Mary Richard

1935 - 2014

Mary Jane Fontenot Richard

LAFAYETTE - Funeral services will be held, Tuesday, July 15, 2014, at a 1:00 PM Mass of Christian Burial in La Chapelle de Martin and Castille Funeral Home for Mary Jane Fontenot Richard, who died after a brief illness on Friday, July 11, 2014 at Lafayette General Hospital surrounded by her family.

Reverend Daniel Edwards, Pastor, St. Jules Catholic Church in Lafayette, will be the Celebrant of the Mass and will conduct the memorial services. Entombment will be in St. John's Cathedral Mausoleum.

Jane was born in Port Barre, LA on March 1, 1935 to Roosevelt and Mable Wyble Fontenot and began life as a victim of polio. Although crippled, Jane had a full and joyful childhood in Port Barre where she would later meet her high school sweetheart and future husband. After marriage, Jane and Sylvan moved to Lafayette to attend Southwestern Louisiana Institute (ULL) where Jane received a BS degree in Education. She taught 5th grade in the Lafayette Parish School system for over 10 years before retiring due to struggles with her polio. After retirement, Jane continued to lead a very full life raising her three children and supporting and traveling with her husband to many wonderful places. She was an avid seamstress, sewing clothes and quilts for grandchildren, nieces and nephews. In her later years, Jane wouldn't hesitate to climb aboard her scooter and into her van to shop or play cards with friends or to spend time with her family - her favorite past time.

Left to cherish her memories are her husband of 58 years, Sylvan Richard; two daughters both of Lafayette, Rachel Ortego and her husband, Errol, and Janet Wood and her husband, Chuck; one son, Jeff and his fiancé Tamy of Longview, Texas; seven grandchildren, Jennifer Luquette and her husband Brent, Megan Guidry and her husband Derek, John Michael Morein, Baylea Wood, Amanda Rivera and her husband Samuel, Madason Cook and her husband Bo and Emilie Richard. She is also survived by 5 great grandchildren, Kaylee, Alton, Brayden, Evelyn and Jasper and her sister, Lula Mae Devillier of Port Barre.

Jane was preceded in death by her parents Roosevelt and Mable Fontenot, and her brother Luna Fontenot.

The family would like to give special thanks to the 5th floor and ICU staff at Lafayette General Hospital and Dr. Gary Guidry and the entire medical team who took care of Jane during her brief illness.

Pallbearers will be Jeff Richard, Errol Ortego, Chuck Wood, John Michael Morein, Brent Luquette, Derek Guidry and Samuel Rivera.

The family requests that visitation be observed in Martin & Castille's DOWNTOWN location on Monday, July 14, 2014 from 4:00PM to 9:00PM and on Tuesday from 8:00 AM until time of service.

A Rosary will be recited on Monday at 6:30pm in Martin & Castille Funeral Home.

Donations can be made to Rotary Club of Lafayette in memory of Mrs. Mary Jane Richard for the Polio Plus Campaign to help eradicate this disease globally at P.O. Box 2023 Lafayette, LA 70502.

View the obituary and guestbook online at www.mourning.com <http://www.mourning.com/>

Martin & Castille-DOWNTOWN-330 St. Landry St., Lafayette, LA 70506, 337-234-2311