Melba Duchamp

St. Martinville - A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 am, on Saturday, September 8, 2012, at St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church in Saint Martinville, for Melba Marie Durand Duchamp, 91, who passed away on Thursday, September 6, 2012, at her residence in St. Martinville surrounded by her family. The family requests that visiting hours be observed at the funeral home from 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm on Friday and continue at 8:00 am until 9:30 am on Saturday. A rosary will be recited at 7:00 pm on Friday. Rev. Rusty P. Richard will officiate at the Funeral Mass. Music will be provided by Pat Melancon. Readers will be Jennifer Landry and Richard Duchamp. Gift Bearers will be Chelsea, Tatum, Michelle, Elizabeth and Rebecca. Interment will follow at St. Michael Cemetery in Saint Martinville. Melba was a very warm and loving person, who always welcomed company, her sisters, friends, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren sitting around the dinner table having coffee and visiting with everyone. She was a great friend to her childrens friends as they were growing up. Melba enjoyed baking and decorating and was an avid reader especially mystery and romance novels. Mom had her regular schedule of reciting the Fifteenth Prayer of St. Bridget in the morning and her daily rosary in the evening. Survivors include her three daughters, Peggy Duchamp Marler, Catherine Duchamp Barras and her husband, Chris Barras and Sylvia Duchamp Sands, all of Lafayette, LA; her four sons, Thomas Duchamp and his wife, Linda Timmel, of Seattle, Washington, Emile 'Buddy J. Duchamp, Jr. of Carencro, LA , Charles J. Duchamp and his wife, Cheryll Judice of Youngsville, LA , and Richard N. Duchamp and his wife Jolene Louviere of Broussard, LA ; her fourteen grandchildren, Sean Marler of Tampa, Florida, Chad Marler of New Iberia, LA, Christopher J. Barras, Jennifer B. Landry and her husband, Stephen Landry of Lafayette, LA, Elizabeth B. Lane and her husband, Matthew Lane, of Youngsville, LA, Rebecca B. Montesano and her husband, Nick Montesano of Scott, LA, Michelle Sands of New Orleans, LA, Emile 'Dylan' J. Duchamp, III, Mason Duchamp of New Iberia, LA, Tatum D. Smith and her husband, Kevin Smith, Chelsea Duchamp of Baton Rouge, LA , Michael Duchamp of Youngsville, LA and Nicholas Duchamp and Joshua Duchamp of Broussard, LA; her twelve great-grandchildren, Luke Marler, Myra Marler, Ainsley Landry, Emma Landry, Andrew Landry, Samantha Lane, James Lane, Caroline Montesano, Katelynn Montesano, Alana Smith, Colin Smith and Taigan Duchamp; her ;five sisters, Grace Durand Bienvenu, Celine Durand Willis, Rita Durand Voorhies, Doris Durand Zappi, Emelina Durand Wetzel; one brother, Larry Durand, her sister in law, Florence Allen Durand and her brother-in-law, Art Landman. She is preceded in death by her adoring husband, Emile Joseph Duchamp; her parents, Leonce Durand, Sr. and Louella Wiltz Durand; one brother, Leonce Durand, Jr., and two sisters, Frances Durand Landman and Marie Claire Durand Gahn; her brothers-in-law, Ludger Bienvenu, Burton Willis, Marcus Zappi, Thomas Voorhies, Rodney Wetzel, and Robert Gahn. Pallbearers will be Dylan Duchamp, Nicholas Duchamp, Michael Duchamp, Joshua Duchamp, Chad Marler, and Mason Duchamp. The family would like to extend a special thank you to her caregivers, Liz Riddle and Liz Blanchard, who came to the home numerous times to fix Moms hair. We would also like to thank Paramont Hospice and Griswold Special Care Services for the wonderful care of our mother. We would like to thank Dr. Phillip Perrett for his care of Mom the last 25 years. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be sent in her memory to St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church Pew Restoration Fund, P. O. Box 10, St. Martinville, LA 70582. Pellerin Funeral Home of St. Martinville, 112 New Market St., Saint Martinville, Louisiana 70582, (337-332-2111) is in charge of arrangements. To view on-line obituary, sign guestbook and , go to www.pellerinfuneralhome.com