Lorena Marie James

St. Martinville - Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Saturday, March 14, 2009, in Pellerin Funeral Home Chapel, in St. Martinville, for Lorena Marie James, 77, who passed away on Monday, March 9, 2009 at Lafayette General Medical Center. Interment will follow at Praise & Worship Cemetery on Church Street, in St. Martinville. Her son, Pastor Vincent Benjamin and Pastor Tony Derouen will conduct the funeral service. Ms. James, while in high school, played basketball and volleyball and also served as her class president. She loved to Zydeco dance, solve crossword puzzles, watch t.v., read the bible, and she always enjoyed drinking a good cup of coffee. Her favorite times were the Sunday barbecue gatherings with her family. Survivors include three sons, Jessie Benjamin, Jr. (Philomene), William Benjamin (Ginger), and Vincent Benjamin, all of St. Martinville; seven daughters, Elizabeth Long, of Lafayette, Pauline Batiste (Felton), of St. Martinville, Catherine Benjamin, of Oklahoma City, OK, Geraldine Benjamin, Margaret Ledet (Arthur), all of St. Martinville; Carolyn Stewart (Wilson), of Lake Charles, and Mary Demouchet (Rene), of New Iberia; one sister, Irene Delacroix; 17 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Valerie Joan Benjamin; her parents, Arthur and Florence James; four brothers, Chester, Wilma, Doris and Elisa James; and five sisters, Pauline Batiste, Agnes Manuel, Evelyn Pierre, Eula James, and Inias James. The family requests that visiting hours be observed at the funeral home from 7 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. on Saturday. Pallbearers will be Kelly Long, Albert Hill, Craig Benjamin, Palmer James, Derick Long, and John Benjamin. Honorary pallbearers will be Nathan Long, Jr., Travis Benjamin, Joseph Comeaux, Darnell Benjamin, Marcus Benjamin, and Steven Batiste, Sr. Pellerin Funeral Home of St. Martinville is in charge of arrangements.