Altha Lee Chargois Kennedy

Funeral Services will be held at a 10:30 am Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, June 4, 2010 in the Delhomme Chapel of the Flowers for Altha Lee Chargois Kennedy, 94, who passed away on May 30, 2010 at her residence. Very Rev. Msgr. Richard Greene, VE, Pastor, Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in New Iberia will be the celebrant of the mass and will conduct the services. Lectors will be Claire Ripley Gentry and Richard Kennedy, III. Gift bearers will be Courtney Yingling, Jennifer Yingling, and Nathaniel Gentry. Eulogist will be Elizabeth Ripley Yingling and Charles A. Chargois. Private graveside services will take place in the Lafayette Masonic Cemetery in the family plot. Altha Lee Chargois Kennedy was born on September 19, 1915 at her parents' home at 309 Polk Street, Lafayette, LA. She was the oldest of three children ' Paul William ('Shag') and J. C. Chargois, Jr. who were her brothers. She loved that house, as it held so many memories. It was the setting of the beginning of recreation in Lafayette, as well as the location of many local and civic projects and political meetings. Her mother, Louise Chargois, was very active in civic affairs, and was known as the 'Mother of Recreation' in Lafayette. Her father, J. Cas Chargois, was Lafayette's second City Marshall, served as Sheriff of Lafayette Parish, and was the first Juvenile Officer in Lafayette. He operated the first and only swimming pool in this area, located not far from his home site at Chargois Springs, now the location of the American Legion Hall. Her mailing address never changed, as she continued to receive her mail at 309 Polk St. until the time of her death. Mrs. Kennedy was a known historian of the history of Lafayette, its residents, as well as buildings, events, and politics of the early 1900's. She was amazed at the growth of Lafayette from 5,000, when she was young, to its present population. Mrs. Kennedy ('Dearie' to her family) began school at the old Southside School, which was only one-half block from her home. In later years, it was demolished and replaced by the now vacant Federal Building at the corner of E. Main and Jefferson St. A graduate of Lafayette High (now Lafayette Middle School), she enrolled at SLI (now ULL) and was a member of the local Phi Delta Epsilon Sorority; Glee Club and SLI Quartet. When she was a young girl, her mother formed the Rosebud Club to provide entertainment for boys and girls from the community. Many years later, Mrs. Kennedy formed the Junior Rosebud Club, many of whose members were the children of the original club's membership. She planned all the meetings and social events and parents helped chaperone the parties. Mrs. Kennedy was an employee of Sun Oil Company, one of the first oil companies to locate in Lafayette in the early 1930's. She worked there as a personal secretary to J. W. Francisco for 30 years. She was also a Sun News Reporter, reporting office news, as well as 'Cajun stories'. After retiring from Sun Oil, she worked with her brother in the decorating business for four years, after which she resigned to care for her parents. She was co-founder of the Mt. Carmel Mother's Club Plays in the 1940's and, as a character in the play, decided to use the Cajun accent that evolved into the character, Mme. Telesphore Boudreaux. She entertained at many local, state and out of state conventions, meetings and parties. In 1966, as Mme. Telesphore Boudreaux, she went to Washington D.C. to act and direct the 'crowning' of Queen Ada Moss de Franceaux, whose husband was that year's King of the Washington Mardi Gras. No one was free from her 'Cajun questions.' She was a self-taught seamstress and made many of her daughter's clothes. Her prized accomplishment was the designing and making of her daughter's Mardi Gras ball gowns. She adored her three grandchildren. Her grandson lives in Lafayette and her granddaughters lived in Texas and Oklahoma. The girls visited her for several weeks in the summers. She loved to share stories and have adventures with the grandchildren, and delighted in retelling about the love and laughter they shared during those times. Christmas and Easter were very special to her. Easter was exceptional because she would have the Easter Egg Hunt in her spacious yard. She enjoyed watching her 'loves' search for eggs until they outgrew that stage. But the traditional Easter Egg Hunt continued with her great-grandchildren. One of her pleasures was cutting the grass on her riding mower with her straw hat, gloves, baggy pants, and no interruptions. She always said: 'God and I talk with each other and I am so at peace.' Another pleasure was to entertain at luncheons and family dinners, as she was an excellent cook and hostess. She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard R. Kennedy, Sr., her parents, Louise Judice and J. Cas Chargois, and one brother, Paul William Chargois. Mrs. Kennedy is survived by her daughter, Altha Lee Kennedy Ripley, and her husband, William; her son, Richard R. Kennedy, and his wife, Judy; her three grandchildren: Elizabeth Ripley Yingling, Claire Ripley Gentry, and Richard R. Kennedy, III; and six great-grandchildren: Courtney and Jennifer Yingling, Nathaniel and Caroline Gentry, and Jillian and Reed Kennedy; and her brother, J. C. Chargois, Jr. She will be remembered by many whose lives she touched with her kind, handwritten messages of congratulations, comfort and prayerful support. She was a member of Our Lady of Wisdom Parish and was devoted to Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos. Pallbearers will be her grandson, Richard R. Kennedy III, her nephews, Edward E. Chargois, Paul W. Chargois, Jr., Charles A. Chargois, and her grandsons-in-law, Brian Yingling and Spencer Gentry. Musical selections will include Schumann's Traumeri, Ave Maria, The Lord's Prayer, On Eagle's Wings, and Going Home. Musicians will be Jimmy and Tommy Benoit. Vocalists will be the James Sisters and Dave Domingue. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that charitable contributions be made in Mrs. Kennedy's memory to the National Shrine of Blessed Father Francis Xavier Seelos, 2030 Constance Street, New Orleans, LA 70130; the Advertiser Milk Fund, P.O. Box 52763, Lafayette, LA 70505, or the Carmelite Monastery, 1250 Carmel Drive, Lafayette, LA 70501. The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Delhomme Funeral Home of Lafayette on Thursday from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm and will continue on Friday from 8:00 am until time of services. Personal condolences may be sent to the Kennedy family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com. Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, is in charge of funeral arrangements.

Altha Lee Chargois Kennedy

September 19, 1915 - May 30, 2010