Joyce Mary Picou Corry

A longtime resident of Baton Rouge, she passed away peacefully at home Monday, Sept. 19, 2011, surrounded by her loving family. Joyce was born in Garyville in St John the Baptist Parish on Nov. 16, 1921. She graduated from Leon Godchaux High School and SLI, now known as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, with a degree in music. She attended graduate school at LSU, Baton Rouge. She worked as a social worker for the Department of Welfare, but spent the majority of her career as a choral music teacher. She retired in 1980 from the Iberville Parish School Board, where she taught for many years at Plaquemine High School. Joyce was a longtime and faithful parishioner of St. Agnes Catholic Church, Baton Rouge, where she played the organ, sang in the choir and later directed the choir for 60 years until the time of her death. She was a member of the Baton Rouge Music Club, Baton Rouge Philharmonic, Art League and ADK teacher's sorority. An avid and devoted LSU football fan, she was one of the original members of the Bengal Belles. Joyce lived a life of kindness, patience and perseverance. She was always deeply involved in the lives of her family and many others. She prayed for them and with them. She was a deep source of sound, moral and loving advice to many. Joyce Corry found her strength in the faith and teachings of the Catholic church, and, to the end, her faith was an extraordinary witness for the world to see. She always went to Mass on Sunday, but, on Saturday night, for more than 50 years, Joyce was a fixture at Tiger Stadium; a fair weather fan she was not. She was a rare, humane and kind person. She is survived by her children, John Hickman Glenn Corry Jr. and wife Libby, and Colleen Corry Fletcher and husband Roy, of Baton Rouge, Mary Ellen Corry, M.D., and husband Tony Baudoin, and Michael Patrick Corry and wife Leslie, of Lafayette; grandchildren, Sadie Hickman Fletcher, Daniel Wesley Fletcher, and Ellen Corry Sharpless, all of Baton Rouge, Michael Patrick Corry Jr., Matthew James Corry, John Hickman Corry and James Lynford Sharpless III, all of Lafayette; devoted nieces, Norma Jean Brown, Houston, Saundra Overton, Clinton, Cynthia Picou, Baton Rouge, and Sydney Picou, St. Francisville; numerous grandnieces, grandnephews and their children. She was preceded in death by her parents, Leon Adam and Mary Tufano Picou; husband, John Hickman Glenn Corry; son, Edward Brenner Corry; sister, Dorothy Picou Vega; brother, Leon Adam Picou Jr.; niece, Ann Vega LeMoine; nephew, Benjamin Clark Vega; and granddaughter, Susanne Lynford Sharpless. Pallbearers will be her five grandsons and Leon Picou LeMoine, Benjamin Clark Vega III and Eugene Thomas Bahlinger. Honorary pallbearers are Rodney Eugene Vega and John Fleming Claitor. Visitation at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government St., Baton Rouge, on Thursday, Sept. 22, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a rosary at 8 p.m. Visitation will continue at St. Agnes Catholic Church, 749 East Blvd., on Friday from 9 a.m. until funeral Mass at 11 a.m., with Monsignor William Greene, celebrant. Interment in Roselawn Cemetery, 4045 North St. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St Agnes Catholic Church, 749 East Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70802. The family would like to thank her devoted friend, neighbor, and doctor, Dr. Carl Luikart and wife Diana, for their attentiveness and care.