Deaths and services
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, August 10, 2004
by Leonard Gray
BECNEL
RESERVE – Emily Bourgeois Becnel, 90, a native of Raceland and resident of Reserve for 66 years, died Aug. 2. She was the wife of Paul Becnel Sr. And mother of Mary Alice Landeche, Catherine Copponex, Paul Jr., Harold and Raymond Becnel Sr., and the late Eileen Sutton.
She was also the daughter of the late Walter and Erma Bourgeois, and sister of Huey Bourgeois, and the late Madge Foret, Beatrice Clause, and Wilson Bourgeois.
She is also survived by 16 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Services were Aug. 5 at St. Peter Catholic Church, Reserve, with interment at the church cemetery.
DUFRENE
PARADIS – Rose Mary Leblanc Dufrene, 67, a native of Choctaw and a resident of Luling, died Aug. 5. She was the mother of Patricia Stanley, Cindy Breaux, Claire Matherne, Valerie Brown and Todd Dufrene.
She was also the sister of Agnes Galliano, Daisy Comardelle, Helen Menely and Theresa Evans.
She is also survived by 11 grandchildren.
Servicez are today at 11 a.m., at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Paradis, with interment at Sunset Cemetery, Bayou Gauche. Visitation starts at 9 a.m.
GRADY
RESERVE – Bessie Acosta Grady, 90, a native and resident of Reserve, died Aug. 4. She was the mother of Glendoline Tobey, Dorothy Young and Glenn Grady.
She was also the sister of Lola Griffin, Edwin and Lawrence Acosta.
She is also survived by seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
She was a switchboard operator at Godchaux Sugar Refinery.
Services are today at 10 a.m., at St. Peter Catholic Church, Reserve, with interment at the church cemetery. Visitation starts at 8 a.m.
HARRIS
KILLONA – Celestin “Blue” “Short Shoulder” Harris Sr., 74, a native of Vacherie and resident of Avondale, died Aug. 3.
He was the husband of the late Thelma Powell Harris, and father of Agnes Penwright, Lydia Williams, Barbara Washington, Judy Lewis, Tammy Gordon, Joyce, Morris, Celestin Jr., Lionel, Randy and Gary Harris.
He was also the son of the late Morris Harrison Sr. and Beatrice Hayes, and brother of Amelia Cooper and George Harrison.
He is also survived by 24 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
He was a retired laborer at Farmers Export grain elevator.
Services are today at 11 a.m., at Canaan Baptist Church, Killona, with interment at Restlawn Park Cemetery, Avondale. Visitation starts at 9 a.m.
LEON
CONVENT – Wilbert Leonard Leon, 80, a native and resident of Convent, died Aug. 2. He was the husband of 54 years of Mary Cola Leon and father of Gwendolyn Fobb, Wanda Fobb and Marsha Young.
He was also the son of the late Numa Sr. and Bertha Etienne Leon, and brother of Hazel Deemer.
He is also survived by six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Services were Aug. 6 at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, Convent, with interment at the church mausoleum.
SCHEXNAYDER
GRAMERCY – Wilton Joseph “Crane” Schexnayder, 94, a native of Remy and resident of Gramercy, died Aug. 3.
He was the husband of the late Wilda Simon Schexnayder, and father of Irene Gorio, Mary LeBouef, Wayne, Randall, Ronald, Kevin, Joel and Lowell Schexnayder.
He was also the son of the late Louis Schexnayder and Marguerite Louque, and brorther of the late Anicet, Wilfred, Amedia Laiche, Ida Vicknair, Dider, marc, Lauren and Warren Schexnayder.
He is also survived by 28 grandchildren and 49 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by one grandchild.
Services were Aug. 6 at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, Gramercy, with interment at St. Joseph Mausoleum, Paulina.AYME
Rowena Madere Ayme, 71, a native of LaPlace and resident of Destrehan, died July 22. She was the wife of the late Thomas “Tate” Ayme and mother of Kim Bordelon, Keah and Bobby, Kelly and Kasha Cannon and the late Thomas “Dale” Bordelon.
She was the daughter of the late August and Regina Baily Madere, and the sister of Marie Duhe.
She was a member of the Destrehan American Legion Ladies Auxillary.
Services were held July 26 at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Destrehan, with interment at the church mausoleum.
WILLIAMS
Joseph Williams,79, a native of Lions and a resident of LaPlace died July 22. He was the son of the late John and Virginia Montz Williams.
He was also the brother of Peter Williams, Rita Simon, Ethel Mae Trosclair, Joyce Graugnard, Myrtis Guidry and the late Willis, Nicholas, Gilbert, Richard, Roland and O.J. Williams, Johnette Hargis and Lucette Duhe.
Services were held at St. Peter Catholic Church with internment at the church cemetery.