Frances Gullung Rivet

On November 4th, 2025, Frances Gullung Rivet passed away in her home in Marrero, LA, surrounded by the comforting presence of her family. If you measure life in time, she died at 99 years and 4 months, just short of her goal of 100. But if you measure life in moments, she lived well beyond that. And, if you factor in the moments she left behind with those she loved, in a way, she’ll continue to live for generations.

Frances was born on July 1st, 1926 in New Orleans, LA. Growing up during the Great Depression, her family of 13 didn’t have much, but they didn’t need it. They thrived on the wealth of life itself, enjoying the company of each other and those around them. As a student, she attended Francis T. Nicholls High School, now Frederick A. Douglass High School. After school, she began work at LA Frey and Sons Meat Packing. In 1948, despite some parental reluctance, Frances married her beloved, Edmond Anthony Rivet. Then in 1963, they moved to Marrero, LA, residing in a small, charming home on Stella Place where they’d spend the rest of their lives.

Although they remained in the same residence for over 60 years, Frances and Edmond were far from home bound during those years. Most of their summers were spent living the good life at their camp in Grand Isle, Frances keeping faces smiling with her wit and bellies full with barbecued shrimp or fish couvillion. From windy boat parades with runaway decorations to the splits in Destin after daiquiris with some miscalculated pours, Frances squeezed all she could out of life’s moments. And, if she wasn’t playing cards with her sisters and friends or “making groceries” at Sam’s or doing her daily crossword, you could’ve probably found Frances at a slot machine at Boomtown, seated right next to Edmond while he rubbed the glass for good luck. Even after they could no longer drive—a blessing for all motorists—they’d coax their children into being late night chauffeurs to the casino.

As time marched on, Frances and Edmond grew older, but their spirits remained vibrant and bountiful. Like the entirety of their lives, they made do with what they had. As Edmond lost his sight, Frances was his eyes. As she lost her hearing, he was her ears. Together, they were able to share their love and wisdom with their grandkids and ultimately their great-grandkids, even in their old age. Whether it was simply awaiting family while they rocked on their front porch or gazing quietly at the stars as they comforted a great-grandbaby, Frances and Edmond were their family’s rock—a singular, unwavering unit that remained ever-present and ever-giving as generations passed through.

Though Edmond died a little over four years ago, their unity never ceased, and through Frances, they both lived. Yet, after 99 abundant years, they gave all they could and left a legacy of compassion, joy, and peace that lives on in those they touched. Now, Frances will be quietly placed to rest with her husband of 73 years. Their bond no longer bound by time but instead bound by an unassuming box made by their favorite son in law using the wood from their cypress cistern in Grand Isle. Their lives again not defined by material possessions but by the moments they shared with each other and those they loved. After all, they don’t need anything else—they never did. They have each other, in their eternal moment.

Frances was the mother of three: Karen R. Champagne (Byron), Edward Rivet (Jean), and Steven Rivet (Karen); grandmother of seven: Shawn C. Klein (Sean), Steven Rivet Jr. (Cara), Byron Champagne Jr. (Shelly), Russell Rivet (Michael), Chad Rivet (Brandi), Deven Trosclair, and the late Jason Rivet; great-grandmother of nine: Steven Rivet III, Evelyn Klein, Benjamin Klein, Jaylen Rivet, Lexi Rivet, Reese Rivet, Amelia Klein, Hunter Champagne, and Shelby Champagne; and great-great-grandmother of Jaslynn Gray.

Frances was the daughter of the late Joseph Frank Gullung Sr. and the late Julia Meyers Gullung. She was the sister of 10 late siblings: Caroline Textor (Elmer), Joseph Gullung Jr. (Momas), Marguerite Hoffman (Joseph), Shirley Cavalier (Charles), Joycelyn Hosch (Harold), Harold Gullung (Marie), Nettie James (Elwin), Clarence Gullung, Beverly Appel, and Anthony Gullung.

Our family would like to thank Passages Hospice, including Anthony, Starr, and Kisha for their care. We also extend our deepest gratitude to Skippy and Ada Blanchard, Frances and Edmond’s neighbors who cared for them as if they were family. Finally, we are sincerely grateful for Frances’s sitters, Kathy and Felicia, who helped make it possible for Frances to finish her life in her home of 62 years.