Jeaneal Godwin

Jeaneal White Godwin died on Sunday, March 24, 2013 in a local hospital, surrounded by family, after a brief illness.

Jeaneal was born July 10, 1934 in Ponca City, Oklahoma to Jud and Sunny White. As a child she moved with her family to Sulphur, Louisiana where she graduated from Sulphur High School. She attended McNeese State College and received her bachelor's degree in 1956 from Louisiana State University, where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. In 1983 she completed her master's degree in Educational Technology at McNeese State University, where she was a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta honor society.

Jeaneal married her college sweetheart in 1957. She taught English for one year at Bell City High School and then worked as a librarian for a year at Louisiana State Library while her husband was in his last year of law school at LSU. From 1976 until 1982, she partnered with her friends Anne Reinauer and Emily Coleman to operate The Brass Bell, an antique shop in Lake Charles. Later, after obtaining her master's degree at McNeese, she joined its staff as a recruiter in the High School Relations Department, from which she retired in 1997.

With a vibrant personality and >

Jeaneal is survived by her husband of 55 years, Judge (Ret.) Fred R. Godwin, and her three children and their spouses: Russ and Rhonda Godwin of Athens, AL; Griff and Dinah Godwin of Bellaire, TX; and Louanna Godwin Goolsby and Allen Goolsby of Richmond, VA. She is also survived by four grandchildren: Russell Godwin, Anna Godwin, Sarah Godwin and Adelaide Goolsby.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, March 27 at 11:00am at St. Luke-Simpson United Methodist Church, 1500 Country Club Road, Lake Charles, where Jeaneal was a member since 1959. The family will receive visitors at Johnson Funeral Home on Tuesday, March 26 from 5:00-8:00pm and at the church beginning at 10:00am on Wednesday before the funeral service.

Pallbearers will be Brenda Bachrack, Jo Ann Beam, Anna Godwin, Sarah Godwin, Judy McCleary, Ann McMurry, Anne Reinauer, and Sara Wood.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Luke-Simpson United Methodist Church for its Manna Ministries program.