.” She was a training coordinator for the Defense Logistics Agency and a member of Highland Park Baptist Church. She was married to Gerald Freeman.

KADEN JEZ, 3, of Foreman loved wearing yellow boots and helping his beloved Nana, Sheri Wade, paint. He shared his grandmother’s fondness for barrel-racing and rodeos. The minister of the Foreman Church of Christ, where Kaden attended church and Vacation Bible School, described the little boy as “the sunshine of everybody’s life,” according to the Christian Chronicle. He often left Sunday School singing “Jesus Loves Me.”

LESLIE JEZ, 23, of Foreman was a devoted mother to her son, Kaden, and the wife of Adam. Relatives say that walking into the Jez home evoked smiles because it brimmed with love. Leslie was a country girl who embraced a simple lifestyle, riding horses and camping, according to the Texarkana Gazette. She was close to earning a college degree in elementary education.

DEBRA McMASTER, 44, of Stamps taught geometry and algebra at Spring Hill High School near Hope. She left her career as a pharmacist because she felt she was called to teach. Co-workers said that during the flood, Debra helped her husband place their daughters in a tree and then helped a mother and young child get to safety before being swept away herself.

GAYBLE MOSS, 7, of Texarkana, Texas, had just finished first grade at St. James Day School, where she was known for her sunny smile and helpful nature. Relatives describe her as impish and always looking for her next adventure. She especially loved a trip to New York. She had been looking forward to camping at Albert Pike with her best friend, Kylee Sullivan.

KAY ROEDER, 69, of Luling, La., was born in Stamps, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Every summer, she spent two weeks at Albert Pike, a place she adored and had visited since age 9. Kay was there with her son, Bruce, his wife, Debbie, and several other relatives on June 11. Kay, who retired as a maintenance administrative assistant at Occidental Chemical, had five grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.

BRUCE ROEDER, 51, of Luling, La., had joined his mother, Kay, his wife, Debbie, and other relatives on an annual camping trip to Albert Pike. A family friend told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that Bruce woke up the morning of the flood and ushered many relatives uphill to safety. But when he turned back to get those who remained, the water was too high. He was the vice president of Aegis Construction Co. and the father of two.

DEBBIE ROEDER, 51, of Luling, La., was born in Oklahoma, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune. She was at Albert Pike with her husband, Bruce, her mother-in-law and several other relatives. She worked as a production planner for the Coca-Cola Co. in Louisiana. She and Bruce had two children.

ERIC SULTZ, 38, of Maud, Texas, was easygoing and a die-hard fan of the Oakland Raiders football team - a fondness he developed growing up in California. His identical twin brother described Eric as a role model for him and for Eric’s three children. “He was my mentor, and he showed me a lot of things,” his brother said. “He was a great guy.” Eric was camping for the first time at Albert Pike with his girlfriend, Sheri Wade, and her family.

NICHOLAS SHUMAKE, 8, of De Kalb, Texas, was a second-grader at James Bowie Elementary School and a member of Pinkham Memorial Missionary Baptist Church. Family members called him “Nic” and described him as a little firecracker who loved spending time with his grandparents, Robert and Wilene Shumake. The three were camping at the time of the flood. Friends on R.I.P. Nicholas Shumake’s Facebook page describe a boy who offered hugs and smiles freely, both in school hallways and at church.

ROBERT SHUMAKE, 68, of De Kalb, Texas, was married to his childhood sweetheart, Wilene. The couple grew up in the nearby community of New Hope. He was a retired leaderman in shipping and receiving at the Red River Army Depot, and a member of Pinkham Memorial Missionary Baptist Church. He and Wilene had been camping at Albert Pike for decades and loved taking their grandson, Nic, with them.

WILENE SHUMAKE, 67, was a retired accounting technician at the Red River Army Depot and a member of Pinkham Memorial Missionary Baptist Church. She wasmarried to Robert Shumake, her childhood sweetheart.

KYLEE SULLIVAN, 6, of Texarkana, Texas, had just finished first grade with her best friend Gayble Moss, and couldn’t wait to vacation at Albert Pike with the girl she calledher “sister.” Like Gayble, Kylee loved to sing and dance. She adopted only rescue animals as pets and doted on three dogs, two gerbils and 10 fish. Family members say she had a big heart.

ANTHONY KEITH SMITH, 30, of Gloster, La., loved playing the guitar and singing with his wife, Candace, and children, Austin Rachal, 13, Joey, 5,and Katelynn, almost 3. He worked on his family’s 358-acre farm and belonged to the Louisiana National Guard. Like his buddy, Shane Basinger, Anthony loved to fish, grill and roam country back roads around the farm. He was a New Orleans Saints fan.

JOEY SMITH, 5, of Gloster, La., was a daddy’s boy by day and mama’s boy by night. He looked up to his older brother, Austin. Joey loved playing T-ball but announced at his kindergarten graduation that he wanted to be a football player when he grew up. His parents called him Joe Joe, but Joey chose a second nickname for himself: “J-dog.” He said it was his “cool” name.

KATELYNN SMITH, almost 3, of Gloster, La., was a country girl who adored tutus. Her favorite one was hot pink, and she wore it with everything. She loved to sing with her daddy, Anthony, while he played his guitar. Her top two requests were “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and “You Are My Sunshine,” which her mother, Candace, sang to her at bedtime. Everyone called her Katybug.

SHERI WADE, 43, of Ashdown was camping at Albert Pike with her family, including daughter, Leslie Jez, and her grandson, Kaden; and Sheri’s boyfriend, Eric Sultz. Sheri, whom Kaden called “Nana,” loved rodeos and devoted much of her time to her family. Friend Cherie Trowler described her as, “a tough, free-spirited person with good morals.”

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