Obituaries – July 27, 2002

Published 12:00 am Monday, July 29, 2002

AMOS

NEW ORLEANS – Evelyn Thomas Amos, 93, a native of Boutte and lifelong resident of New Orleans, died July 20. She was the mother of Melvin Wilson, Shelly Amos and Renette Earin.

She was also the sister of Ernestine Thomas.

She is also survived by 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Services were July 26 at Gertrude Geddes Willis Funeral Home, New Orleans, with interment at Holt Cemetery, New Orleans.

BERTRAND

LAPLACE – Sondra Nell Roberds Bertrand, 60, a native of Leachville, Ark., and resident of LaPlace for 30 years, died July 23. She was the wife of Jim Bertrand and mother of Selena Labat and Brian Bertrand.

She was also the daughter of the late Lee and Oga Roberds and sister of Priscilla Sain, Kathryn Downing and Darryel Roberds.

She is also survived by three grandchildren.

Memorial services were July 25 in the chapel of Millet-Guidry Funeral Home, LaPlace.

BIENVENU

PAULINA – Bridget Laiche Bienvenu, 86, a native of Paulina and resident of Lutcher, died July 23. She was the wife of the late Onell Bienvenu.

She was also the daughter of the late Heno Sr. and Julie Decreaux Laiche and sister of Mable Vicknair, Audrey Prudhomme, Joyce Duhe, Vivian Borne, Heno Laiche Jr. and the late Enola Byrd, Cecile Bourgeois and Herbert, Lloyd and Norris Laiche.

Services were July 26 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Paulina, with interment at the church mausoleum.

CASSAGNE

LAPLACE – Frances Cason Cassagne, 85, a native of Garyville and resident of St. Francesville for 50 years, died July 22. She was the wife of the late Rodney Cassagne.

She was also the daughter of the late William and Bertha Cason and sister of William Jr. and the late Winston “Sporty” Cason.

Services were July 24 in the chapel of Millet-Guidry Funeral Home, LaPlace, with interment at St. Peter Cemetery, Reserve.

EDLER

LAPLACE – Regina “Reggie” Laiche Edler, 91, a native of Paulina and resident of LaPlace for 70 years, died July 23. She was the wife of the late Walter Edler and mother of Doris Roussel, Zola Martin, Jerry Bourgeois, Debbie Vinturella and Walter “Sonny” Jr. and Brent Edler.

She is also survived by 19 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

Services are today at 10 a.m. in the chapel of Millet-Guidry Funeral Home, LaPlace, with interment at St. John Memorial Gardens, LaPlace. Visitation starts at 8 a.m.

HAMPTON

LAPLACE – Alice James Hampton, 88, a native of Woodville, Miss., and resident of Reserve for 38 years, died July 20. She was the mother of Celeste McKenzie, Augusta Carter, Pearl Dawson, Irma Womack, Claretha Favors and John, Willie, Henry, Susie and Ethelene Hampton.

She was also the daughter of the late Augusta and Esther James and sister of Henry Stewart Sr., Florence Singleton, Mary Nelson and Viola Stewart.

She is also survived by a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Services were July 26 at Providence Baptist Church No. 1, LaPlace, with interment at the church cemetery.

JOHNSON

NORCO – Mathilda Johnson, 66, a native and resident of Norco, died July 21. She was the wife of the late Freddie Johnson Jr. and mother of Viola Fenroy, Audrey Pierre, Sylvia Adams and Freddie III, Sherman, Eddie, Sylvester, Gary, Roosevelt, Frederick and the late Hilton and Wilton Johnson.

She was also the daughter of the late Viola Narcisse and Irvin Reynaud Sr. and sister of Jeannette Mitchell, Anita, Frank and Ernest Reynaud and the late Mary Wallace, Irvin Reynaud Jr. and Walter and Adam Scofield.

She is also survived by 27 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

Services are today at 11 a.m. at Greater Good Hope Baptist Church, Norco, with interment at Providence Resthaven Cemetery, LaPlace. Visitation starts at 10 a.m.

LEAR

NORCO – Jimmie Charles Lear, 64, a native of Gramercy and resident of Norco for 51 years, died July 20.

He was the husband of 43 years of Juanita Bergeron Lear.

He was also the son of the late James and Lillian Schexnayder Lear and brother of Sylvia Hidalgo, Ellarine Starns, Rosetta Trosclair, Loretta Bonfiglio and the late Onezime “Boy” Lear.

He is also survived by 41 nieces and nephews, 51 great-nieces and nephews, three great-great nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by one great-niece.

He was a retired electrician at Bunge Corporation, where he worked for nearly 40 years.

Services were July 25 at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, Norco, with interment at St. Charles Borromeo Cemetery, Destrehan.

MOTEN

BOUTTE – Joseph Moten Jr., 79, a native of Lockport and resident of Boutte, died July 21. He was the husband of Ethel Baden Moten; father of Brenda, Sedonia, James, Sylvester, Clarence and Herman Moten; and stepfather of Betty, Trenika, Deidre, Charles, Ray, James, David, Frederick and Billy Taylor.

He was also the brother of Orelia Thomas.

Services are today at 10 a.m. at Mt Zion Baptist Church, Boutte, with interment at Hope Cemetery, Lockport. Visitation starts at 9 a.m.

PIERCE

NEW ORLEANS – Myrtle S. Pierce, 91, a native of Garyville and resident of New Orleans, died July 20. She is survived by a niece and several cousins.

Services were July 24 at D.W. Rhodes Funeral Home, New Orleans, with private burial.

SMITH

NEW ORLEANS – The Rev. Clarence W. “Smitty” Smith, 62, a native of Convent and resident of New Orleans for 61 years, died July 23.

He was the husband of Victoria Wilson Smith; father of Michelle Johnson, Anthony Lewis and Chriszelda, Antoinette, Clarence III and Hillery Smith; and stepfather of Sheri Petty, Deshon and Sonjac George and Beyonka and Reva Smith.

He was also the son of Clarence Smith and Lillian Smith Jenkins and brother of Jessie Jacques, Doreatha Williams, McKinley, Wilbert and Charles Smith and Eugene and Allen Starks.

He was pastor of Ora Vista Baptist Church and a retired New Orleans police officer.

Services were held July 26 at Ora Vista Baptist Church, New Orleans, with interment at Resthaven Memorial Park.

THOMPSON

NEW ORLEANS – Adam Thompson Jr., 57, a native of Hahnville and resident of New Orleans for many years, died July 18.

He was the husband of Janice M. Thompson and father of Adam Thompson.

He was also the brother of the Rev. Beatrice Kelly, Viola Tobias, Annette Turner and Henry Thompson.

He is also survived by three grandchildren.

Services are today at 11 a.m. at Israelite Divine Spiritual Church, New Orleans, with interment at Zion Cemetery. Visitation starts at 10 a.m.