Miriam Rita Durel

Miriam Ayala Durel, 87, a resident of Stafford, TX since 2005, passed away peacefully on April 14, 2011 at Vitas Hospice, Houston, TX surrounded by members of her family. Prior to moving to Texas in 2005, she was a native and long time resident of New Orleans, LA where she was an educator at St. Dominic’s School for many years. Miriam was the youngest child of the pre-deceased Louis R. Ayala, Sr. and Lelia Delores Campos of New Orleans and is preceeded in death by her loving husband of 43 years, Lambert G. Durel, Sr., siblings Melba Ayala Points, Ruby Ayala Fiegel and Louis R. Ayala, Jr., and her grandson David Allen Loup. She is survived by her three children and their spouses, son Lambert G. Durel, Jr. and wife Karen L. Durel of Houston, TX; daughter Janet Durel Loup and husband Randy M. Loup of Sugar Land, TX, and daughter Donna Durel Ward and husband Myron Ward of Metairie, LA, as well as grandchildren Michael D. Durel, USN of Honolulu, HI; Lambert G. Durel III of Las Vegas, NV; Randy M. Scanlon of Denver, CO; Erin Tracy Onstad of Abita Springs, LA; Jayne Tracy Waters of Atlanta, GA; Jason M. Loup of Orlando, FL; Courtney Ward of New Orleans, LA; Travis Ward and Ashleigh Ward of Hattisburg, MS, and great-granddaughters Lucy V. Durel, Sofie D. Durel and Molly E. Waters. The family would like to express its sincere gratitude to Dr. Cecilia Lowder and the staff of Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, St. Luke’s Hospital of Houston and Vitas Hospice Care of Houston, TX. Visitation will be held between the hours of 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM on Tuesday, April 19, 2011 at Jacob Schoen Funeral Home, 3827 Canal St., New Orleans, LA followed by a Requiem Mass in the chapel at 1:00 PM. A graveside service will be held at the family tomb in Greenwood Cemetery, New Orleans, LA immediately following the memorial service and mass. In lieu of customary remembrances and flowers, the family requests with gratitude that contributions be made in memory of Miriam Ayala Durel to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN. Please sign the guestbook at www.schoencanalstreet.com.Arrangements under the direction of Jacob Schoen and Son Funeral Home, 3827 Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70119 Telephone: 504-482-2111