She was a native of Ville Platte and had been a longtime resident of the Westlake-Sulphur area before moving to Katy, Texas three years ago. Melba had been a member of Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church of Sulphur and was also a member of St. Theresa Catholic Church in Carlyss. She was thankful for the time that she lived at Stonebridge Place where she made many friends before moving to the Carriage Inn in Katy, Texas where she helped spread her Cajun culture. She was an avid football fan. The New Orleans Saints and LSU Tigers were her favorite teams. Melba loved going to the casino, playing video poker, reading Harlequin novels, going to crawfish boils, and spending the holidays with her family and friends.
Survivors include her children, Paula L. Perkins and husband, Dave of Katy, Texas, and Scott J. Gillard and wife, Allie of Austin, Texas; daughter in law, Alisa Gillard of Austin, Texas; eleven grandchildren, Blair, Adrienne, David, Josh, Luke, Paul, Samm, Holly, Kari, Gillian, and Riane; and eight great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, Stanford J. Gillard; her son, Phillip J. Gillard; her parents, Ernest L. Fontenot and Hattie Fontenot; her brother, Murphy Fontenot; and her sisters, Wilda Robertson and Lillie LaFleur.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, November 8, in St. Theresa Catholic Church in Carlyss. The Rev. Raymond Cadran, M.S. will officiate. Burial will be in Mimosa Pines Cemetery South in Carlyss under the direction of Hixson-Sulphur Memorial Funeral Home. Visitation is from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday with a rosary service at 6 p.m. and will resume at 8 a.m. until time of service on Wednesday in the funeral home. Words of comfort and expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family at www.hixsonfuneralhomes.com.
