Paul Joseph Jessen

Paul Joseph Jessen, 77, of Lake Charles, passed away on Sunday, January 1, 2023, at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital.  Paul was born on March 13, 1945, to Maurice and Vivian “BeBe” Jessen.

Paul’s sense of humor and his caring for others were always present throughout this life.  He would often state, “I loved school so much I went year-round… even in the summer.”  After his scholarly commitment to LaGrange High School, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he served on an aircraft carrier, the USS Saratoga, from 1964 to1968.  After his service, he resided in Lake Charles, and similar to his father Maurice, Paul took up a love of golf.  He worked hard to make his dad proud, taking lessons from Ralph Sicks.  His skills would soon surpass his father’s; Paul won multiple accolades in golf.  He won the 1977 Kayouchee Coulee Men’s Golf Championship Tournament, the 1978 Lake Charles Country Club Member-Guest Tournament with life-long friend, Al Kopp, the 1980 Mallard Cove Club Championship.  He was last recorded in 2007 making his twelfth hole-in-one at Gray Plantation.

He started his golf career playing at Kayouchee Coulee, then Mallard Cove, where he made many friends along the way, including his life-long love, Brenda Babineaux.  They started dating in 1973 and married five years later in 1978.  They were blessed with two sons, Erik Paul and James Alan.  Paul’s career was protecting and serving his community as a City of Lake Charles fire fighter starting in 1973.  It was during these early fire-fighter years where Paul would acquire a passion for cooking.  He retired in 2000 as Chief Inspector.  Paul would often state how being a fire fighter was the best job because it worked with his golf schedule.

Retirement was filled with family, hobbies, and travel.  Golf was a central focus for most of Paul’s life up to this point.  Around 2012 his usual motley crew of golf buds steadily started to disband.  Although, not officially recorded, Paul stated, “I’m retiring from golf.”  He packed away his clubs and invested in a boat and sailed on to the next chapter of retirement: fishing. Paul would often go by himself to fish the lights along the coast of Prien Lake.  He loved the quiet and peace of the water and the excitement of reeling in that fighting fish.

Alongside fishing, he and his wife, Brenda, enjoyed several cruises and visited many places.  They saw the glaciers in Alaska, the beaches of the Bahamas, and the Mayan pyramids of South America.  He also treasured and enjoyed many short trips to Galveston with his sister and brother-in-law, Maureen and Jack Sanders.  His family life was important; he made sure the family got together during the holidays and cooked lunch on Sundays.  He loved cooking for his family and friends.  Some of the dishes he took pride in was his cornbread dressing and rice and gravy, but he could never quite figure out that roll recipe.  As most dishes, if it wasn’t perfect, he’d throw it out.  Paul made friends were ever he went - the pharmacy, the grocery store, the hospital, physical rehab, to name a few.  If you were part of his circle, he treated you like gold.

The closest to him left to celebrate his life are “my little bride,” Brenda; their two sons, Erik Paul, with his wife Kaela Falcon, and James Alan, with his wife Virginia-Kate Mather; his loving grandchildren: Gram Allen, Palmer Joseph, Elliot Ann, Hunter James, and Cyrus Paul, all residing in Lake Charles; his sister, Janice Manuel; his brother-in-law, Jack Sanders; and nieces and nephews.  Paul was preceded in death by his parents, Maurice and Vivian; baby sister, Wanda Rae; brother, Maurice Jr. “Sonny;” and his loving sister, Maureen Sanders.

Visitation will be Thursday January 5, 2023 from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM, with a rosary being recited at 6 p.m.; Friday Jan. 6th, 9 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. with a mass of Christian burial celebrated at Our Lady Queen of Heaven at 12 p.m. Paul Jessen will be laid to rest at the Lake Charles Goos Cemetery along with his ancestors.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12:00 Noon on Friday, January 6, 2023 at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church.  Msgr. Daniel Torres will serve as Celebrant.  Burial will follow in Goos Cemetery under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home.  Visitation will be at Johnson Funeral Home on Thursday, January 5, 2023 from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM, with a rosary being recited at 6:00 PM.  Visitation will resume on Friday morning at 9:00 AM until leaving in procession to the church at 11:30.