Muriel Grace Matherne Dunn

Passed Away: Wednesday, July 29, 2026

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, Muriel Grace Matherne Dunn, who passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, following a long journey with health challenges.

Muriel was born to Edward Joseph Matherne and Esther Pearl Savoie Matherne. As the second child and oldest daughter in a family of ten children, she learned at an early age the meaning of responsibility, sacrifice, compassion, and caring for others. Those qualities became a defining part of her life.

From a young age, Muriel carried responsibilities far beyond her years. She became a mother as a teenager and, before reaching the age of 21, was raising five children. Life brought her many challenges, but she was a strong-willed woman with a determined spirit. She faced adversity with resilience and continued to give love and support to the people around her.

Muriel devoted her life to caring for others. Her greatest legacy is the family she loved and the generations that continue because of her life.

She is survived by her two children:

• Horace Paul Plaisance Jr.

• Kim Cecilia Street Roberts (husband, Michael Roberts)

She is also survived by her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, extended family, and many friends whose lives were touched by her love, strength, and perseverance.

Muriel was preceded in death by her children:

• Julia Ann Plaisance Cauthron

• Julie Marie Plaisance Sapia

• Martha Mae Street Firmature

She was also preceded in death by her parents, Edward Joseph Matherne and Esther Pearl Savoie Matherne; her husbands, Horace Paul Plaisance Sr., Monroe Thomas Street, and Peter Floyd Dunn; and her siblings:

• Robert Ronald Matherne

• Marion Pearl Matherne

• Ronald Ray Matherne

• Myra Lois Matherne

• Rose Pearl Matherne, who passed away at birth.

Her surviving siblings include Betty Ann Matherne, Ted Joseph Matherne, Vera Sue Matherne, and Jim Eddy Matherne.

From August 2014 until June 2019, Muriel made her home in Washington with her oldest son, Paul, who lovingly cared for her and managed her daily needs. When she chose to return home to Louisiana in 2019, she was welcomed into the home of her daughter, Kim Cecilia Street Roberts, who cared for her until declining health made it impossible for her to continue.

Muriel then moved to Beaumont, Mississippi, where her granddaughter, Bridget Denise Bishop Henderson, lovingly welcomed her into her home and became her primary caregiver for the final five years of her life. As Muriel's health continued to decline, Bridget remained faithfully by her side, providing comfort, compassion, dignity, and devoted care through her final days. Her family will always be deeply grateful for the love, patience, and selfless devotion she gave to her grandmother.

Throughout these years, Paul remained actively involved in his mother's life, managing her affairs, offering support, and helping coordinate her care. Together, Paul, Kim, and Bridget shared the responsibility of caring for Muriel during the final chapter of her life—a lasting expression of the love she had given to her family over the years.

Muriel's life was not always easy, but it was a life marked by perseverance. She endured hardships that shaped her, yet she continued to care for others and to seek connection, acceptance, and love. Behind her strength was a woman who deeply loved her family and wanted the very best for those she held dear.

Through time, understanding, forgiveness, and unconditional love, Paul came to know not only the mother who raised him, but also the woman whose own life had been marked by hardship and sacrifice. That understanding became one of the greatest gifts they shared.

Funeral services celebrating Muriel's life will be held on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at Westside Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home, 5101 Westbank Expressway, Marrero, Louisiana 70072.

Visitation will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m., followed by a chapel service.

Refreshments, including coffee, water, donuts, cookies, and finger sandwiches, will be available for family and friends during the visitation.

Following the chapel service, family and friends will travel in procession to Restlawn Park Cemetery and Mausoleum in Avondale, where Muriel will be laid to rest around noon.

Though we grieve at her passing, we find comfort knowing that her struggles have ended and that her memory will continue through the family she loved and the generations that follow.

Rest peacefully, Mom. You were loved beyond measure. Your strength, your sacrifices, and your love will forever remain a part of us. Your story does not end here—it lives on in the lives of those who carry your memory in their hearts.