Marian Toups

Marian Cocke Toups died in the early morning Thursday, Dec. 26, 2013, at the age of 87, after a years-long battle with Alzheimer's disease.
A joint memorial service will be held for Donald and Marian Toups at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 15, 2014, at St. John's Episcopal Church in Thibodaux. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery in Thibodaux.
She is survived by her three children, Elizabeth, Maria, and Don, and their families.
Marian was born in Wichita Falls, Texas. She moved to Natchitoches as a child, where she studied music and foreign languages at Northwestern University. As part of her degree program, Marian studied in both Saltillo, Mexico, and Chicago, and held fond memories of those experiences throughout her life.
In her early 20s Marian accepted a teaching position at Terrebonne High School. During her early years in South Louisiana, Marian's foreign language experience and her interest in other cultures helped her to understand Cajun language and customs. Those same interests likely helped Marian to understand Donald Toups, a Raceland native, to whom she was married from 1959 until her death.
Marian was sweet, affectionate, compassionate, and generous. When circumstances demanded it, she could also be persistent, intractable, and a tough negotiator. As a teacher in Houma and later in Thibodaux, she was passionate about helping her students to grow and succeed, and she refused to accept the status quo if the status quo did not serve students' interests.
As a parent, Marian instilled in her children a curiosity about the world and encouraged them to consider what possibilities might exist beyond those that were immediately visible.
Marian will be missed by her children, grandchildren, and others who knew her and loved her.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in her name to the Louisiana Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. More information is available at http://www.alz.org/louisiana/in_my_community_donate.asp.
E.J. Fielding Funeral Home in Covington is in charge of arrangements.