Avis de décès : Mme Gail Marie St. Amand (Landreneau) (1953- - 2019-01-25)

Alexandria - Gail Marie St. Amand Landreneau, 65, of Alexandria, passed away on January 25, 2019, at 6:30AM surrounded by her family. Her father, James St. Amand Jr., precedes her in death. Gail leaves a legacy as varied as the talents of her six children. With unparalleled determination, Gail overcame significant physical limitations imposed by childhood polio. As a child and adolescent, she loved animals and proudly participated in cattle-showing competitions throughout the country and represented Louisiana in Washington, D.C. as Yambilee Queen. She finished as salutatorian of Opelousas High School and went on to major in medical technology at LSU where she finished at the top of her class. She was offered a position as a researcher at a prestigious LSU laboratory, and she also seriously considered going to veterinary school. Gail instead chose her own unique path in life, filled with her love of children. She met her future husband, Dr. Joseph W. Landreneau, in true southern Louisiana fashion at a crawfish boil in Maxie, LA. They went on to have six talented children and each of whom she was always incredibly proud. She was a devoted and indefatigable mother who was always present, challenging her children to be the best version of themselves. Her sixteen grandchildren she loved with the same devotion, traveling thousands of miles annually to be involved in all aspects of their lives. She always led by example and poured all of herself into whatever she did. Those things include at one time or another: managing one of the busiest cardiology practices in Central Louisiana, running swim meets and cross country meets as the go-to expert for logistics, teaching high school chemistry, baker of designer wedding cakes, and being the do-it-all person whom everyone in her life simply relied upon to get things done and done correctly. For any person who came into her home (and there were many!) she would adopt them as her own and make any sacrifice to ensure they were loved and cared for, and her word was her bond. Gail was a person of deep Catholic faith with a special devotion to Mary, and she enjoyed sharing her faith. In particular she enjoyed leading her grandchildren in prayer. She was a Lady Grand Cross of the Holy Order of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Her faith was a tremendous source of strength and comfort during her struggle with esophageal cancer, to which she ultimately succumbed. Gail leaves her husband Dr. Joseph W. Landreneau; children, J. Adrian Landreneau and wife, Rebecca, Dr. Eric Landreneau and wife, Rica, Chris Landreneau and wife, Sarah, Joseph P. Landreneau and wife, Kathryn, Dr. Mark Landreneau and wife, Margaret, and Elizabeth McHugh and husband, Paul; grandchildren, Marie Landreneau, Emily Landreneau, Reynard Landreneau, Thomas Landreneau, Daniel Landreneau, Sean Landreneau, Genevieve Landreneau, Declan Landreneau, Adam McHugh, Josephine Landreneau, Cora Landreneau, Allison McHugh, Eli Landreneau, Julie McHugh, Theodore Landreneau, and Erica Landreneau; mother, Marie Hardey; siblings, Ann Brasseux and husband, Ferdie; Ronald St. Amand and wife, Faye; Judy Reiners and husband, Karl; along with numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family members. A Mass of Christian Burial celebrating the life of Gail Marie Landreneau will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, January 29, 2019, at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church with Rev. Dan O'Connor and Rev. Derek Ducote officiating. Pallbearers include Gail's sons and her son-in-law Paul McHugh. Graveside Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, January 29, 2019, at Bellevue Memorial Park Mausoleum in Opelousas. Visitation will be held from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Monday, January 28, 2019, and resume from 8:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 29, 2019. Recitation of the Rosary will be Monday evening at 7 p.m. in the chapel of John Kramer & Son Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to MD Anderson Cancer Center and Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) in Birmingham, Alabama. To extend online notes of condolence to the Landreneau Family, please visit www.KramerFunerals.com.