Helena Blanchette

Helena Blanchette, 79, of Lake Charles passed away at 4:07 PM on Tuesday, September 12, 2017 in a local care facility.

Mrs. Blanchette was born on March 5, 1938 in Elton, LA where she was raised and was a 1956 graduate of Elton High School. She married Jimmy Manuel in 1957 and lived in Kinder, working as a bookkeeper for Doise Concrete while raising her family until the passing of her husband. In 1983 she married A.J. Blanchette and moved to Lake Charles. She was a member of Christ the King Catholic Church, belonged to the Altar Society, and was a Lay Carmelite. She enjoyed sewing, traveling, and shopping as well as spending time with her children and grandchildren.

Those left to cherish her memory are son, James Gregory Manuel (Jill) of Grand Lake; daughter, Theresa Renee Arabie (Hayward) of Fenton; two step sons, Richard Bagley (Annette) of Westlake and James Marlin Blanchette (Maleia) of Dequincy; two step daughters, Donna Tanner (David) of Lake Charles and Connie “Kitty” Bruns (Richard) of Lake Charles; two brothers, Carl Langley of Kinder and Charles Wilfred Langley of Dequincy; three sisters, Rosemary McKissack of Hartselle, AL, Sharon Lanthier of Sulphur, and Windola Cowart of Kinder; six grandchildren, Jaime Arabie Ashworth, Kristy Arabie Blue, Josh Arabie, and Holly, Bryce, and Colleen Manuel; and six great grandchildren, Elijah and Ian Ashworth, Shayden Arabie, and Caleb, Koen, and Khloe Blue.

She was preceded in death by her first husband and the father of her children, James P. “Jimmy” Manuel; her second husband of 29 years, Albert Joseph “AJ” Blanchette; a brother, Roland Langley; and a step daughter, Twilla Fontenot.

A funeral mass will be held at 1:00 PM on Friday, September 15, 2017 at Christ the King Catholic Church. The Very Reverend Anthony M. Fontenot will officiate. Burial will follow in Consolata Cemetery under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home. Visitation will begin on Thursday from 3:00 PM until 9:00 PM with a rosary being recited at 6:00 PM. Visitation will resume on Friday from 8:00 AM until leaving for the church at 12:30 PM.