Lou Ella Blanchard

LOU ELLA BLANCHARD
August 20, 1926 - October 7, 2015
MAMOU - Funeral services will be held for Lou Ella Blanchard, 89, of Mamou, at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Mamou at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, October 10. Burial will follow in the New St. Ann’s Mausoleum.
A loving mother, grandmother and friend, Ms. Blanchard died Wednesday, October 7, 2015, at Lafayette General Medical Center.
She was involved in many ministries throughout the community. She taught Catechism and the Junior Catholic Daughters, helped start the Hospital Candy Stripers, served with the Ladies Altar Society, was a Lector and Eucharistic Minister and also assisted mourning families by cooking for them during their times of bereavement. She also participated in numerous bake sales in which her late husband, Lelby, bought back her delicious German chocolate cakes. She was asked countless times to lead the rosary at wakes, sometimes in English, other times in French. Residents at Savoy Care Center in Mamou appreciated her for leading the rosary on Wednesday mornings for many years. Later in life, she prayed up to 30 rosaries in a day for family and friends in need. Besides this busy schedule, she also kept two weekly Adoration hours, joined Hospice, the parish prayer line, numerous Bible lines and studies, a Come Lord Jesus group, the Kaycees, the Charismatic Movement and following her Cursillo, she remained involved with her Ultreya group. Moreover, she created hundreds of rosaries; including pro-life, knotted and various beaded styles, made retreats in Grand Coteau and pilgrimages to Vatican City, Medjugorje and The Holy Lands.
Survivors include two sons, John Richard Blanchard and his wife, Debry, of Walker and James Anthony Blanchard and his wife, Cynthia, of Lafayette; two daughters, Charlotte “Charlie” Marie B. Rogers and her husband, Leslie, of Rogers, Arkansas, and Rachelle Marie Blanchard and her husband, Byron Kurt DesHotels, of Breaux Bridge; one sister-in-law, Louise Berwick of Iowa; seven grandchildren, Lonnie Paul Blanchard, Michelle Alise Olivier, Danielle Stafford, Nicole Chapel, Joseph Ootie Billeaud, Adam Rogers and Angelle Rogers; and nine great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Lelby Blanchard; and one grandchild, John Blanchard.
Father Alphonse Thainese will officiate.
Family and friends may view the online obituary and/or sign the guestbook at www.ardoinfuneralhomes.com.
Ardoin’s Funeral Home of Mamou will be in charge of arrangements.