To all the memories and smiles we have shared....you are greatly missed but i know i have another guardian angel watching over me!!! Rest in Peace Paw!!!

Lots of Love
Christine

When we lived on Marsha Drive, your husband was our mailman--such a nice, nice person.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Sincerely,

Aunt Margaret,

I will not be able to attend on Saturday, but you will be in my thoughts.  Charlie will be bringing Dad to the service.

You and Uncle Jay always made me feel welcomed and you were always interested in me and my children.  Thank you!

With much love your way,

Dear Aunt Margaret and Family,

We have lost someone very precious and I am so sad.

I have offered my mass this morning for Jay's soul.

I will see you in July,
Love,
Brenda

Aunt Margaret and Family,

We will miss Uncle Jay greatly.  He always made us laugh.

Love

Dear Margaret,

James and I are so deeply sorry about Jay's passing, but we truly believe it is just that--a passing into a loving wonderful Heavenly exisence where he is now wrapped in Jesus' loving arms for all of eternity.

Jay was a remarkable man, as you well know--one who brought so much joy and laughter to everyone he encountered.  We all are so much richer as a result of having known him.

With much love and many prayers,

Miss Margaret and Jeanne,

I was so sorry to hear about Mr. Jerry passing away and sorry to be out of town for the funeral.  I have so many wonderful memories that include him...camping trips, Disney World, his jokes and his laugh, Bay St. Louis, the Dinner Club, etc.  

I like to imagine him and my dad reuniting in Heaven like the old buddies that they were!.

With sympathy,

We've been in the same parish since 1960; however, we never got to know one another until about five years ago.

We became close friends and enjoyed each other's company.  Jerry and Charlie had a lot in common and we all had a lot of laughs together.  We will miss Jerry's good sense of humor among other things.

From the way you lived your life, Jerry, we know you are now pain free and in one of the very best rooms in OUR FATHER'S mansion.

Goodbye old pal....you will be greatly missed.

To my Dad,

I hope you knew how much I loved you and how much it meant to me that you were my dad.  I loved your sense of humor and your laughter, and how much patience you had when explaining something to me.(especially with Math)

I loved all the fun we had on vacations--especially that time in Disney World when we went on the runaway train and the people asked if we were going on the ride again because they saw how much fun we were having.

And especially the love for sweets you had and all the times I would sneak you those Hershey bars because Mom didn't want you to have any.  And the times I would say, " Let's go to the store and get something sweet" and you came with me to the store.

I loved everything about you, Dad!!!  I miss you so much--even though I know you are looking down smiling on Mom and me from Heaven.

Love,
Jeanne

P.S.  There's on more thing that I loved about you--your famous pocket dance that you taught me and everyone else in the family.  Every time I do it I will think of you.

Fondest memory of Mr. Jay--Bay St. Louis and Disneyworld!!

Lisa,

I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad.  I want you to know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.  I know what a close team you and your Dad made.  
You will always be his "little girl" and I hope that the thought of that will comfort you in the days to come.  It's still a comfort to me 13 years after my Dad passed.
Love,
Barbara

I know there is never a "good" time to lose someone whom you love, but his was a calm, peaceful, and pain free way to leave this world.  Many would say that he was blessed to be able to spend his last days at home with the people he loved.

I hope that, with time, your sorrow and sense of loss will be replaced by a vast well of wonderful memories of the happy times you spent together.

Lisa,
Plese accept our deepest sympathies for you and your entire family.  For the few times I had the privilege of being with your family, I know he was all about his family, laughing and having a good time with everyone around him.  I remember how welcome he made Jed and I whenever we were invited to Bay St. Louis.

But, my most treasured memory is when Jed and I visited a couple of weeks after Rene' was born.  You were telling us that the following weekend the family had plans to go to Bay St. Louis.  Your mom and dad came by while we were there.  During the visit your Dad said that he did not think the trip to Bay St. Louis was such a good idea.  You immediately teared up and he saw it.  Somehow he knew that you needed to get out of the house.  He gave you that big "dad" hug and said the family would be going to Bay St. Louis.  You and your family will miss him greatly, but you all have wonderful memories of him.

This weekend after Mass, I burned a candle for him.  Our candle room has several windows in it.  I chose a candle in the window that will see the sunshine, because Lisa, your dad was always so full of sunshine.  I always saw him as a happy man and he wanted everyone else to be happy also.  I prayed for his continued happiness in heaven and that he may help his family when they are in need.  Pray to him when you need, he is there for you.

Kiss Rene' for us.  I know her heart is sore also.

Love, 
Roxanne

Uncle Jay was just a fun guy to be around.  He always had jokes and funny stories to tell, followed by his wonderful, hearty laugh.  I remember all those Sundays on France Street on the front steps, the lakefront picnics, and, as a kid, going with my Dad and Uncle Charlie to help with the housebuilding on Tallulah Ave.  I loved Uncle Jay and will miss him dearly.    Lou

I was saddened to hear of Uncle Jay's passing and also frustrated that I wasn't able to travel from Norfolk to attend the funeral and to be with the family in person.  For all of you, I extend our family's prayers and condolences on the passing of a yet another of the greatest generation--a soldier, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, a friend to anyone he met and for the entire Frank Lagarde gang in the Bay, our "always smiling" Uncle Jay.  

I'll always remember Uncle Jay's good nature and his friendly demeanor to family and strangers alike. I'll never forget the good times we shared, either at the Gerald Lagarde home or during the summer months on Citizen Street with Aunt Margaret & Uncle Jay and our cousins.  

May God accept Uncle Jay into His Kingdom and I look forward to the day we can see him again in heaven.  I pray that God will bring his family comfort and strength.  Remember the good times we all shared with Jay and keep those close to heart.

my thoughts are with you and your family Jennifer....

Few can bring the warmth
We can find in their embrace, 
And little more is needed to bring love. 
Than the smile on their face. 

They've a supply of precious stories, 
Yet they've time to wipe a tear, 
Or give us reasons to make us laugh, 
They grow more precious through the years. 

I believe that God sent us Grandparents
As our legacy from above, 
To share the moments of our life, 
As extra measures of His love. 


To the man with whom I shared a special bond -- our love for art -- you will forever be in my heart. I will miss you dearly and remember you fondly!

Love you, Jenny

My father, my mentor, my friend - you have given me the ultimate gift, the gift of life. You have showed me why to live and how to live. You have showed me that true happiness is in the heart and can seen through the eyes. You have demonstrated to me your whole life that good triumphs over evil and family trumps all. You will be missed by all who knew you. Your loving son, Mark

Eulogy for Gerald A. Lagarde, Sr.
By Mark Lagarde 
June 12, 2010


Good afternoon and thank you all for coming.  We are here to lay to rest Gerald, Jake, Jay, Jerry, Bones, Marble head, Dad, Poupes, Papa Sunny and my two favorites:

Uncle Jay and Papa

Uncle Jay—this meant we were having a family function.  Whether it was a wedding, funeral, reunion, picnic, party or two Lagardes on a corner, I knew it was going to be fun.  Where there was laughter, there was Dad.  He was the youngest of nine children so the age difference between him and nieces and nephews was small.  Being one of the youngest of 39 first cousins, I had the unique pleasure as a young man of watching dad interact with the family, especially at weddings.  He was very animated.  Whether he was talking to his brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands or wives, you could see the happiness, not only on their faces, but in their eyes.  I remember thinking how great that was.  He truly enjoyed being with his family and it was obvious—they enjoyed him as well.  So many wonderful memories of Bay St. Louis, picnics at the beach, France Street, Ponchatoula reunions, Slidell reunions and coming up  the reunion in Mississippi.

Papa—this meant we were having an immediate family gathering.  When the six of us got together, there again we would laugh, no surprise.  Throw in the spouses, grandkids, great grandkids, girlfriends, boyfriends and IT IS ON!!  No one ever wanted the day and night to end.  Mom and Dad made sure that all of the holidays and birthdays were spent together and we even have spent some vacations together.  Dad wasn’t happy unless he was fooling around with his kids and grandkids.  With all of our busy lives in these busy times and each with our own families, we would still get together, not as much as we liked, so each time was special and cherished.  Dad was so proud of his family.

Ok, what does a man see and do in 82 years.  He was born in 1928, right before the depression and he left in 2010 right before the next depression.

At age 9 he would have read about the Hindenburg Disaster

Age 11 he would have read about the beginning of World War 2

Age 19 he would have attended LSU and read about the atomic bomb, supersonic aircraft and finding the Dead Sea Scrolls

At age 22 with his military life and art school behind him, life was just starting as we know it.  He married Mom in 1950 and after that seems, now, like a blink of an eye.  In the next sixty years he has seen and done:

Buried seven of his brothers and sisters

Built two houses

Owned four houses

Have three great kids (jury still out on me)

Has given each child a Catholic grammar school and Catholic high school education

Witnessed one child graduate college (ain’t me)

Have seven grandkids

Witnessed five grandkids graduate college

Have four great grandkids

Had three weddings, (only paid for one)

Participated in cub scouts, boy scouts, brownies, girl scouts, church clubs, school clubs, league sports, dance recitals, chasing boy and girl friends off, school elections, dinner clubs, unions, senior clubs, money counters/beer dispensing club (his favorite) tutoring, post office picnics and doing what dads do best—give advice.  I remember one time I was over at his house sitting at the table just talking.  You couldn’t hide anything from him and he knew something was bothering me and he asked.  I said you’re right and started whining, my daughter’s doing this and son doing that.  He looks me dead in the eye and I’m waiting—here it comes—the wisdom that will correct all—he looks at me and says, “Son, you deserve everything you’re getting.”

Loved Music and Art

Loved vacations—every year we would take a vacation.  Sometimes it was just to Bay St. Louis, but most times it wasn’t.  He has taken us to over 40 states, four provinces in Canada and to Mexico—All by car, AMAZING!!

AS we got older and raising our own families, together mom and dad continued to travel.  They have been to 49 states, all provinces in Canada, most of the islands in the Caribbean and to Europe four times.  Apparently it’s less expensive to travel without kids!!

He loved crabing, boiling crabs, eating crabs and drinking beer in Bay St. Louis or anywhere really.

He loved Mom’s cooking

Watched countless football games, bowl games, championship games and yes, he watched the Saints win the Super Bowl.  Every game we lost was rigged.

And most important, he lived up to the vows he took sixty years ago.  He made sure that Mom and us were taken care of, all the way up to the second he decided to say Good-Bye.

Dear Mama Margaret.

I remember all the fun we had at Wendy’s—just the three of us.

 I remember one time when you were coming to pick me up to go there and Papa Sunny couldn’t see the trees and he thought he was going blind.   We got to Wendy’s and ordered our food then Papa Sunny sat down by me and   I told him he had paper on his glasses.  That’s when he realized that   he wasn’t going blind, but he had the wrong glasses on. (his reading glasses)

I remember when I was a little girl and I use to be his teacher.   He would always bring his teacher a pear. We would play school for hours.  I remember when I  put the heart sunglasses on him and the straw hat and he  just sat there and listened to me talk.    

I also remember when we were camping in Robert and we went for a ride on the golf cart and we went over a pile of mulch  and the golf cart flew up in the air.  You liked to have had a heart attack, but I really enjoyed those times.

Since last Wednesday when I found out that I would  no longer have  awesome, great, funny, cute Papa Sunny its been hard for me.

I’m really glad you gave me his glasses and cane because now every time I look at them I remember how awesome he was.

I know you’re going to miss him too, but just remember that he’s in a better place.  That’s what I have to keep telling myself, but it’s still hard.

Love your wonderful granddaughter.  ( that’s what you and Papa Sunny always told me)

Rene’

June 13, 2010
Dear Mom,
Mark really did a beautiful summary of our life as a family, but I just wanted to add some special moments.
I remember when I was a little girl at St. Matthew’s—the nuns always asked for donations and prayers for the poor.  They would tell us about other countries where people did not have God, families, clothes, food or shelter.  I realized then how lucky I was and every day when I said my prayers I thanked God for giving me to Dad and you.  My love for both of you began the day I was born.  Of course, I can’t remember back then, but I look at all the photos and all I see is happiness and love. 
 As I grew, I remember all my friends wanting to come over and sleep at my house because it was so much fun.  I was so glad that Daddy got home at 3:00 every day from work, so the neighborhood kids and all of us could play baseball after school in our back yard.  
Oh my gosh—then high school came—all my boyfriends liked dad and you more than me.  (I think that’s why I had so many boy friends  ?) I remember when I ran for Student Council President and he suggested Camelot as my campaign theme. —all the posters he made and that castle he built out of sheetrock that we put on Chapelle’s lawn—not to mention name tags made out of castles for everyone to wear.  Then I got to see the happiness and love when I told you all I won.
Then college—You helped me move into my dorm and when you all left I cried the rest of the night—I had waited for so long to be independent and on my own—then when it happened I was miserable.  It took me months to settle into college because I missed my family so much. Then an assignment to plan a dinner for the Deans of Nicholls University on a budget.  I knew Dean Authement had a crawfish pond, so I asked him if I could catch some crawfish. Dad took off of work and drove to Thibodeaux and we crawfished the whole day till we had enough—I got an A + because I was under budget and my theme was original and quite different then a formal dinner.
Then the property in Robert—for the past 26 years Dad and I would work together clearing the property.  We had to jump the ditch with our lawn mower and little by little we would clear a few feet—it was so wooded.  I’ll never forget one day we drove up and the whole first acre was cleared—there had been lightning that hit a tree and caught the woods on fire.  I looked at him and said, “Dad, look what God did for us”!!  We were all smiles that day and celebrated with a cold beer after we cleared some more of the land.  He brought cuttings for azaleas—when I look at his big beautiful azalea bushes every spring I will think about how he nurtured them.  Finally we were able to bring a camper and camp out for the weekends—then I bought the mobile home and I thought I must have been the richest person in the world.  Daddy, Rene, you and me had a place to stay in the woods every weekend.  We had some laughs sitting on that porch.  Every place I look in Robert reminds me of daddy.  It’s so hard to come through my gates and know that he will never visit or sit on our patio and laugh with us again.
Vacations—our wonderful trips traveling the West Coast, East Coast and Canada—just Dad, Jeanne, Rene, you and me on our adventure.  Laughing the whole time.
Katrina—Dad, Jeanne, Pat, Rene, you and me—all living in the trailer in Robert with no electricity for 4 weeks—the amazing thing was we all still loved each other after that experience. ?
You all were there for all my heart breaks—the little ones:  like losing an election, boyfriend breakups, failing a test, then the major ones:  LJ divorcing me because he didn’t love me anymore, my miscarriage after trying for 4 years to get pregnant, finding out my beautiful baby girl had cerebral palsy, my decision to leave Kenny after 26 years, and then the latest, not able to receive the Eucharist any more.
I could take up every page of this memory book telling about all  that Dad and you did for me.   I am so glad I told Dad throughout my life how much I loved him.   All I ever wanted from the time I was a little girl was to have what Dad and you had—love, happiness, and family.  It took me 3 times, but I got it right now.  Dad told me—he would die happy knowing that I had found someone to love me and take care of me.
In the past months before he died, he tried to prepare me for his death.  He told me “He was ready” and then I would say, “but Dad I’m not ready for you to go”.  How selfish of me—he was losing his eye sight, he was on insulin, it was getting harder for him to walk, and he was just “tired”.  God must have really loved him to let him die in such peace sitting next to you on the sofa.  When dad had bladder cancer at 49, I really thought we were going to lose him then, but God was good and gave him 33 more years with us.  Dad always told Rene’ that she was going to have a castle in heaven.  Rene’ said, “he must be there checking out my castle”.  Mom, we love you and you know we are going to miss Dad so much.  I am so glad we have our memories and I am so glad that Rene’ knew and loved her grandparents as much as I loved my parents.  God will give us the strength to go on each day.
Loving you with all my heart,
Lisa

Dear Margaret And Family

I was so sorry to hear that Jay had died. He was a great guy and raised a great family that he loved dearly. Our families had great times camping together.

I know what y'all are going throught  right now with the passing of my beloved Vickie.

We will miss them both dearly but we have the joy of our great Catholic faith to sustain us during this sad time.

God bless you all
Richard Warr
River Ridge,La.

Gerald, I'm very sorry for your loss so please accept my deepest condolosences. God bless you and your family.

Dear Lisa and Family, I remember seeing pictures of you all gathered around your Dad in happy times. I hope the memories of those times will bring you consolation and joy during these diffficult days. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. God bless you!
Barbara Wick

Mark

Gerard and I were so sorry to hear about your dad.I know he will be sadly missed.We send our deepest sympathy to you and your family.We will keep you and your family in our thoughts and prayers.

I'll never forget Uncle Jay and how much fun he was at all our family reunions!  
The family is in my prayers.  I am sorry I won't make the wake tomorrow; my little Brandon had his tonsils out yesterday so we are stuck home.

Dear Aunt Margaret and Family,
Our entire family has lost a most dear man, unique even in the immense Lagarde tribe.  We will all miss him, but not as much as you, I know.  

He is with God (there must be a punchline there!) and all of heaven rejoices.  May you have peaceful hearts at this time.

Know you are in my love and prayers.

Alma Ann (aka Sister Mary Brian Bole, SSND)

Don and I were so sorry to hear about your dad.Know we are keeping you and your family in our prayers. Blessed in Christ  Don and Kay Decell

Mark,
So sorry to hear about your dad.  May God guide you during this difficult time and help your family to heal in a way only He can do.

How lucky to be  a part of the most wonderful family, the Lagardes.  Uncle Jay played an impotant role in my life.  He was kind and funny, but when it came to family he was serious.  I saw how important his family was and was witness how to be a loving and dedicated husband and Dad.  His actions affected me when when I was a child and spilled over into my marriage and the raising of my family along with the other Lagarde brothers and sisters.  How lucky I am to be a part of the Lagarde family!!!!!  My deepest sympathy to my Aunt Margret and his children and grandchildren.

Dear Mark and Cheri

I wanted to tell you how sorry I was to hear about your dad this morning.  I stopped and said a prayer for your family as soon as I got the news from mom.  I hope it brings you some comfort knowing that he left this earth in the same peaceful way that Drew did.  May the help of God, family and friends help you during this difficult time.  You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.  

Hugs,
Mary Decell Joseph

OBITUARY

Mr. Gerald Ader Lagarde Sr.

July 15, 1928 – June 9, 2010

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