Jeanette Johnson Manuel

To know her was to love her…..Jeanette Johnson Manuel, 90, passed away peacefully in her sleep surrounded by Heavenly Angels, early Wednesday morning in her Lake Charles home.  Jeanette was born on August 11, 1930 in Welsh, Louisiana, the 9^th of ten children to Andrew Johnson Sr and Alice Prather Johnson.  Jeanette was 3 years old when she lost her mother and was raised by her eldest sister, Helen.  She grew up in the Welsh – Iowa area and graduated from Fenton High School. Jeanette was a loving wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend.

She married the love of her life Dudley, in November, 1954 and moved to Sulphur soon after. Three years later, they welcomed their twin girls, Paula and Karla.  Jeanette loved sewing for her girls and always had new clothes made for school each year.  She was a wonderful cook and loved cooking her specialties for family and friends.  She and Dudley enjoyed taking the girls on camping trips with neighbors, friends and family. They also enjoyed hosting card games and fish fries.  Her home was always open for the girl’s friends to meet and hang out.  There was nothing Jeanette would not do for anyone who’d ask. 

After the girls left home, Jeanette and Dudley spent Saturday nights dancing to French music and were members of the Cajun French Music Association. After losing her husband, Jeanette later joined the American Legion and the Optimist Club of South Lake Charles with her sidekick, Jo Racca.  She loved being involved in community volunteerism as long as she physically could participate.

Jeanette belonged to Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church in Sulphur where she attended daily Mass for many years.  She always got to know her priests on a personal basis.  She loved serving her church in numerous ways including working Bingo, setting up the Altar for daily mass and helping out in the church office when needed.

Two years ago, her daughters moved her to Lake Charles to be closer to them so they could help take care of her when her health began to decline. She loved her new home and loved to show it off.

For her 90th birthday, her girls reached out to close friends and family and asked them to flood her mailbox with birthday wishes. Jeanette received over 120 birthday cards, several flower arrangements and gifts.  She certainly felt the love.

Jeanette is preceded in death by her loving husband of forty-five years, her parents, and her nine siblings, Helen Johnson Richards, Curley Johnson, Iry Johnson, Barney Johnson, Percy Johnson, Mable Johnson Farque, Edith Johnson LeJeune, Amos Johnson and Andrew (AJ) Johnson, Jr. 

Left to cherish her memory are her twin daughters and their husbands, Paula Manuel Myers (Dale) and Karla Manuel O’Reilly (Dennis), her six grandchildren and spouses, Tod Everage (Llewellyn), Cole Everage (Amanda), Chris Myers (Jennifer), Lindsey Myers LeBlanc (Blake), Shannon O’Reilly, and Kelly O’Reilly Serrano (Stephen); great-grandchildren, Alice and Louise Everage, Victor and Thomas Everage, Xander Long, Bennett, Edward and Caroline LeBlanc, Conrad and Kinsley Myers, Cryslyn Bacon, Abby, Emma and Camille Serrano and many nieces and nephews.

Her girls would like to thank her loving and compassionate caregivers Marian Lopez and Peggy Arceneaux, who loved her like family. Also a special thank you to the caring Brighton Bridge Hospice nurses, Kerri, Joyce, Veronica and many others who took such excellent care of their mom. All of these special ladies were a true blessing and an answer to their prayers.

Visitation will begin at 11:00 am Saturday, April 10^th at Johnson and Robison Funeral Home in Sulphur until time of funeral.  A rosary will be said at 12:30pm followed by a Eulogy.  Funeral will begin at 2:00 pm at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church.  Burial will follow at Consolata Cemetery in Lake Charles.