Barbara Jean Waddell

Barbara Jean Mary Washington Wyche Waddell Barbara Jean Mary Washington Wyche Waddell, devoted wife, dedicated mother, loyal sister, cherished family member and Registered Nurse died August 6, 2011. She was 63 years old. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, August 13, 2011 at Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Opelousas, LA. Visiting hours will be observed from 5:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. Friday, August 12, 2011 at Williams Funeral Home in Opelousas, LA. Visiting hours will resume on Saturday, August 13, 2011. Burial will be in St. Landry Catholic Cemetery in Opelousas, LA. Barbara was born on October 24, 1947 to the late Raymond and Velma Washington. She is survived by her siblings - Loretta Ann Melancon, John Raymond Washington and Doreatha Washington Dillon (James), husband - David J. Waddell, Sr., children - Maya Denise Wyche, Nikki JaNean Wyche-Ricks (Thomas IV), step-children – Demetria Waddell-Smith (Ennix), David Waddell Jr. (Regina) and DeNair Waddell, nieces – Cherylynn Sam (Elliot), Jacqueline Melancon-Brooks (Lawrence) and Rosalyn Melancon, nephew – Karson Jenkins (Jinny) and granddaughters – Cydney Leah Ayana, Cierra Alexis, Dinah and Tia Nicole, a God mother, Evenolia Forbes, numerous great nieces, great nephews, cousins and a host of other family members. An Opelousas, Louisiana native, Barbara’s educational achievements include receiving her high school diploma from Holy Ghost High School, Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now ULL) in 1969 and Master of Science degree in Health Services Administration from University of St. Francis (Jolliet, Illinois). Her years of employment expanded from a Nurse Manager at Southern Baptist Hospital in New Orleans, to instructor at Charity School of Nursing, Family Practice Office Nurse, Public Health Nurse, Director of Health Services at Delgado Community College, Supervisor at Excelth Inc. Family Health, Infection Control Nurse at Lakeview in Covington, Louisiana, PACU Registered Nurse at Ochsner in Baton Rouge and Associate Director of Nursing at Gulfport Rehabilitation Center in Hammond, Louisiana. Among her many achievements and activities, her memberships included induction into the Omicron Lambda Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Being such a family person, she loved to worship the Lord and did so by participating as a Lady of Knights of Peter Claver, Lay Carmelite, lector and Eucharistic Minister as well as second grade religious instructor in First Communion preparation and innovator of graduates in St. Maria Goretti’s parish. As a devoted mother, throughout the years she volunteered as Cookie Mom with Girl Scouts of America and served as co-leader of Girl Scouts Day Camp at Joe Brown Park, among many other acts of loving motherhood. Barbara loved life and would enjoy it to the fullest every opportunity she had to do so. She loved to travel – abroad and within the country – with the pinnacle of her travel experiences being her trip to Rome for the canonization of Saint Katherine Drexel. She also loved to express her love to family members and did so with her signature gift – her handmade and often personalized crocheted afghans. Her motto – “No matter what it takes” – exemplified her persistent drive to always do better. She lived this out in her battle with ovarian cancer by gracefully coping with treatments for such. Her will to persevere was relentless and nothing short of being something worthy of admiration and respect. All those who ever came in contact with this earth angel would say that she lived to do what she thought was best for those around her. There is peace in knowing that all of her endeavors helped to make, shape and define her journey of life that centered around keeping up with family matters. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Williams Funeral Home of Opelousas, 337-942-2037.

Tributes

Barbara Jean Waddell

October 24, 1947 - August 6, 2011