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Catherine Schneider ‘Kitty’ Hensgens

Thu, 09/28/2017 - 4:51pm
CROWLEY

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 12 p.m. Saturday, September 30, 2017 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Mowata for Catherine Schneider “Kitty” Hensgens, 84, who died September 28, 2017.
Fr. Louis Richard, pastor of St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Abbeville will be officiating with Msgr. Charles Dubois, Fr. Mikel Polson, and Fr. Joseph Tran concelebrating for the services. The family is requesting visiting hours to be held at St. Lawrence Catholic Church, Saturday from 8 a.m. to the time of service. A rosary will be recited at 10 a.m. Saturday at Church Interment will be in St. Lawrence Mausoleum.
Kitty was born June 28, 1933 in the community of Shortbread near Iota, Louisiana. She was a graduate of St. Francis High School, one of 16.
Kitty’s life was dedicated to God, family and community spirit. She worked with her beloved Raymond at G & H Seed Company, only retiring with the birth of her first grandchild, Jim. She did not, however, retire from volunteer work. Kitty was a member of St. Michael’s Church, the Rosary Club, and the Red Bobbin Club. She also served as a member of the American Legion Hospital Pink ladies. She celebrated the family’s heritage at Germanfest. And, she partied with the Town Club Krewe of Revelers, serving as their Mardi Gras queen. The final tribute Kitty shared with Raymond was as the 2013 Community Foundation of Acadiana Leaders in Philanthropy for Acadia Parish.
She is survived by one daughter, Jennifer Mixon and her husband James of Bunkie; and three sons: Wayne Hensgens and his wife Debbie of Crowley; Michael Hensgens and his wife Cathy of Lafayette; and, Mark Hensgens of New Orleans; her brother, Ray Schneider and his wife, Pat of Roberts Cove; seven grandchildren: Jim Mixon and his wife April of Crowley; Catherine Mixon Schendel and her husband Jarrod of Baton Rouge; Sam Mixon and his wife Jennifer of Crowley; Emily Hensgens Hudson and her husband Brad of Daphne, AL; Josef Hensgens and his wife Juliane of Baton Rouge; Patrick Hensgens of Crowley; and, Adam Hensgens of Lafayette; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Kitty was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond A. Hensgens; her parents, Frank and Delia Green Schneider; her siblings, Henry Schneider, James Schneider, Ellen Thevis, John Dillard Schneider, Jeanette Pousson, Anthony Schneider, Lawrence Schneider, and F.J. Schneider.
Pallbearers will be her five grandsons: Jim Mixon, Sam Mixon, Josef Hensgens, Patrick Hensgens and Adam Hensgens; and, two grandsons-in-law, Jarrod Schendel and Brad Hudson. Honorary pallbearers will be Ray Schneider, Tim Armstrong, Chris Lyons, Brett Schneider, Duke Benoit, Jeanelle St. Andre, Pauline Handy, Tamara Winbush, Sylvia Monceaux, and Sharron Matte.
Altar servers will be Tray Hains, and Blake Smith. Catherine Schendel and Emily Hudson will be reading from Scripture. Gift bearers will be her great-grandchildren.
The family wishes to extend special thanks to her care-givers, Janelle St. Andre, Pauline Handy, Sharon Mott, Sylvia Monceaux, and Tamara Winbush, as well as Dr. Mulraj Katira and Dr. Dale Leleux.
The family asks in lieu of flowers that memorial contributions be made to any Acadia Parish Catholic Shool or Church, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Alzhiemer’s Association or the Parkinson’s Association.
Condolences may be sent to the family by www.geesey-ferguson.com
Arrangements have been entrusted to Geesey-Ferguson Funeral Home of Crowley.

2017 Iota Homecoming Court

Wed, 09/27/2017 - 4:49pm

SUBMITTED PHOTO The young ladies selected for the Iota High School’s 2017 Homecoming Court are, front row from left, Teri ...

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Effie M. Moore Bellard

Wed, 09/27/2017 - 4:39pm
CROWLEY

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 30, 2017 at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Crowley for Mrs. Effie Marie Moore Bellard, 76, who passed away on Friday, September 22, 2017 at Southwind Nursing and Rehab Center in Crowley. Interment will be in South Crowley Cemetery.
Fr. Godwin Imoru of St. Theresa Catholic Church will be officiating the funeral mass. Mrs. Bellard was a member of St. Theresa Catholic Church. She was also a member of the Ladies Auxiliary for over 40 years.
Mrs. Bellard leaves to cherish her memories: her son, Joseph Irvin Bellard, Jr. of Crowley; her three daughters, Christine Bellard Porter of Lafayette, Leanna Mouton (Wilfred, Jr.) and Jennifer Harmon, both of Crowley; one brother, James “Jimmy” Moore of Boston, MA; four sisters, Eva Mae Moore, Wilma Bates, Mary Moore and Marie Moore, all of Crowley; a great aunt, Rena Mae Jenkins of Orange, Texas; and a host of grandchildren, great grandchildren; great great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Mrs. Bellard was preceded in death by: her husband, Joseph Irving Bellard, Sr.; her parents, Lawrence and Mary Leota Moore; two sons, Patrick Bellard and Christopher Bellard; and four brothers, Joseph C. Carrier, George Moore, Sr., Joseph L. Moore and Raymond Moore.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, September 30, 2017 from 8 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. at St. Theresa Catholic Church.
Words of condolences may be expressed at fordandjosephfh.com
Ford and Joseph Funeral Home, 577 N. Ave. C., Crowley, LA, (337) 514-5217, is in charge of arrangements.

Sr. Margaret Ohlenforst celebrates 70th anniversary

Wed, 09/27/2017 - 3:41pm
Vows renewed during Mass at St. Leo Church; family, friends attend reception
Lisa Soileaux, Rayne Acadian-Tribune
Wednesday, September 27, 2017

ROBERTS COVE - Sister Margaret Ohlenforst, MHS, celebrated her 70th anniversary on Sunday, Sept. 10, during an 11 a.m. Mass at St. Leo IV Catholic Church in Roberts Cove. Sister Margaret is a native and resident of Roberts Cove.
During her renewal of vows, Father Jody Simoneaux, her nephew, was the main celebrant for the Mass, joined by Fr. Paul Broussard, pastor St. Leo, and Deacon Joshua LeBlanc.
Also in attendance were Sister M. Diane, Sister Mika, both Sisters of MHS acknowledged as honored guests.
The Mass was sung by the St. Leo Choir, along with vocalist Vanessa Benoit, violinist Tommy Benoit and organist Alberta Lyons.
Sister Margaret was presented with a special framed papal blessing from St. Leo parishioners.
She was also presented with a silver rose in a crystal vase, which she placed at the altar of Our Lady. The special rose will remain on the altar for prayers for Sister Margaret and for vocation prayers.
As a special memento, Sister Margaret was presented a corsage by the Sodality of Our Lady of St. Leo, of which she is a charter member.
Following the Mass, a reception was held in the Fr. Alois Reznicik Parish Hall, where a catered sit-down meal was enjoyed by family and friends.
A special cake was also served in her honor, a white three-layered pineapple coconut confection with delicate details and trim.
Sunflowers, Sister Margaret’s favorite flower, were placed at the head table, visitors’ tables and throughout the church hall.
The event was a most beautiful special occasion held in honor of Sister Margaret Ohlenforst, MHS.
Sister is the daughter and one of 11 children of the late Walburga Thevis Ohlenforst and H. Joseph Ohlenforst.
She entered the Convent of the Sisters of the Most Holy Sacrament in Lafayette on Sept. 8, 1947, and made perpetual vows on Aug. 15, 1953.
Her education began at St. Leo School in Roberts Cove. She attended St. Michael School in Crowley, the Sisters of the Most Holy Sacrament Teacher Training School, then obtained a bachelor of science degree in elementary education at Loyola University in New Orleans.
She attained a master’s degree in elementary education from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and completed post-graduate studies in administration at the University of Southern Mississippi - Long Beach.
In 1950, Sister Margaret began teaching at St. Joseph School in Gretna. She spent the next 12 years at Blessed Sacrament School at Birmingham, Alabama, then a year at St. Theresa of Avila School in Gonzales. She taught 13 years at Our Lady of Victories School in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and ended her teaching career at Our Mother of Peace School in Church Point as a teacher and religion coordinator.
In addition to teaching, Sister Margaret was principal for 18 years in the aforementioned schools in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi.
Sister Margaret was elected to the MHS Council and served as Assistant Major Superior and treasurer for the Congregation from 1985-1993 and 1997-2005. She is currently serving on the MHS administrative team and is the supervisor of the MHS Altar Bread Department. She chaired the MHS Special Events Committee and did catering for community jubilee celebrations and other special event.
Sister Margaret is very active in her home parish of St. Leo IV in Roberts Cove, where she is a member of the Parish Council, Catholic Daughters, Our Lady’s Altar Society, is a Eucharistic Minister and the coordinator of the summer religion program.
She is also a member of the Germanfest Association and volunteers many hours to assist in the German Heritage Museum, co-chairs the Festival’s outdoor Sunday Liturgy and participates in the Threshing Demonstration.
In her free time, Sister Margaret attends senior citizen horticultural classes, is an active member of the Louisiana Society for Horticultural Research (ULL) and enjoyed vegetable and flower gardening.

Tourist Commission discusses upcoming activities

Wed, 09/27/2017 - 3:27pm
Steve Bandy, Rayne Acadian-Tribune
Wednesday, September 27, 2017

crowley - There are a lot of activities coming up in Acadia Parish, not the least of which are the 23rd annual Germanfest and the 81st International Rice Festival.
Those events and others were noted during the September meeting of the Acadia Parish Convention and Visitors Commission Thursday, Sept. 21.
The Germanfest, to be held on the grounds of St. Leo IV Catholic Church in Roberts Cove on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 7 and 8, will again this year honor original families who settled in Roberts Cove — the Arnold Joseph Janssen family, the Joseph Hubert Knipping family and the John Ferdinand Stamm Sr. family.
Gwen Hanks, director, told commissioners that hotels in the area were filling up fast in advance of the Oct. 19-22 Rice Festival in Crowley, good news for the tourism board, which is funded primary through Hotel Occupancy Taxes collected across the parish.
Highlighting the Rice Festival are the Children’s Parade on Friday, Oct. 20, and the Grand Parade on Saturday, Oct. 21.
Suzette Leonards, representing the city of Rayne on the board, noted that the annual KBON Music Festival will be held in Rayne at the Frog Festival Pavilion on Oct. 6-8.
“This is the same weekend as the Germanfest, but we’ve found that they don’t really detract from each other,” Leonards said.
Proceeds from the KBON event are donated to the Downs Syndrome Association of Acadiana.
Darlene Guidry, representing the town of Church Point, announced a “Cajun French Speaking Day” to be held Saturday, Sept. 30, at Le Vieux Presbytere Museum in Church Point.
The event, from 9:30 a.m. until noon, is a unique opportunity for people of all ages to practice or learn Cajun French, to enjoy a cup of coffee and a pastry, and to tour Le Vieux Presbytere, according to Guidry.
Admission is free and open to the general public.
Le Vieux Presbytere is located at 205 Rue Iry Lejeune in Church Point.
Fran Bihm, director of the Rayne Chamber of Commerce, told commissioners about the upcoming “OST Day” to be observed on Nov. 4.
The event will be staged on and around The Depot Square in downtown Rayne with activities to include displays of wagons, buggies, antique cars and more, according to Bihm.
“We’re celebrating the Old Spanish Trail and we have a lot of things planned for the day,” Bihm said.
Bart Wild of Crowley, member-at-large, said the OST celebration “has the potential to tie in with the whole parish” as it centers around U.S. Highway 90 — formerly known as the Old Spanish Trail.
Charlotte Jeffers, chairwoman and representative of the city of Crowley, added that she and Bihm had discussed the project earlier and that she plans to begin steps to have Crowley proclaimed an “Official OST City,” as Rayne was two years ago.
It was also noted that the city of Jennings also has expressed interest in that designation.
Jeffers also announced a new event to be held in Crowley on Wednesday, Sept. 27 — Palettes and Pinots, a fundraiser for the newly revitalized Crowley Art Association.
The event, to be held at Crowley City Hall, will showcase Cajun cuisine from several local vendors who have donated their talents and time, local art, fine wine and live music by The Specklers.
There also will be a silent auction throughout the evening which will include art donated by CAA members as well as three big-ticket items — a progressive dinner, a guided deer hunt and a beach trip.
Tickets are $25 a person and are available at the Crowley Chamber of Commerce and at the Crowley Art Association on North Parkerson Avenue.
Both Rayne and Crowley will host Halloween events at the end of the month.
Rayne’s annual Fright Fest will be held at the Rayne Civic Center Halloween night while Crowley’s Witchy Way will be held along North Parkerson Avenue from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. that afternoon.
Other upcoming activities announced during the meeting included:
• Rayne Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 14, at The Depot Square;
• Rayne Chamber of Commerce First Responders Appreciation Breakfast (date to be announced);
• Memorial Day Program at the Rice Theater in Crowley;
• Juried art competition in Crowley (date to be announced).
In other business during the session, the commission adopted a marketing plan for 2018.

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