Local Obituaries
for Families in Lake Charles, Louisiana
Wanda Fern Grantham Vezinat
Feb 3, 2019
Wanda Fern Grantham Vezinat passed away on February 3, 2019 at the age of 73 in Landmark of Lake Charles Nursing Home. She will be greatly missed.
Wanda enjoyed spending time with her family, a good Cotton burger, reading and Lifetime movies.
Wanda is preceded in death by her mother, Christine Grantham and grandson Justin Breaux.
Those left to cherish...
Petra Radel
Feb 3, 2019
Petra Radel, 54, of Moss Bluff passed away unexpectedly at 10:18 AM on Sunday, February 3, 2019 in route to a local hospital.
Petra was born on February 18, 1964 in Cuxhaven, Germany where she graduated high school and resided until moving to the United States in 1996. She attained a degree in business and held positions for several businesses...
Auburn "Butch" Vincent
Feb 2, 2019
Auburn “Butch” Vincent, 77, passed away on February 2, 2019.
Mr. Vincent worked as the Garage Foreman for over 30 years for PPG before retiring with them. He loved and missed his job very much and was instrumental in the company’s production. Mr. Vincent was a master mechanic. He loved birds of prey, his cats, dogs, his pot belly pig,...
Joann Thorson Dimmick
Feb 1, 2019
Betty JoAnn Thorson Dimmick, called JoAnn, died on Friday, February 01, 2019 in a local hospital. Born January 20, 1930, at La Crosse, Wisconsin, she was the second child of Alvian Reynard Thorson and his wife Beatrice Anna “Babe” Houska. Most of her childhood was spent in Glen Rock, New Jersey, where she enjoyed being a Girl Scout. Her family...
Leo J. Wheeldon, Jr.
Feb 1, 2019
Leo (L.J.) Wheeldon, 83, passed away February 1, 2019, at his residence following a brief illness.
Mr. Wheeldon was born in Lake Charles, LA and lived many years in Lake Charles, LA, Kemah, TX, Houston, TX and Sulphur, LA, He was a graduate of Lake Charles High School, and attended McNeese State University and the University of Houston. Leo was...
Ruth Ingeborg May Niles
Jan 31, 2019
Ruth Ingeborg May Niles, 86, of Eunice, LA died Thursday, January 31, 2019 in a Eunice healthcare facility.
Mrs. Niles was born in Nurnberg, Germany where she was raised, educated and met and married her husband and love of her life, an American soldier, Josh Lee Niles. On their first date, Josh Lee rode a Harley Davidson motorcycle. Following the...

Lillie Mae Dickinson Burnett
Jan 31, 2019
Lillie Mae Dickinson Burnett passed away peacefully in her home on January 31, 2019. Born on May 9, 1929 in the Bayou D'Inde area, she was a lifelong resident of Sulphur, Louisiana. Lillie Mae retired from Olin Chemical in 1991 after 41 years in the accounting department. She was instrumental in obtaining electrical and telephone service for the Bayou D'Inde...
Robert Lee Mcdonald Ii
Jan 30, 2019
Robert Lee “Bobby” McDonald, II, 69, of Westlake died Wednesday, January 30, in a local hospital.
Mr. McDonald was born in Jennings, LA, lived many years in California and has lived most of his life in Westlake. He was a graduate of Westlake High School. He was also a 32nd Degree Master Mason. Bobby loved music. He was a talented...
Willie Seal Slaven
Jan 30, 2019
Mrs. Willie Seal Slaven, 87, of Sulphur, LA went home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on Wednesday, January 30, 2019.
Mrs. Slaven was born, raised and educated in Franklinton, LA. She was a graduate of Franklinton High School and continued vocational studies. She met and married her husband and began her life as a career Military...
Steven M. Harvey
Jan 30, 2019
Steven M. Harvey was born July 8, 1949 in La Crosse, WI to Harry Vernon and Doris Judith Harvey. He passed away after a quick battle with cancer on Wednesday, January 30, 2019.
Mr. Harvey proudly served his country in the U.S. Army in Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, U. S. Army Reserve, U. S. Coast Guard Reserve and...
Gretchen Raimer
Jan 30, 2019
Gretchen Yvette Freeman Raimer, 39, of Iowa, LA, passed away on Wednesday, January 30, 2019 in her residence.
Gretchen was born December 13, 1979 in York County, SC, where she lived most of her life until moving to the Lake Charles / Iowa area in 2003. She worked for ten years as a bail bondsman and worked in the portrait...
Kenneth Ray Oblanc
Jan 29, 2019
Kenneth Ray OBlanc, 58, passed away on January 29, 2019.
Kenneth was born in Kinder, LA and grew up in Lake Charles, LA. He was a graduate of Barbe High School and was an avid reader. Kenneth struggled with seizures since he was only 19 years old.
He is survived by his mother, Betty J. OBlanc; sister, Pam Hammond and...
Karen Watts Nichols
Jan 29, 2019
Karen Watts Nichols, 64, of Lake Charles passed away on Tuesday, January 29, 2019 in her residence.
Karen was born on September 24, 1954 in Lake Charles where she was a graduate of Lake Charles High School and resided in the Sulphur/Lake Charles area all of her life. She managed numerous local convenient stores and was shift manager for all...
Jerome Paul Leblanc
Jan 29, 2019
Jerome Paul LeBlanc, age 76, of Clovis, NM entered into the gates of Heaven on January 29, 2019 in Clovis. He was born on June 13, 1942 in Bell City, Louisiana to the home of Lenes and Agnes (LaCombe) LeBlanc. Jerome was a veteran of the United States Air Force. He was previously stationed at Cannon Air Force Base in...
James Wallace "Jim" Smith
Jan 28, 2019
James “Jim” Wallace Smith, 86, of Lake Charles, LA, died at 12:30 AM on Monday, January 28, 2019 in a local care facility.
Mr. Smith was born August 10, 1932 in Ashland, LA and has been a resident of Lake Charles for the past 57 years. He was a graduate of LaGrange High School and received his Associates degree from...
Jimmie W. "Red" Mcfatter
Jan 28, 2019
Jimmie William “Red” McFatter, 92, was called Home by his Lord and Savior on Monday, January 28, 2019.
Red was born in Hutton, Louisiana to Otis Jennings McFatter and Ethel Andrews McFatter. He was reared in Sugartown, moved to Lake Charles as a young man, and was a graduate of LaGrange High School. He served his country in the U....
Verna Mary Louviere
Jan 28, 2019
Verna Mary Louviere, 94, of Lake Charles, LA passed away on Monday, January 28, 2019 surrounded by her loving family. Verna was born on July 10, 1924 in Kinder, LA to Ralph and Anna Fontenot Thompson.
Verna was a member of the Catholic Daughters and her family were founding members of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church.
Verna loved...
Armond "A.B." Benoit
Jan 28, 2019
Armond “A. B.” Benoit, 81, of Lake Charles, LA, died on Monday, January 28, 2019 at a local hospital.
Mr. Benoit was born October 10, 1937 in Big Lake, LA and lived most of his life in the Lake Charles area. He retired from the Calcasieu Parish Drainage Board, where he worked as a heavy equipment operator. Mr. Benoit enjoyed...
Randie Lynne Spears
Jan 27, 2019
Randie Lynne Spears, 35, passed away on January 27, 2019.
Randie was raised in Las Vegas, NV and moved to Iowa, LA in 2008. She was a substitute teacher at Iowa Elementary and a member of Church of the King. She loved God and her family very much. Randie always wanted to help others. She is fondly remembered as a...
Charles Ray Minter
Jan 27, 2019
Charles Ray Minter, 87, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, died at 7 p.m. on Sunday, January 27, 2019, in the comfort of his home. He is now in Heaven with his Lord and Savior.
Mr. Minter was born in Ardmore, Oklahoma on September 2, 1931. He worked for years in the oilfield and retired from PPG Industries. He enjoyed barbecuing for...