Hilton Christopher Louis

2 Corinthians 4: 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

               Hilton Christopher Louis made his entry into this world on August 19, 1974, as the second child and first born son of Hilton Louis Jr. and Shirley Louis. Hilton asked Shirley to hold on for three more days so that they would be born on the same day but Shirley said that she could go no farther and Chris was here. Growing up Chris was always the soft-hearted child in the family. It didn’t take much to correct him as his parents knew that one stern look from them would cause Chris to burst into tears. Knowing he was soft-hearted never stopped Chris from being mischievous. One family story tells how he and his best friend Kevin pushed his big sister into a canal ditch while they were supposed to be watched by Hilton Louis Jr. and she was left hanging there until her granddaddy came to get her.
               As a fat-jawed kid, Chris had a smile that could light up a room. He grew up loving three things: his family, his church, and basketball. Everyone knew his favorite team was the Los Angeles Lakers and his favorite player for life was Magic Johnson. In school and in the neighborhood, he practiced his no look passes and went throughout the neighborhood playing games anywhere there was a goal. He and his brother even got ‘the switch’ all the way home because they played ball and were late going to church for Bible study. This is where he began to forge the relationships that would last his lifetime. The neighborhood was a community and everyone was family and even now those bonds and memories remain.
               As he grew into a young man Chris took after his father in many ways. He was stubborn, strong willed and knew what he wanted out of life. In his early twenties he had his eye on a beautiful young lady who had begun coming to his church. Smitten, he told her, “God said you are going to be my wife.” and as fortune would have it, she looked at him and said, “I don’t even like you like that!”  On June 21, 1997, Christopher Louis and Karmone Ward were wed and later became the proud parents of three beautiful girls: Krystin Nicole D. Louis, Dyana Michaela A. Louis, and Lauren Anastasia G. Louis.
               Chris’ life has always been marked by his unwavering faith in God. He stood on that faith even when others told him to give up. He often mentioned that he believed what God told him concerning getting hired at Guide Corp. While his father told him to leave the city, he stood on God’s promise and was hired at Guide where he worked until they shut down. This was always his faith at work. On that same faith, he stepped out on his call from God into ministry. Knowing what he believed and not allowing anyone to dissuade him, he pursued his ordination to ministry and in one of the proudest moments of his life, he, together with his father, was ordained as an Elder in the Church of God In Christ by the Presiding Bishop of the C.O.G.I.C. Although this was his ordination into ministry, he was already a servant for many years. Chris was a chief minstrel in the church and in the 1st Jurisdiction of Louisiana C.O.G.I.C. He was a master drummer and took his gifts to many places for many people. As he added preaching to his calling from God, he preached an uncompromised gospel and lived his life accordingly. He served faithfully under the leadership of his first Pastor, the late Supt. Donald Louis, at the Unity C.O.G.I.C. and then under the leadership of Bishop Emeritus Roy L. H. Winbush and then under the leadership of the late Elder Jerry Hannon. As the church transitioned he remained faithful under the leadership of Elder Ronald Green where he preached the word and was a musician at Spirit of Deliverance C.O.G.I.C.
               He will be most remembered for his impact on the lives of all those he came into contact with. There are so many who can attest to the ministry of Elder Louis at work in their life. If the measure of the greatness of a man is his impact on the lives around him then we have witnessed greatness among us. His living testament will be the legacy of lives that he counseled, musicians that he tutored, ministries that he enhanced with his gift and the void left by his absence. His life ended much too soon to us but in the short time he was here,  he blazed like a comet in the sky. He was called home on May 5, 2020, by the God who had ordained him and sent him here. He is preceded in death by his paternal and maternal grandparents (Hilton Louis Sr. and Harriet Louis; Prince Albert Calloway Sr. and Katie Harris Calloway) and his loving parents Pastor Hilton and First Lady Shirley Louis.
He has left many memories and to cherish those memories he leaves a loving and faithful wife of almost twenty-three years, Karmone Louis and three beautiful girls: Krystin Nicole D. Louis, Dyana Michaela A. Louis, and Lauren Anastasia G. Louis. He also leaves to cherish his memories 4 siblings sister, LaTyara Louis-Cooper (Gary Wayne) Monroe,La ;{her son: nephew, Kandaryan Lenair Louis}; brother, Fredrick Louis (Erika) of Monroe,LA;{their children: nieces, Rayna “Raye” Hannon, and Genesis ‘Gi-Gi’ Chisley}; brother, Jeremy Louis I (Aria) of Atlanta,Ga;{their son: nephew, Jeremy Louis II,’J2’}; sister, LaTonya Louis-Shinal (Shun) of Jackson, MS;{their sons: nephews, Shundarius Shinal, ‘Peanut’; Kamden Shinal ‘Kam’}
He leaves his memories with his mother and sisters in love; Carrie Ward (mother-in-love); Shaundra Ward and Krystal Ward (sisters-in-love); all of Monroe, La.
He also leaves a godson, Jalen Hannon and God-mother Cora Cooper.
His memory remains with his aunts and uncles: paternal great-aunt Hester Douzart of Monroe, and maternal great-aunt ‘the Auntie’ Valena Winston (Alonzo) of Seattle, Wa., Uncle James Louis (Cynthia) of Pennsacola, Fla; Uncle Johnnie Lewis (Dianne) of Dallas, TX; Aunt Elaine Oliver (Robert Earl) of Shreveport, LA;  Aunt Angela Louis Rhone (Joseph III) of Monroe, LA; and Aunt Regina Graham (Robert) of Memphis, Tn., Aunt Ora Winston (Lemmie), Seattle,Wa; Uncle Rev. Manuel Calloway, Monroe ,LA; Uncle Rev. David Calloway (Josie), Dallas, TX; Aunt Florenstene Johnston, Monroe, LA;  Aunt Ophelia Lockett, Dallas, TX; Uncle Prince Albert Calloway Jr.(Vernetta), Monroe, LA;Uncle Leroy Calloway, Monroe, LA; Uncle Elder Freddie Calloway (Geneva), Monroe, LA.
He leaves a host of cousins, mentees, former co-workers and friends.
In his life he forged many special bonds, brotherhoods, neighborhood friendships, and special relationships beyond blood ties. These are to whom he also leaves memories, legacies, and love.
He leaves these temporary things for the eternal reward of Heaven’s Glory and the loving arms of the Savior Jesus Christ he so vigorously preached about and spoke of.

Rest on soldier, Until we meet again.

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