Mabel Becnel passed away on June 7 at 5:30 a.m. at the Luling Living Center. She was 89 years old. Mrs. Becnel was a native of Plattenville. After her marriage to the late Bernard Becnel, Jr., they lived in the Vacherie area, before moving to Edgard where the last of her eight children were born and raised.

Mrs. Becnel stayed busy raising her eight children. Before they were all grown, she welcomed her grandchildren visiting during summer vacations and weekends.

To Mabel and Bernard Becnel, their main source of pleasure was their family and their faith.

After moving to Luling in the early 70s, Mrs. Becnel stayed busy with her yard, flowers and family. She loved to travel, and had many lovely vacations both here in the U.S. and abroad. She was also a member of the St. Charles Council on Aging, Luling Center and worked as a volunteer pink lady at the Luling Hospital until she was forced to give it up several years ago because of her health.

Mrs. Becnel was the mother of Harold (Charlene) Becnel of Belle Chasse, Monsignor Terry Becnel of Norco, Anthony (Anna) Becnel of Flowery Branch, Ga., Paul Douglas (Joan) Becnel of Luling, Ernest (Pat) Becnel of Luling, Lucy Bonnie B. Berthelot of Metairie, Barbara B. (Frank) Necaise of Powder Springs, Ga., and the late Reverend John B. Becnel. She is also survived by 13 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. She was the sister of Edward and Hartwell Aucoin, Eloise Rome, Shirley Richard, and the late James Aucoin, Elise Rome, Margaret Labat, Anna Lee Aucoin, Mildred Bassett, Mary Aucoin and Elise Aucoin. Also preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Bertha Guillot Aucoin.

“‘Ma-Ma’ Mabel will be greatly missed by her large, loving family, and also by her many friends and acquaintances. But each of us have beautiful memories, years of her example of what a devout mother’s true role in life should be.”

“There will be some tearful moments of remembrance, but many more hours of laughter and precious memories in recalling our cherished years with her.”

--The Becnel Family

Bridget Anne Legendre Darlington, a native of Vacherie and resident of Baton Rouge, passed away on June 9 after a determined and well-fought battle with cancer. She was 30 years old.

She is survived by her loving husband, Andrew Carey Darlington, her parents, Percy J. Legendre, Jr. and Elaine Waguespack Legendre of Vacherie, brothers and sisters-in-law Percy Legendre III and Lynn Hoffman Legendre of Tampa, Fla. and Reginald Legendre and Nancy Marshall Legendre of DeRidder, sisters and brothers-in-law Lynett L. and Mark Eliser of St. Amant, Angela L. and William “Colt” James, Jr. of Alexandria, Natalie L. and Tony Harper of Baton Rouge, Elaine L. and John Curley of Alexandria, Lenore L. and Gregory Charlton of Bluffton, S.C. and Helen L. and Edward Bohan of Bedford, N.H., 16 nieces and nephews, her paternal grandmother Vernice Peltier Legendre of Westwego and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. She is also survived by her mother-in-law, Marie Galloway of Baton Rouge, sister-in-law Shannon Galloway of Dallas, Texas and father-in-law William Darlington of Marina Del Rey, Calif.

She is preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Francis and Cecile Schexnayder Waguespack, Sr. of Vacherie and paternal grandfather Percy J. Legendre, Sr. of Westwego.

A native of Vacherie, Bridget and her husband Andrew have lived in Albuquerque, N.M., Tampa, Fla., Dublin, Ohio and Bedford, N.H. She graduated from E.D. White Catholic High School in Thibodaux and Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge with a bachelor of science degree in quantitative business analysis. She was most recently the research director for Grubb and Ellis/Coldstream Real Estate Advisors, Inc., in Bedford, N.H. She was formerly a research analyst for the Louisiana Legislative Financial Office in Baton Rouge.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on June 11 at St. Philip Catholic Church in Vacherie. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation and the E.D. White Catholic High School Memorial Fund.

Tracy Dufrene, a native and resident of Des Allemands, passed away on June 13. He was 90 years old.

Mr. Dufrene is survived by his wife, Clara “Sis” Brupbacher Dufrene, son Marlin Dufrene, eight grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, Felix and Olivia Danos Dufrene, brothers Harold, Leroy, Dan and Nathan Dufrene, and sisters Lillian Poleno, Bernice McMinn, Doris Candies and Phoebe Owens. Religious services were held on June 16 at Des Allemands Mennonite Church.

Wade J. Gaudet, Sr. passed away on June 1 at 10:30 a.m. He is survived by his wife, Evelyn Jumonville Gaudet, sons Wade J. Gaudet, Jr. and Warren T. Gaudet, daughter-in-law Paula deLivaudais Gaudet, grandsons Matthew and Blake Gaudet, brother Clifford Gaudet and sisters Vivian Jacob and Mildred Toye. He is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Corinne Gaudet and brother Howard Gaudet.

Benjamin A. Groff, a native of Charleston, W.V. and a resident of Luling, passed away on June 13. He was 85 years old.

Mr. Groff is survived by his wife, Cecelia Lee Humes Groff, sons Stanley C. Groff and Barry A. Groff, daughter Nancy C. Groff, sister Mary Foret and grandchildren Becky, Benjamin and Jonathan Groff. He is preceded in death by his parents, Forres Groff Sr. and Delsie Wilson Groff, and his brothers, Clayton Groff and Forres Groff Jr.

Religious services were held on June 16 at Falgout Funeral Home in Raceland. Graveside services will be held on June 30 at Floral Hill Memorial Gardens in Sissonville, W.V.

Charles Percy Jackson, Sr., passed away on June 23. He was 67 years old.

Mr. Jackson was the beloved husband of Veda Tridico Jackson; son of the late Mary Zeb Stanga and John Kent Jackson, Sr.; father of Michael D. Jackson, Charles P. Jackson, Jr., Lisa Jackson Macaluso, Veda Jackson Dawson and Mary Jackson Naquin; father-in-law of Ronald H. Dawson, Jr., Barry J. Naquin and John J. Macaluso III; grandfather of Michelle Jackson Higgins, Christy A. Jackson, Erica, Erin and Emily Dawson, Adam and Jacob Naquin and John Joseph Macaluso IV; brother of John K. Jackson, Jr. and Donyce Jackson Smith.

A native and lifelong resident of Norco, Mr. Jackson graduated from St. Pauls in Covington and Delgado Trade School. He was a member of Pipefitters and Steamfitters Local #6 and president and owner of Jackson Vending Service, and formerly worked for Shell Oil.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on June 26 at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Destrehan, followed by burial at the church mausoleum.

Blanche Oubre Kugler passed away at St. Charles Parish Hospital on June 4. She was 92 years old. She was a native of Vacherie and longtime resident of Norco.

Isaac “Reese” Lewis Sr. passed away on June 26. He was 73 years old.

A US Navy veteran of both World War II and the Korean War, Mr. Lewis was born in Iota and was a lifelong resident of Bayou Gauche. He was a former St. Charles Parish Deputy and Search and Rescue member, and was retired from Oxy Chemical.

He is survived by his wife, Rose Mary Miller Lewis, sons Isaac Reese Lewis Jr. and Peter Lewis, daughter Susan Lewis, grandchildren Sarah Baraglia and Blaine, Sean, Daniel, Zachary and Brennon Lewis and great-grandchildren Samantha and Hannah Baraglia and Dylan Lewis.

Funeral services were held on July 3 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Paradis. Mr. Lewis will be laid to rest in Iota.

Eugene “Noonie” “Gene” Joseph Matherne passed away on June 27 at 1:15 p.m. He was 75 years old.

A native of Good Hope and a resident of Norco, Mr. Matherne was retired from Macathone Oil Co. and GATX Railroad Transportation. He was a World War II Navy veteran and member of Norco American Legion Spillway Post #195.

He was the husband of the late Evelyn King Matherne, son of the late Arneaux and Anna Vicnair Matherne, father and father-in-law of Laura Elizabeth Ditta of Harvey, David Eugene Matherne of Metairie, John Leslie Matherne of Norco, Michael J. Ditta of Harvey and Jean Schexnaydre Matherne of Norco, brother of Lucille Guillory of Baton Rouge and the late Herbert, Roland, Roy and Allen Matherne, grandfather of Rachelle Elizabeth Matherne of New Orleans, Erin Leslie Matherne of Norco and Frank Wesley Matherne of Norwich, Conn.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on July 1 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Gladys Marie Laiche McClung passed away on June 21. She was 74 years old.

A native of Paulina and resident of Gramercy, Ms. McClung was the wife of Montgomery “Mac” McClung; daughter of the late Levy and Ludivine Poche Laiche; daughter-in-law of the late Adele M. Loupe; mother and mother-in-law of Ronald McClung and Floyd Bonnette of New Orleans, Jacqueline M. and Raymond Tanet of Tylertown, Miss., Steven and Rose P. McClung of Gramercy and Bobby and Jennifer K. McClung of Hester; grandmother of Melissa and Melinda Tanet, Heather and Joshua McClung and Stevi Ann McClung; sister of Levy Laiche, Jr., James Laiche, Albert Laiche, Rose Boe, Audrey Beavers, Anna Lea Oubre and the late Raymond Laiche, Ferrel Laiche, Leroy Laiche and Bessie Theresa Laiche. She is also survived by brother-in-law Lewis McClung.

Mrs. McClung was a homemaker, member of the Catholic Daughters of America, AARP and a parishoner of Sacred Hearth Catholic Church.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on June 23 at Sacred Heart Church in Gramercy.  

Salvador J. “Sam” Tamburello a native of New Sarpy and resident of Norco, passed away on June 26. He was 70 years old.

Mr. Tamburello is the husband of Evette King Tamburello, son of the late John and Josephine Icearco Tamburello, father and father-in-law of Nina and Cyril Fahrenholtz of River Ridge, John Tamburello of LaPlace, Steven Tamburello of Hattisburg, Miss., James and Jeannie Tamburello of Montz and Matthew and Lynette Tamburello of Slidell, brother of Mary St. Martin of LaPlace, Carrie Bourque of Reserve, Lena Smagacz of Calumette City, Ill., Norman Tamburello of New Sarpy, Joseph Tamburello of Kenner, Victor Tamburello of Alabama and the late Lucy Siatta, Rosalie Tassin, Anthony, Walter and Phillip Tamburello. He is also survived by 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on June 30 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Norco. In lieu of flowers, memorial masses may be offered.

Edith Barrios “Dit” Weaver, a native of Westwego and resident of Destrehan for over 60 years, passed away on June 14. She was 86 years old.

She is survived by her husband, John “J.C.” Weaver, daughter Sharon and her husband Larry Schexnaydre, daughter Cathy and her husband Nick Cashio, brother Eugene Barrios, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, Alcide and Bertha Richard Barrios, sister Bertha Moreau and brothers Harold, Burt, James and Jerry Barrios.

She was a member of the Catholic Daughters for 50 years and a recipient of the St. Lewis Award. A Mass of Christian Burial was held on June 17 at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Destrehan.

Cecil Burton Wilson passed away on June 3. A native of Archer City, Texas, and a resident of Destrehan for the past 25 years, he was 75 years old.

Dorothy Louise Breyel Woodiel, a resident of Luling, passed away June 11 at her home. She was 76 years old. Mrs. Woodiel was born in Little Rock, Ark., the eldest of eight children. After graduating as valedictorian of her high school class, she worked in Washington, D.C. for the War Dept., returning to Little Rock when World War II ended. She met John W. Woodiel, Jr. on a blind date, July 4, 1947 and they married Sept. 1, 1948. Three children followed, and the family moved to Luling in 1954. Mrs. Woodiel remained a homemaker until her children were in high school. She returned to the work force in the late 1960s as Executive Secretary for the St. Charles School Board, from which she retired after 20 years of service. A member of Holy Family Catholic Church, she was active in the Altar Society and the Busy Bees. Mrs. Woodiel was an active member of the St. Charles Republican Women and the Latinaires Dance Club, and had served the West Bank Girl Scouts as treasurer for many years. She also enjoyed gardening and traveling with her husband and visiting her children and siblings.