[StBernard] St. Bernard holds 6th Hurricane Katrina Commemorative Service
Westley Annis
westley at da-parish.com
Tue Aug 30 08:12:47 EDT 2011
St. Bernard holds 6th Hurricane Katrina Commemorative Service
Family members of those who died place a wreath in the waters of Mississippi
River Gulf Outlet
With a bright sun beaming behind the granite Katrina Monument in Shell Beach
and over the waters of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, St. Bernard Parish
Councilmen Ray Lauga and Mike Ginart read the names of the 163 St. Bernard
Parish residents who lost their lives to Hurricane Katrina.
Moments later, family members of several of those whose names are on the
monument assisted in laying a memorial wreath on the water of the MRGO
channel at the 6th annual Commemorative Service Sunday, August 28.
"This is the most important part of the ceremony," St. Bernard Parish
President Craig P. Taffaro, Jr. told the audience at the ceremony at the end
of Shell Beach Highway. "We can build bridges and buildings, but we can't
forget those who lost their lives to Katrina."
As the program reflected on those who perished, it also focused forward on
the future and on the parish's progress. Taffaro thanked the firefighters,
first responders and all the heroes of the storm who fought mightily to help
neighbors in need during Katrina.
Taffaro said that it is also a time to reflect on what has been accomplished
and what growth and recovery has been experienced for those who made the
choice to return to rebuild their lives in St. Bernard.
Joe Threat, FEMA's Acting Executive Director for the Louisiana Recovery
Office, said that as a New Orleans resident who also was flooded by Katrina,
he is in solidarity with St. Bernard.
"Living by the London Canal, I lost all my belongings and I lost neighbors,"
Threat said. "There were 1,500 lost in my zip code. In fact, I barely got
my family out, but I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a family
member."
Threat promised that FEMA would continue to be a faithful partner with St.
Bernard in its recovery efforts. "I think it's important to continue our
partnership and to finish the recovery and rebuilding of St. Bernard
Parish," he said.
Councilman Mike Ginart, agreed and assured the group gathered, "As the years
pass, the crowds may dwindle, but know that no one is forgetting what
happened."
Councilman Ray Lauga, Jr. said such events are important.
"I think it is good to remember all the sacrifices made during Katrina and
the sacrifices that the people who came back are still making today," Lauga
said.
Councilman Fred Everhardt, who also attended, said that everything he does
is in memory of those who lost their lives.
"In everything I have fought for and accomplished, I have always kept the
families of those who lost relatives in mind," he said.
Pastor Ben Alderman of Harvest Time Ministries who gave the opening and
closing comments said it is only right to commemorate such an event.
"It's important," Alderman said. "It was a life changing experience. We
should pass the memories on to our children."
When Taffaro first became president in January 2008, he initiated an effort
to correct the names on the monument that was put up when information about
casualties was still sketchy. With some spellings corrected and a few names
added or deleted, the monument was rededicated later in 2008 with a total of
163 names of those who died because of Hurricane Katrina, whether it was
during the actual event or because of the evacuation. Here are the names on
the monument.
Bertha Acosta
Hollis Alford
Angela Alviar
Evelyn Ancar
Douglas Arceneaux
Betty Arceneaux
Joseph Banks
Lillian Banta
Walter Barcellona
Carmen Bennett
Lucille Besnard
Sarah Bosarge
Eugenie Boyle
Eunice Breaux
Joseph Brossette
Thomas Burke
Evelyn Burns
Benny Butler Jr.
Leroy Butler
Robert J. Caire
Frank Chambers
Charles Chauppetta
Harold Cordes
Walter Cosse
Adele Cousins
Ned Couvillion
Frances Cox
Irene Daigle
Mary Darsam
Rosemary Davis
Robert Delafosse
Zerelda Delatte
Alan Delaune
Jane Denley
Agnes Depascual
Rita Drury
Guiomar Duarte
Edward "Pete" Dugas
Harrison A. Duhon
Loveless Dupuy
Patsy Eaton
Mary Ellis
Russell Embry
Joan Emerson
Helen Fahrenholtz
Ervin Farzande
John Farzande
Maxine Frischhertz
Joyce Fonseca
Brenda Fontaintte
Charles Gagliano
Shirley Gagliano
Arthur Galatas
Tufanio Gallodoro
Mario Gardener
Catherene Godwin
Thelma Godwin
Mary Gourges
Rita Green
William Gregg
George Grunik
Ura Gurtner
Shirley Hartdegen
Wilbur A. Hebert, Jr.
Rosemary Herndon
Dorothy Hingle
George Huard
Alice Hutzler
Myrtle Jackson
Virginia James
Georgia Jenkins
Joseph Jenkins
Mabel Johnson
Josephine Johnson
Vicki Jordan
Mertha Kaminsky
John Kessner
Iris Knight
Mildred Kramer
Edith Krennerich
Harold Kurz
Laura Lae
Helen Larre
Mary Labat
Gladys Leblanc
Mary Lind
Dominique Liuzza
Oralie Lobre
Todd J. Lopez
Shirley Lott
Harry Louros
Peggy Mahaney
Joseph Major
William Manson
Shirley Mares
August Martinolich
Joyce McGuire
Lucille Melerine
Shirley Meyer
Earl Meyer
Helen Meyer
Arthur Miller
Helen Montalbano
Lauretta Morales
Curtis Morrow
Stephen Mosgrove
Matthew Muhoberac, Jr.
Joel C. Mumphrey
Frances Navis
Denise Newman
William Noote
Janet Parker
Carol Parr
Norman Parr
Gregory Patrolia
Richard Patrolia
Helen Perret
Rosemary Pino
Emile Poissenot
Glenn Rambo
Gladys Randall
Janet Rashkin
Richard Reysack
Rufus Rivers
Rebecca Roark
Lynda Robin
Eva Rodrigue
Elizabeth Ross
Bernice Robino
John Russell
Georgia Ryan
Van Ryan
Darlene Saia
Antonia Sanfilippo
Rosemary Savoie
Anna Schielder
Dolores Schiro
Cynthia Schiro
Jake Schiro Jr.
Henry Seifker
David Selbe
Mary Simpson
Louise Sires
Matthew Smallwood
Freddie Smith
Carole Spano
Robert Spinks
Henry Stafford Sr.
Marion Stearns
John Sullivan
Alvin Swan
Dorothy Taguino
Charlie Taylor
Michael Thomason
Donna Thomopolous
George Torrence
Mary Ann Trentecosta
Anna Marie Urquhart
Almeda Verret
Inez Vidrios
Mary Wagner
Thelma Wall
Lawrence Williams
Gloria Young
###
More information about the StBernard
mailing list