Lucille Piraro Materne

Our Mama, Nana, sister, and Aunt Little Bit, Lucille Materne of Lake Charles, LA, died on Friday, September 25, 2015, at 2:50 AM in her home. She was cared for with great dedication by her children, as she approached her 99th birthday. Born on October 29, 1916, in New Iberia, LA, she was the sixth of nine children of Martin Piraro of Cefalu, Sicily, and Virginia Jennaro Piraro of St. Sophie Plantation, LA. The family moved to Lake Charles in 1927, where her father opened a store on Ryan Street. Lucille graduated from Lake Charles High and worked at Muller's until her marriage to Alton Materne in 1941. After raising her children, she returned to work at Brousse's Toyland in 1965, where she remained until she retired. Lucille is no doubt having a spectacular reunion with her loving husband of sixty-three years, Alton. We know she is rejoicing with her mama and papa and dear siblings, Rosina, Carmela, Concetta, Don, Virginia, Vincent, and Libby. She yearned for them so, in her last year of life. Lucille shared and inspired her children and friends with her gifts of creativity, a green thumb, her wonderful cooking, and an unwavering strength of spirit and will. Those left to miss her are, Juliet Piraro and Margareta Barkinge of Los Osos, Ca; her children, Michael Materne and wife Beatrice "BB" of Baton Rouge; daughters, Pat Crull and husband Richard of Charlotte, NC, Marian Morgan and husband Robbie of Lake Charles, Peggy Jones and husband Jeff of Granbury, TX, Christine Carter and husband Wayne of Flint, TX, and Julie Shirley and husband Russell of Lafayette; fifteen grandchildren; and twenty-two great-grandchildren. Visitation will be at Johnson Funeral Home on Monday from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM. Her funeral services will be held at 12:00 PM on Monday, September 28, 2015, at St. Margaret Catholic Church. Father Jay Alexius will officiate. Burial will follow in Ritchie Cemetery in Moss Bluff. Donations can be made to Christus St. Patrick Hospice.