Wilma Lee Fore Melancon

St. Martinville - Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM, Monday, January 30, 2006, at St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church in St. Martinville for Wilma Lee Fore Melancon, 86, who died Friday, January 27, 2006 at Cornerstone South in Lafayette. Entombment will be in St. Michael Mausoleum in St. Martinville. Rev. Keith DeRouen will officiate the service. Mrs. Melancon graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in June 1942. Known by her students as "Miss Mel", she began her career as a teacher in the business department with the St. Martin Parish School Board and taught for 31 years, retiring in June 1977. Mrs. Melancon kept in touch with her students after graduation and recognized their accomplishments in the job force. She played a vital role in their job placement, and many businesses in the parish relied on her opinion of an individual before considering them for employment. She maintained an open door to all of her students even after retirement. She encouraged students to seek the best education that was available to them. She was instrumental in starting a program in St. Martin Parish, which gave students the opportunity to get into the workforce while still attending high school. She worked closely with the businesses in St. Martin Parish to find the perfect student to assist them and at the same time giving the students the opportunity of on the job training. The family wishes to thank Cornerstone South for all their care and assistance during her time with them. The family also wishes to thank Dr. Nathan Landry for the special care rendered to her during her stay at Cornerstone. While living in St. Martinville, Mrs. Melancon was very active with St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church in St. Martinville, as well as St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Parks, La., where she was project coordinator for their 50th anniversary celebration. Mrs. Melancon was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America, Louisiana Retired Teachers Association, AARP and LSU Alumni Association. Mrs. Melancon was known as "Mom" to her family and gave eternal love and guidance to her daughters and grandchildren. She will always be remembered as a loving, kind, inspirational and generous woman, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her greatest roll in life was inspiring those she loved to be the best that they could be. She will be deeply missed by her loving family, friends and students. Survivors include her daughters, Elaine M. "Lanie" Dennis and Kathryn M. Piccione and her husband, Peter C. Piccione, Jr., all of Lafayette; five grandchildren Richard J. Piccione, MD and his wife, Carol Ann, of Lafayette, Paul W. Piccione and his wife, Brooke, of Baton Rouge, David S. L. Dennis of Lafayette, Anne Kathryn Dennis Mouton, and her husband, Stephan, of Lafayette, and Mary Margaret Dennis Miller of Lafayette; six great-grandchildren, Caroline E. Piccione of Lafayette, Jackson P. Piccione of Lafayette, Ainsley N. Piccione of Baton Rouge, Andrew M. Mouton of Lafayette, Parker S. Mouton of Lafayette, and Claire E. Miller of Lafayette. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence Paul Melancon; her parents, Eula Mae and Dwight E. Fore, her brother, John D. Fore and two sisters, Velma Mae Fore Lindsey and Elaine Fore Roddy. The family request that visiting hours be observed from 1:00 pm - 9:00 pm Sunday, January 29, 2006 and continue at 8:00 am, Monday, January 30, 2006 until time of service. A rosary will be recited at 7:00 pm Sunday. Pallbearers will be Richard J. Piccione, MD, David S. L. Dennis, Paul W. Piccione, Stephan S. Mouton, US Congressmen Charles Melancon and Peter C. Piccione, Jr. In memory of Wilma, donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Assiciation, 128 Demanade Blvd., Lafayette, LA. 70503. Pellerin Funeral Home of St. Martinville is in charge of arrangements.