Carmel Bordenave Higginbotham

Carmel Bordenave Higginbotham passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 19, 2025, at the age of 95. Born on January 18, 1930, in New Orleans, Louisiana, Carmel was the daughter of the late Hazel Marie Bourgeois and Joseph Aloysius Bordenave.

She was preceded in death by her beloved sisters, Lydia B. McIntyre and Bernadette B. Eiserloh, and her brother, Franklin “Bubby” Bordenave. She is survived by her loving sister, Rosary April B. Cerise, and a host of nieces and nephews who will cherish her memory.

A proud and dedicated Labor & Delivery nurse, Carmel graduated from Charity School of Nursing in New Orleans and devoted her life to caring for mothers and newborns with compassion and skill. Early in her nursing career, she lived and worked in Houston, Texas, before returning home to Louisiana, where she called both Slidell and Chalmette home for many years. She continued her nursing career and ultimately retired from Tulane Hospital after many years of devoted service in Labor & Delivery.

Carmel’s faith was the cornerstone of her life. A devout Christian, she was deeply involved in her church community, where she found great joy in fellowship and study. She especially loved participating in women’s Bible study groups and cherished the friendships and spiritual growth those gatherings brought. From 2011 to 2015, Carmel was an active member of Northshore Church in Slidell, where she found a welcoming home among the senior community.

Carmel will be remembered for her strength, compassion, and unwavering faith, a woman whose kind spirit and gentle heart touched all who knew her.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home, 4747 Veterans Blvd., Metairie, LA 70006. A special family viewing will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., followed by visitation from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. A chapel service will be held at 1:00 p.m., with interment to follow at Garden of Memories Cemetery, 4900 Airline Hwy, Metairie, LA 70001.