Joan Courmier Horr

On October 24, 1941, in Lafayette, Louisiana, Edna Judice and John Hylon Courmier welcomed the birth of Joan, their second daughter. In high school, Joan played trombone in the marching band and as well as several trombone trios. As a senior, she played in the first Lafayette High School Girl’s Football Bowl game. Joan received a National Merit Scholarship and graduated with honors from Lafayette Senior High School in 1959.

Joan attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana. During her years at USL, Joan continued to pursue her love of music by playing in the band. She participated in the Newman Club and served as an officer in the Bacteriology Club. A skilled and diligent undergraduate student, Joan assisted the Chemistry Department’s Dr. Jerome Edelson with a grant from the Louisiana division of the American Cancer Society. The research grant’s title was “Preparation and Biological Activity of N-Methyl Asparagine and N-Benzyl Asparagine”. Joan graduated USL in 1963 with the degree of Bachelor of Science.

After university, Joan taught general science, biology, and chemistry in public and Catholic high schools in Lafayette, Louisiana. She married Louis E. Horr in 1964, and they moved to Houston, Texas, in 1970.

Joan continued her education in Houston, graduating from the University of Houston in 1985 with a Masters of Social Work. Joan used her knowledge of social work to help others while employed Catholic Charities and Ben Taub County Hospital. Joan retired from the Harris County Hospital District. On May 30, 2021, she and Louis celebrated their fifty-seventh wedding anniversary.

It was not all work and no play for Joan. She loved to garden and to shop. She also painted, and several of her works grace her home and the homes of her children.

Two of Joan’s many outstanding qualities were her smile and her strong, active Catholic faith. She was a member of St. Jerome Catholic Church, the Catholic Daughters, and the Secular Franciscan Order. While in hospice care at home, Joan drew strength from her faith. She often prayed the Rosary and the Act of Contrition, asking for the Virgin Mary’s intercession and for God’s loving mercy. Joan passed away peacefully at home with her husband at her side.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Edna and John Courmier, and two sisters, Barbara Webre and Sandra Flake. Joan is survived by her husband, Louis Horr; her three sons, Louis Eugene Horr Sr. and wife Gilda, Paul Eric Horr and wife Daphne, and Peter John Horr; and her three daughters, Katrina Marie and husband Mark Chance, Karen Elizabeth and husband Kenneth McCain, Aimee Katherine and husband Jose Andrade. Joan is also survived by two sisters, Jane Andrews and husband Bobby, and Sue Gilbert. Eleven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren blessed Joan’s life: Ena Muñoz, Scarlett Rose, Christopher Chance, Adrienne Chance, Andrea Horr, Peter John Horr, Danielle Horr, Kaylee Horr, Miguel Andrade, Gabriel Horr, Raphael Horr, Finley Rose, and Aria Muñoz.

Visitation with the family began at 5:00pm followed by The Rosary at 7:00pm on Tuesday, June 29, 2020, in the Fr. Raye Center at St. Jerome Catholic Church, 8825 Kempwood Drive in Houston, 77080.

The Funeral Mass was held at 10:00am on Wednesday, June 30 in the Activity Center at St. Jerome Catholic Church, 2749 Hollister, with Rev. Msgr. Dan Scheel as celebrant.

The Rite of Committal took place at 10:30am on Thursday, July 1 at Houston National Cemetery, 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive, 77038.