Laurentine Leonide Ernst

Laurentine Leonide Ernst Passed into heaven’s gates on Saturday January 22, 2011 at East Jefferson General Hospital at the age of 91 of heart failure. Beloved wife of the late Chester Peter Ernst. Preceded in death by her father Joseph Edward Jacob and mother Lillian Emelda Jacob; brother Irwin H. Jacob and sisters Lillian Juliet Hale and Ethel Beatrice Bonck. She is survived by sisters Lorraine Florence Young and Gloria June Davis and numerous nieces and nephews.

Laurentine was a life long resident of the Lower Ninth Ward living on Jordan Avenue in her beloved Holy Cross neighborhood until displaced by Hurricane Katrina to Kenner. As a New Orleanian to the core and a preservation activist, she was instrumental in the beautification of the St. Claude neutral ground from the St. Claude bridge to Caffin Avenue. A community garden was named in her honor. In her association with the Vieux Carre Commission she worked tirelessly to preserve the historic architectural integrity of her neighborhood and was honored at a reception at the Tulane School of Architecture. She attended many city council meetings and Corp of Engineer meetings in her fight against the widening of the Industrial Canal. Having become a familiar face, she was surprised by a round of “Happy Birthday to You” by all council attendance on her 75th birthday. She was named in 1999 as a Humane Ambassador for making possible the rescue of neglected animals, being especially fond of cats.

“Miss Teanie” as she was known, taught music at T.J. Semmes and other public schools, at Werlein’s on Canal St., held recitals at Grunwalds and later taught students in her home. She was accepted into Delgado Community College at the age of 51 to further her education. As family genealogist, she wrote and published “Ma Famille Les Jacob” whose copyright resides in the Library of Congress.

She will be sorely missed by family and friends.

Friends of Holy Cross neighborhood, Atrium, and Westminister Towers are invited to visitation from 9 a.m. to 12:00 noon on Thursday January 27th, 2011 at Jacob Schoen Funeral Home on Canal St. A service will be held at noon in the chapel; interment at St. Vincent de Paul cemetery, #2, Louisa St. Arrangements under the direction of Schoen Funeral Home, New Orleans, LA.