Diana Paniello "Dee" Simon

A Memorial Mass will be held at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, February 1, 2017, at St. Mary Mother of the Church, 419 Doucet Road, Lafayette, for Diana "Dee" Paniello Simon, 72, who passed away peacefully at her residence on Friday, January 27, 2017, surrounded by family and loved ones. The family requests that visitation be observed from 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2017 and will resume at 8:00 am on Wednesday, February 1, 2017 until time of services at Fountain Memorial Funeral Home in Lafayette. A Private Inurnment will be held at a later date. Reverend Edward Degeyter will be the Celebrant of the Memorial Mass. Con-Celebrant will be Reverend Harold J. Trahan, the Pastor of St. Mary Mother of the Church. Lectors will be Dr. Lizabeth Clarke and the Honorable Frances M. Bouillion. Gift bearers will be Ashley Fife, Lauren Fitts, Angelica Cortez Simon and Lindsay Simon. Dee was born at the Naval Hospital at Pensacola Naval Air Station on June 11, 1944 and grew up in Ybor City and Tampa, Florida. At age 16, she entered the convent to become a nun with the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. Upon leaving the convent in 1970, Dee taught high school in the Tampa area for a brief period before she entered Tulane University Law School in January 1971. In January 1972, she married Lawrence P. Simon, Jr., a fellow law student. Dee transferred to LSU Law School in the spring of 1973 and graduated in 1974 as a member of the Order of the Coif, ranked fifth in her class. She began her career clerking for Judges Lucien C. Bertrand, Jr., Allen M. Babineaux and Douglas J. Nehrbass of the Fifteenth Judicial District Court. She later joined the law firm of Allen & Gooch, where she was proud to have been mentored by Raymond Allen. In 1979, Dee and her friend from law school, attorney Paula Woodruff, founded the law firm of Simon & Woodruff, where they practiced together for 10 years, specializing in family law. Thereafter, Dee clerked for Judges Edward D. Rubin, Douglas J. Nehrbass and Ronald D. Cox of the Fifteenth Judicial District Court. She was appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court as an Ad Hoc Judge for the Fifteenth Judicial District Court, where she served for 11 months. She was subsequently appointed by the Judges of the Fifteenth Judicial District as the Commissioner of the Court, a position she held for over five years. After retiring from the Court, Dee was appointed by Governor Kathleen Blanco to Chair the Louisiana Department of Corrections Parole Board where she served for four years. Following her tenure, Dee enjoyed being a full time wife, mother and grandmother. She took special pleasure in caring for her two granddaughters, Pilar and Carmen; and her godchild, Christopher E. "Zeke" Mouton. Dee is survived by her husband Lawrence P. Simon, Jr.; her sons, Dr. Lawrence M. Simon and his wife, Lindsay, and Paul B. Simon and his wife, Angelica and their daughters, Pilar Evangeline, Carmen Adele and a precious baby girl due in February; and her beloved godchild, Zeke. Dee is also survived by her brother, Mariano G. Paniello and his wife, Linda and his son, Mariano E.; her sister, Eleanor Paniello and her son, Benjamin; her nieces, Lauren Fitts and her husband, David and their son, and Ashley Fife and her husband, Farris and their children. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Mariano Paniello and Lodie Shively Paniello Hamilton; her brother, Alfonso Paniello, and her sister, Carolyn Paniello Walker. She was especially close to her paternal grandmother, Leonor Paniello, who immigrated to the United States from Spain and her beloved aunt, "Tia Nena". Dee was a remarkable and loving person and an accomplished lawyer and jurist. She was a pioneer and role model and an inspiration to all who knew her. Dee leaves an exemplary legacy of service and passionate commitment to her core values, especially caring for the poor, the powerless and the dispossessed. She will be missed by her many close friends, among them are the members of the "Room Mothers' Club". All will particularly miss her joie de vivre, her spectacular irreverent sense of humor and her vivid exuberant language. Pallbearers will be Dr. Kenneth Bouillion, Dr. Drew Clarke, Albert "Bud" Forrest, Ralph Linn, Reid Linn and Edward Pratt. Honorary pallbearers are Governor Kathleen Blanco, Raymond Blanco, Vedegra Brooks, Joseph "Rocky" Derouselle, Agnes Durel, Farris Fife, David Fitts, David Johnson, Harriet G. Magruder, Dr. Kenneth McCarron, Christopher E. "Zeke" Mouton and Calvin Woodruff. The family wishes to thank the physicians and staff of M.D. Anderson Medical Center, the staff of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Heart of Hospice and especially Dr. Kenneth McCarron, for the compassionate care given to Dee. In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution may be made to the charity of your choice or in Dee's memory, please perform an act of kindness for someone this week. Personal condolences may be sent to the family at www.fountainmemorialfuneralhome.com. Fountain Memorial Funeral Home and Cemetery, 1010 Pandora St., (337) 981-7098 is in charge of arrangements.