Mrs. Lena Marie Brown Auzenne-Henry

LENA MARIE BROWN AUZENNE-HENRY The Angels in heaven were in the garden on a day bright and sunny. The sky was a forever blue. One picked a rose so sweet, so delicate, so true. It was added to a vase along with others it once knew. It stood there every happy united with the crew. Our dear mother, that rose was you. – Chica On April 17, 1960 Parfait and Clara Mae Auzenne were blessed with a beautiful baby girl. She was given the name Lena just like her maternal grandmother before her. She was taken home where she was loved and spoiled by an abundant amount of family members. She was especially spoiled by her two older brothers who went on to give her the nickname Bull. Legend states that she was tough as them and was told one day by her older brother, “You’re strong like BULL!” (They watched a lot of westerns). From that day forward, the name stuck. Lena was the third of five children and was raised in the Catholic faith in Leonville, LA. There she went on to attend school and later obtained her GED. She also attended T.H. Harris in Opelousas and became a certified nursing assistant. She started her career in healthcare at Prompt Succor Nursing Home where she worked closely alongside Sister Mary Margaret Magdalene Felician of the Carmelite Nuns Society. She later went on to work at J. Michael Morrow Memorial Nursing Home in Arnaudville for 11 years. She then took a position working with a home health agency providing care for the elderly and infirmed for 5 years. She loved her work but thrived for more. Opportunity presented itself a few years later and she was offered a position at the medical office of Dr. Calvin White, where she worked for 26 years until she retired. Being the person she was, she could not stop. She came out of retirement and worked with the medical office of Dr. Eric Chapman for a brief period of time until she became ill. Lena was a daughter, sister, mother, aunt, cousin, and friend. She loved everyone and everyone loved her. She loved her parents dearly and was very close to both of them. She was also close to her brothers and often told stories of how she beat them all the time in a good ole game of jacks and marbles. She had a contagious smile that would light up the room and left the smell of her perfume wherever she went. That woman loved her some White Diamonds. She was also close to her aunts and uncle: Joyce, Judy, and Dalton (Pemo). They were the younger siblings of her mother but they grew up more like her sisters and brother. The stories they shared will forever remain vivid as though we lived them ourselves. Lena was also bilingual, speaking both English and the native Creole language. That meant so much to her, especially growing up in a household where that was the only language spoken by her grandmother. The ability to speak the Creole language also made her a great asset in her career, being that the majority of the elderly in her community spoke it as well. She was a lover of words, which explained her love for books and literature. She was encouraged to read as a child by her mother, who grew up during segregation and the Great Depression and had very little opportunity to do so herself. She was raised in the Catholic faith and instilled those virtues in her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She loved cooking. Lord, that woman could cook and bake. That’s why the whole family is nice and plump. I remember my stepdad eating her food for the first time and saying, “I see why these children around here will never end up on a Feed the Children commercial!” She loved tending to rose bushes and the beauty of the native Crepe Myrtle trees—those were her favorite. Being outdoors was also something she enjoyed. There were many afternoons where she just sat outside and enjoyed life and all it had to offer. She never complained about anything. Of all the favorite things she enjoyed doing, going to the casino was at the top of her list. She would always say, “Y’all, I’m going to strike big one day!” Seeing her eyes light up every time her machine entered a bonus will be a memory instilled forever. They may have been her favorite, but the time spent with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and family was priceless. That she would not have traded for anything else. She loved happiness and laughter. If you were around her and down in the dumps, she made sure you left with a smile and a full heart. She opened her heart to all that she encountered. She was even a loving mother to her little dogs. She raised them as though they were her own children and not her pets. We had a hard time giving our own mother a hug without them being jealous and overprotective of her. Who wouldn’t though? Because she was truly one of a kind. Mama loved all types of music and had dance skills just like Thelma from the TV series Good Times. The memory of those dance moves—her and her older brothers, especially her swing-out sessions with her brother Roland. One would swear they were watching an episode of Dancing with the Stars. She took their dance moves seriously—just like she took the love she had for everyone. God blessed Lena with six children, aka “The Brady Bunch.” In each one, she went on to leave a special piece of her. Charles was the firstborn that opened her doorway to motherhood and shared the very first piece of her heart. He was also the first person she called every time something needed to be fixed. Tywanna, her first-born girl, would follow in her footsteps and enter a career in the medical field as well. She also inherited her baking skills—that’s why it’s so hard for anyone to lose weight because she is always trying a new recipe. Brandon has her soft spot and love for animals. Brent definitely obtained her adventurous side, often sending her on many trips to the ER. That boy was always into something. To LaChica, she definitely passed on her love for words, language, culture, genealogy, reading, and writing. A skill that came in handy because that child went on to read newspapers and mail for all the old ladies in the neighborhood and the obituaries at all the funerals. Last but not least, Tasha—the baby of the crew, aka Big Boss, aka The Mama. That was her casino partner. Every time you called her and heard music in the background, she would say, “I’ll call you back, I’m at the casino with Tasha and Ramsey!” She was also blessed with many grandchildren. Four of them she raised as her own—Lizzy, Brennon, Layla, and Lindsey. Brennon and Lizzy were there with her by her side until the day she took her last breath. That meant so much to her and for that she will forever be grateful. Lena is survived by her children: Charles (Marie) of Arnaudville, LA, Tywanna (Kenneth) of Leonville, LA, Brandon (Krystal) of Opelousas, LA, Brent (Summer) of Leonville, LA, LaChica (Jake) of Duson, LA, and LaTasha (Ramsey) of Youngsville, LA. One brother, Michael (Donna) of Opelousas, LA. Aunts Judy of Houston, TX, and Delia and Josephine Brown of Leonville, LA. Mother-in-law Gertrude Henry of Grand Coteau, LA. Godfather Jimmy Davis. Godchildren Michelle, Ronald Jr., Tonia, and Massey. Special cousins Vanessa Sostand, Sharen Pickney, Alan Nelson, Pat Papillion, Sidney Lemelle, and James, Joe, and Harold Davis. Lena also leaves behind to mourn 20 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends. Lena was preceded in death by her parents, Parfait and Clara Mae Auzenne; husband Ernest Henry; brothers Ronald and Roland Brown; sister Linda Auzenne; paternal grandparents Aristide and Cecilia Fournier Auzenne; maternal grandparents Lawrence and Lena Sam Brown; sisters-in-law Carolyn and Marie Brown; special cousins Janett Keys, Kevin and Eric Brown; father-in-law Sylvester Henry; and godmother Joyce Stelly. Funeral services will be held at St. Leo Catholic Church, Leonville, LA on Saturday, May 31, 2025, at 10:00 A.M. for Lena Marie Brown Auzenne-Henry, 65, who entered eternal rest on Thursday, May 22, 2025, in her residence surrounded by family and loved ones and in the comfort care of Louisiana Hospice and Palliative Care. Interment will be in Serenity Memorial Park, Opelousas, LA. Rev. Darren Eldrige, Pastor of St. Catherine Catholic Church will officiate the Mass of Christian Burial. The family requests visiting hours be observed on Saturday, May 31, 2025, from 9:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. at St. Leo Catholic Church. Share words of comfort with the family of Lena Marie Brown Auzenne-Henry on her Permanent Life Tribute Page at www.williamsfuneralhomes.net. Be the first to post your most treasured memory of Lena. Show your support by sharing a personal message or story, meaningful photo or video, or record a video message using your webcam. On behalf of the family, we encourage you share your personal experiences and preserve the memory of Lena Marie Brown for future generations to come. Final arrangements entrusted to Williams Funeral Home of Opelousas, 817 E. South Street, 337-942-2037.

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Mrs. Lena Marie Brown Auzenne-Henry

April 17, 1960 - May 22, 2025