Dr. Arthur Marshall Halbrook

~ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ~ 2 Timothy 4:7

Arthur Marshall Halbrook, 72, of Baton Rouge, LA, passed away peacefully at 5:22 AM on Saturday, January 30, 2021 in his residence, surrounded by his loving family.

Dr. Halbrook, Ph.D. was born February 20, 1948 in Monroe, LA, and graduated from LSU.  He taught English at Ouachita Parish High School in Monroe and was named Louisiana’s Outstanding educator in 1976.  In 1978, he received a Fulbright Fellowship to England, where he taught literature and composition for grades 6 through 12.  In 1991, he received a Ph.D. from LSU and then became a program manager for the Louisiana Department of Education.  At the Department, he directed the state’s first large-scale direct writing assessment.  He also worked as the Writing Assessment Specialist for the General Educational Development Testing Service (GEDTS) in Washington, DC.  During his final years in Washington, he served at the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), where he coordinated multi-state consortia and worked with the National Teacher of the Year program.  After his retirement in 2007, he moved to Baton Rouge, where he served at LSU in various capacities at the College of Human Sciences and Education.  Dr. Halbrook also found time to pursue his passion for fishing, hunting, and traveling.

Dr. Halbrook is survived by his wife of thirteen years, Judy Jones Halbrook; sister, Alice H. Middleton and husband Tom; niece, Nicole Fuller and husband Chris; nephews, Adam Middleton and wife Jamie and Dr. Kirk Middleton and wife Jessica; two great-nephews; and five great-nieces.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Helen West and Louie Marshall Halbrook; and brother, Wesley Lee Halbrook.

His funeral service will be held at 1:00 PM on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at Johnson Funeral Home in Moss Bluff.  Burial will follow in Pine Hill Cemetery in Iowa, LA.  Visitation will be on Wednesday at the funeral home from 10:00 AM until the start of the service.