Emma Louise Melancon

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, September 17, 2007, in the Little Red Church on Highway 182 in Sunset, LA for Emma Carson Melancon, 90, who passed away peacefully Thursday, September 13, 2007 at her residence. The Rev. Burt Langley, pastor, will conduct the funeral services and great grand-son and Youth Minister T. J. Guidry will a participant in the eulogy. Our beloved Emma will be laid to rest beneath an old cypress tree, found in her ancestral cemetery behind the Little Red Church where Emma grew up worshiping along side her family on Sundays. Born June19, 1917 in Sunset, LA, the third of nine children to Clarence Millard Carson and Beulah Pefferkorn. After completing her education at Louisiana Tech, she married Warren Kenneth Hornsby and had three daughters. After the untimely death of her first husband, she remarried Desire Ray Melancon and had one daughter, and became a step mother to two daughters and one son. She and Ray enjoyed a loving marriage for ten years until Ray's death in 1966. Emma's faith led her to First Baptist Church of Lafayette, LA where she was employed as the hostess of the growing congregation. Her love for reading and literature then led her to The Daily Advertiser where she was the proof reader of the newspaper for many years. On occasion she would substitute teach at St. Genevieve Elementary School, following the tradition of her family and its long line of educators. For most of her life she was a member of First Baptist Church and attended Sunday school faithfully. Emma is survived by a brother, Clarence 'Kit' Carson, of Lafayette; daughters, Mel Hornsby Naumann and husband, Jack Naumann, of Broussard, Bobbie Hornsby Guidry and husband, Wildon Guidry, of Vatican, Rhonda Melancon Lynch and husband, Scott Lynch, of Pineville; a step-daughter, Delores Melancon Hollis, of Mississippi; a step-son, Albert Melancon and wife, Merle Melancon, of Arkansas; grandchildren, Shanna Naumann Higginbotham and husband, James Higginbotham, of Lafayette, Shawn Naumann Stevens and husband, Eric Stevens, of Lake Charles, Shelly Naumann Bond and husband, D. Keith Bond, of Broussard, Tony Guidry, of Vatican, Charles Guidry of Eunice, Kevin Guidry and wife, Michelle Guidry, of Vatican, Dirk Deshotels, of Lafayette, Shane Deshotels and wife, Monique Deshotels, of Lafayette, Lauren Martin Wiggins and husband, Garrett Wiggins, of Arizona, Leah Martin, of Lafayette, and Erin Lynch, of Pineville; and sixteen great-grandchildren. In addition to her parents and husbands, Emma was preceded in death by her daughter, Fern Hornsby Deshotels; step-daughter, Bobbie Jean Melancon Hare; five sisters; and two brothers. Pallbearers will be Clarence 'Kit' Carson, Kevin Guidry, Shane Deshotels, T. J. Guidry, Trevor Guidry, and Ross Higginbotham. Honorary pallbearer Corporal Thai Guidry, stationed at Camp David in Maryland will be unable to attend services. The family requests that visitation be observed Monday from 9 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at Delhomme Funeral Home on Bertrand. Perry Sanders will conclude visitation with a closing prayer. The family would like to thank the staff of Camelot for their care and compassion. Personal condolences may be sent to the Melancon family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com. Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette is in charge of arrangements.

Emma Louise Melancon

June 19, 1917 - September 13, 2007