Kathleen Levingston

Kathleen Bordelon Levingston, Ph.D., of Lake Charles, Louisiana died peacefully Tuesday, October 15, 2014 surrounded by her grandchildren—leaving a remarkable legacy of dignity, hard work, and tenacious love. She was born to Henry Hamilton and Annie Esther Lyons Bordelon on March 7, 1922 in Lake Charles, Louisiana, the first of six children.

By the age of 17 she influenced her entire family—siblings, grandparents and parents—to attend church consistently. She met Ernest Lee Levingston, her husband of 69 years at a church Training Union, and they eventually became charter members of Trinity Baptist Church of Lake Charles. Later in life they joined the First United Methodist church of Lake Charles.

Kathleen graduated from Lake Charles High School and enrolled as a student in McNeese State College’s first class of 1939. She completed a Bachelor of Science degree in French and English at Louisiana State University in 1944, and returned to LSU to complete doctorates in French and English in 1959—the first woman to receive a Ph. D. in foreign languages at LSU. She taught English and French in the Calcasieu Parish School system and later became Supervisor for English and Foreign languages for the parish.

Kathleen, with her husband, raised and showed quarter horses, traveled the world, and built authentic Acadian homes. She produced masterful needlepoint art pieces, threw imaginative parties, and surrounded herself with loyal friends—playing bridge and mahjong weekly, exulting when she won pennies. She taught her children and grandchildren to read, to respect education, to appreciate beautiful things, to see the world as a grand creation, and to nurture family closeness.

Kathleen and Ernest had three children—David Levingston, Jeanne Levingston Owens (husband James), and James Levingston—five grandchildren—Ken, Ryan, and Paul Levingston, Jesse Kathleen Woltz Lambert (husband David), and Evelyn Levingston Malone (husband Michael)—and five great grandchildren—Rebecca and Gabriel Levingston, Davis, Grant, and Mary Ellen Kathleen Lambert.

Kathleen, 92, was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Levingston, son David Levingston, a sister Marion Bordelon Brumley, two brothers Henry H. Bordelon, Jr. and William “Billy” Bordelon. She is survived by sisters Alma Lee Bordelon Pitman and Faye Bordelon Winslow, and many close cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Visitation is Wednesday October 22 from 4-8 PM at Hixson Funeral Home in Lake Charles; the funeral service is 10 AM Thursday, October 23 at First United Methodist Church in Lake Charles with visitation one hour prior to the service. Pall Bearers are Kenneth, Ryan, Paul and Lance “Hopper” Levingston, David Lambert, and Michael Malone. Burial follows at Graceland Cemetery in Lake Charles. Donations may be made in lieu of flowers to the Kathleen and/or Ernest Levingston Scholarship funds through the McNeese State University Foundation. Words of remembrance may be noted at www.hisxonfuneralhomes.com.