Mary L. Charles

St. Martinville - Funeral services will be held at 12 Noon., on Monday, March 8, 2010, at Notre Dame Catholic Church in St. Martinville, for Mary L. ;Charles, 79, who passed away on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at Methodist Hospital in Houston, TX. Interment will follow at Queen of Peace Cemetery in St. Martinville. Father Augustinus Seran, SVD will officiate at the Funeral Mass. Scriptures will be read by Jaime Strange and Trudy Linden-Craft. The Gift Bearers will be Racquel Charles, Lanetta Mills, Natalie Powell, Tochara Monique Hurst. Mrs. Charles was an educator in the St. Martin Parish School System for 37 years until she retired, and served on the local board of the AARP and NAACP. In her free time she was a caregiver to the community, volunteering her time to the elderly. She was affectionately known as Mrs. Charles and Miss Cush-Cush, she was also lovingly called Aunt Mary and Miss May-loon, by many. Survivors include four sons, Arthur J. Landry (Goldie), of Memphis, TN, Leonard Charles, of St. Martinville, Steven Charles, Sr. (Stephanie), of Lafayette, and Lucas E. Charles, of St. Martinville; two daughters, Charlene J. Jefferson (Arthur), and Charlotte J. Black (Theodore), all of Houston TX; three sisters, Daisy Pierre (William Pierre, Sr.), Virginia Menard, and Stella Linden, all of Houston, TX; 11 grandchildren; and 19 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Lennet Charles; one son, Jules B. Charles; her parents, Euzebe and Georgiana Lewis; two brothers, Wilfred Lewis, Sr. and Joseph Lewis, Sr.; and three sisters, Edna Francois, Georgiana Ambrose, and Syria L. Patterson. The family requests that visiting hours be observed at the funeral home from 7 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. on Monday. A rosary will be recited at 9 a.m. on Monday. Pallbearers will be Keith Matthews, Sir C. Black, Jules Bernard Hurst, Paris M. Hurst, Jarvis Martin, and Malik Charles. Pellerin Funeral Home of St. Martinville is in charge of arrangements.