CARENCRO - Funeral services will be held Monday, December 23, 2019 at a 1:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial in St. Peter Roman Catholic Church in Carencro for Odette Coussan, age 98, who passed away Wednesday, December 18, 2019 at Maison de Lafayette.

Interment will be in St. Peter Catholic Cemetery in Carencro. The Rev. Mark Ledoux, pastor of St. Peter Roman Catholic Church, will officiate at the services.

Ms. Coussan, affectionately known as "Aunt 'Dette", was a native and lifelong resident of Carencro. A devout Catholic, she was a parishioner of St. Peter Roman Catholic Church having been a member of the Children of Mary, Bonne Mort Society, the Sacred Heart League and was an Active Perpetual Adoration Adorer. She was employed with the Lafayette Parish School Board as a teacher in Mire, taught Elementary in Carencro and was a high school English teacher. As a dedicated citizen of the community, Ms. Coussan helped initiate the French Emersion Program in Lafayette Parish and taught French at Carencro Catholic School upon her retirement from the Lafayette Parish School Board, composed the brochures and gave tours of St. Peter Roman Catholic Church, was acknowledged as the Outstanding Citizen of the Year for the Carencro Jaycees, and was recognized by the Pope for her outstanding ministry with the church.The medal from the Vatican was presented to 12 parishioners by Bishop Schexnayder from the Pope, the medal was given to "Those Who Are Well-Deserving Awarded by His Holiness, the Pope" in 1966. Odette was long active with CCD programs at St. Peter's, served as religion coordinator and was president of the sodality for 20 years. Among her many activities she served as CCD chairman of teachers, promoter of girls' retreats for the high school, CCD sponsor the high school level, director of the Catholic Youth Drama Club, president of the Children of Mary, supervisor of the Sunday School (grades 2-7). She was awarded the St. Anne youth leader award which was voted unanimously by women of the parish. She also served as church historian and tour guide for St. Peter Parish .Her nurturing heart and determination to expand education will be greatly missed by all of her family and friends.

Survivors include numerous nieces and nephews; her caretaker and close friend, Sheila Delafosse; and her close friend, Marie Adele Mimnaugh.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul Coussan and the former Philomene Doucet; six brothers, Ambroise Coussan, Paul Coussan, Jr., Stephen Albert Coussan, Dr. Gaston Louis Coussan, Riolan Coussan and Doucet Coussan; and four sisters, Paulette Coussan, Heloise C. Corne, Odile Coussan (Sister, Agusta Marie O’Carm) and Amelie C. Bernard.

A rosary will be prayed at 11:00 a.m. Monday in the funeral home by Noreen Breaux.

The family requests that visiting hours be observed from 9:00 a.m. Monday until service time on Monday.

Melancon Funeral Home, Evangeline Memorial Gardens Chapel, 4117 N. University Ave., Carencro, (337) 896-3232, is in charge of arrangements.