Connie Ann Woodruff Douglas

1944 - 2020

Connie Ann Woodruff Douglas, a 35-year-long educator and resident of Slidell, LA, passed January 14, 2020. Born March 7, 1944 in New Orleans, LA, to Edward and Agnes Amar Woodruff. Connie was a gifted child and a brilliant student, which led to her being promoted in primary school at Albert Wicker Elementary School and Corpus Christi Catholic Elementary School. At the age of 16, she graduated from Xavier Preparatory High School and enrolled in college at the Louisiana State University of New Orleans (LSUNO) from 1960-1964, receiving a Bachelor's degree in English. Connie married, became a wife and mother and joined the Orleans Parish teaching profession. In 1969, she would attain her Master's degree in Creole Literature from LSUNO and join its faculty in both New Orleans and Baton Rouge. In the early 1970's she was the first Black female stock broker at E.F. Hutton in which she worked for a few years and then eventually returning to the teaching profession. In 1998, she completed her dissertation on the Writer Kate Chopin, (Chopin's Vision: Interrogating Gender Roles of the Creole Female), earning her Ph.D in English Literary Theory from Tulane University. Her death comes as a devastating blow to all whose lives she touched. She leaves to mourn two sons, Gerard (Janell) Douglas and Gregory (Rhodesia) Douglas; eight grandchildren Jacques Douglas, Jaylen Douglas, Krystina Ticehurst, Heaven Douglas, Qur'an Douglas, G'ah Douglas, G'ai Douglas and Jasmine Saulsby; two great grandchildren Pierce and Sydney. She also leaves a host of relatives and friends. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church, 1923 St. Phillip Street on Friday, February 7, 2020 at 10:00 am. Visitation will begin at 9:00 am. Interment: Mount Olivet Cemetery. Arrangements by D.W. Rhodes Funeral Home, 3933 Washington Avenue. Please visit www.rhodesfuneral.com to sign the guestbook.