Mary Jo Clause, 80, Bunkie native
Mary Jo Frank Clause, 81, a native of Bunkie, LA and resident of Labadieville, LA, died peacefully at her home on Saturday, January 9, 2021 after a lengthy battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, January 14, 2021 at St. Philomena Catholic Church in Labadieville at 11:00 am. Burial will follow mass in the church cemetery.
“Jo” was born April 18, 1939 in Bunkie, LA. She graduated from Bunkie High School in 1957 and earned a degree in Bookkeeping from USL in Lafayette. She met her husband, Marcel, on a train during a trip to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Marcel was on his way to Army basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. They were married two years later, on June 2, 1962.
They spent the early part of the marriage in Lafayette where they made many friends who are still cherished today. She worked at L.A. Frey & Co. as a bookkeeper while Marcel finished college at USL. They moved to Labadieville in 1979 to become partners in her husband’s family businesses. There she worked as a part-time bookkeeper for the grocery business, the real estate company, and their home construction company.
She was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother and cherished her family dearly. She enjoyed gardening and cooking. She loved spending weekends at the family beach house in Grand Isle. She was a founding member and adorer at the St. Philomena Perpetual Adoration Chapel for over 20 years.
Jo is survived by her husband of 58 years, Marcel Clause of Labadieville; daughter, Debbie Clause Ruester and husband Chris; son, Marc Clause and wife Maria; grandchildren, Michael Ruester and wife Tiffany, Rebecca Ruester, Thomas Clause, and Mary Clause; sisters Janell “Nell” Frank Dopson of Bunkie and Karen Frank Davis and husband Chuck of Lafayette; sisters-in-law Patsy Clause Zeringue and husband Odel and Faye Clause Gallagher and husband Ron, all of Labadieville, and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Annie Dupuy Frank and Allen Frank of Bunkie; brother Alfred “Al” Frank and wife Peggy of Pascagoula, MS; mother and father-in-law, Irene Landry Clause and Edward Clause of Labadieville; sister-in-law Joylove Clause Toups and husband Wayne of Thibodaux, and brother-in-law W.G. Dopson of Bunkie.
The family would like to thank the Haydel Memorial Hospice staff, especially Patty, for the compassionate care provided to Jo in her final years. A special thank you to sitter Sarah Johnson, and to 24-hour caregiver Helen Granier, Jo’s angel on earth. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Philomena Catholic Church.