Mrs. Velva Dawson Doucet

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” II Timothy 4:7-8 Velva Dawson Doucet, 89 years old, passed away peacefully on April 1, 2019, at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Lafayette, Louisiana. Velva was born on February 2, 1930, in Lebeau (Dry Bayou), Louisiana, to the late Phillip Dawson and Addie Goudeau Dawson. On December 26, 1949, Velva Dawson was united in Holy Matrimony to Herbert Joseph Doucet. To this union were born 10 children, five boys and five girls. Velva was a faithful member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and attended the Immaculate Conception School and graduated. She was a dedicated, inspirational, creative and devoted wife and mother, who taught her children the value of hard work, persistence, motivation, education and community service. In the early 1970s, after her youngest child entered elementary school, Velva founded the Willing Workers Ladies Club; a club of dedicated women from the community who worked together to fundraise and create opportunities for the youth and adults to develop their creative and artistic talents. Velva also taught an arts and crafts course in Morrow, Louisiana. On February 23, 1973, the Doucet family endured the greatest spiritual challenge of their lives. As the result of a fatal vehicular accident, Velva permanently lost her eyesight. Most people would look to this tragedy as hopeless and overbearing, but with strength, faith, love and the Grace of God, the family, but most of all Velva, courageously endured and overcame this adversity. In 1976, in order to care for her family and function in her daily activities as a visually impaired person, Velva attended the World Services For the Blind School in Little Rock, Arkansas where she learned braille, life skills, mobility, and arts and crafts. She joined the National Federation for the Blind Organization in 1979 where she was an active member for many years. She and Herbert attended numerous conventions, workshops and seminars. Velva was preceded in death by her spouse, Herbert Doucet, Sr., her parents Phillip Dawson and Addie Goudeau Dawson, her siblings, Essie Mae Goudeau, Ruth Battise, Josephine Alexander, Goudeau Dawson, Sterling Dawson, Phillip (Dominic) Dawson, and great-grandson Jordan D. Shelmire. Velva leaves to cherish her memory: her children, Herbert Doucet, Jr. (Donna) of Palmetto, La., Israel Doucet, Sr. (Carolyn) of Rideau, La., Wanda Doucet (Clay) of Chicago, IL, Rosalind Doucet Morgan (Anthony) of Baton Rouge, La., Tyrone Doucet of Lebeau, La., Carolyn Doucet Chambers of Baton Rouge, La, Fran Doucet Shelmire (Kelvin) of Baton Rouge, La., Philip Doucet, Sr. (Sharon) of Nashville, TN, Madeline Doucet West (Roderick) of New Orleans, La., and David Doucet (Perpetualist) of New Orleans, La., thirty-seven grandchildren, more than fifty great grandchildren, brother, Leonard Dawson, sisters Hermanese Johnson, and Annie Roach and a host of relatives and friends. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM Saturday, April 6, 2019 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lebeau, LA, with viewing beginning at 8:00 AM and Rosary at 10:15 AM. Interment will be in Immaculate Conception Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to support services for the blind be made to the Velva Doucet Fund, in care of the Greater New Orleans Foundation. Checks can be made out to The Greater New Orleans Foundation, with Velva Doucet Fund in the memo line. They can be mailed to: 919 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130. Credit card donations can be made online at the following link: https://www.gnof.org/give-now/, and Velva Doucet Fund should be entered in to the specify the fund field.

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Mrs. Velva Dawson Doucet

February 2, 1930 - April 1, 2019