Nellie Sanchez Laborde, age 88, of Marksville

Nellie Sanchez Laborde
MARKSVILLE - A Celebration of Life Eucharistic Mass for Nellie Cecil Sanchez Laborde will be held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church on Saturday Dec. 9, 2017 at 10 a.m. with Fr. Rusty Rabalais officiating. Burial will be held at St. Joseph Cemetery #1. Arrangements are under the direction of Hixson Brothers Funeral Home of Marksville.
Visitation will be held at Hixson Brothers Funeral Home in Marksville on Friday Dec. 8, 2017 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturday from 8 a.m. until shortly before the church service. Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Friday.
Nellie Cecil Sanchez Laborde, age 88, joined the choir of angels in heaven on Wednesday Dec. 6, 2017. Nellie was born on December 27, 1928 in Avondale on the beautiful West Bank of the Mississippi River near New Orleans. She proudly called New Orleans her home, where she attended St. Mary’s Dominican High School. While working in the city, she met the love of her life Raymond J. Laborde while he attended Loyola University. They married in 1951 and celebrated 64 years of marriage.
Nellie the youngest child of seven children by Celeste and Sydney Sanchez, left New Orleans and moved to the quiet peaceful town of Marksville. She was blessed with a beautiful full life with her husband and their six children. Her first born child Ronald Martin Laborde died in 1965 from juvenile diabetes. He greeted his Mom with open arms as she knocked at Heaven’s door.
She brought laughter and a jovial spirit wherever the family gathered. Her greatest joy was being with her family and friends, enjoying her gourmet creations and her little beers. Nellie, fondly known as “Nellie Bird” loved the sun and the beach. Each year the entire Laborde Family would head to Gulf Shores, Alabama where good times were made. She looked forward to this special traditional trip with the entire family. She was active in the parent’s club of Presentation School where all of her children attended and were given the best Catholic education.
One of Nellie’s greatest artistic passions was being an active member of the Marksville Garden Club. She loved being creative with all the beautiful flowers of nature. She could take a vase, some greenery and a colorful flower of the season and design a masterpiece. Nellie enjoyed singing in the St. Joseph’s Choir and the St. Cecilia Chorale for over many many years. She sang alto with her close friends as they shared many Choir practices with love and laughter praising the Lord.
While Raymond was serving in the Louisiana Legislature, Nellie organized the Legislative Wives Auxiliary and was the first President of the organization. She met women from all over Louisiana who shared the summers together as their husbands worked hard to run the government of Louisiana. They toured various cities throughout the state and Europe enjoying the beauty and culture of our land.
Nellie is survived by her children, Minnie (David) Lafargue, Donald (Rebecca) Laborde, Charles (Lynn) Laborde, Raymond (Denise) Laborde II, and Rachel (Chris) Voinche. Nellie was the proud grandmother of 13 grandchildren who fondly called her “Nan.” She would chase the grandkids all around the house in a game called “Nellie Nellie You Who!” She would have the house in an uproar of laughter. Grandchildren are Clay Lafargue, Ashley Dubea, Carl Lafargue, Lily Lafargue, Douglas Laborde, Dale Laborde, Danielle Laborde, Annie Bass, Chelsey Blankenship, Julian Laborde, Robert Karam, Matthew Karam and Camille Karam. She was also blessed with 13 great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers for the celebration of her life are Robert Karam, Matthew Karam, Doug Laborde, Dale Laborde, Julian Laborde, Clay Lafargue and Carl Lafargue.
As her health declined the family hired sitters to tend to her needs. The Laborde family would like to express our thanks to the following people for giving Mom excellent tender care: Nicole Madrigal, Sandra Speer, Rowena Delahoussaye, Kathleen Ramos, Adrianna Prout and Elaine Jeansonne. We would also like to thank Intrepid Home Health and Guardian Hospice.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Fund for Youth Programs.