This obituary for Odile Naquin (29 Dec 1846 – 13 Aug 1895) of Thibodeaux, Louisiana,  was in my grandmother’s papers.

Her Labors are Done and She is Gone

Miss Odile Naquin is dead. This brief but truthful announcement made last Tuesday evening at 2:30 when this beloved lady breathed her last, brought sorrow to the hearts of about three-fourths of this population of this parish and also to a host of friends and acquaintances in the surrounding parishes.

What made this lady’s death affect so many was the exemplary and beneficent life she had led. She came into this world on the 31st day of December, 1846, and from the time she possessed the power and ability to do good she had been unceasingly and tirelessly working, and thus did she attract an immense circle of friends and acquaintances,who not only esteemed her, but found her a worthy model.

She had tendered herself conspicuous and indispensable in this community in various ways—by her unswerving devotion to the Catholic Church and to things of a religious nature; by the care that she, with her sister, would exercise in propagating the teachings of the Church; by her deeds of charity; by her benevolence and by her kindly advice and instruction to the numbers who had received their first schooling within the walls of St. Valerie School—an institute that she and her sister had established in 1868, when Miss Odile was 22 years old. The school has been growing popular with each year of its existence, and it remains a decidedly creditable tribute to the one who now lies wrapped in the arms of death. There are gray-haired men and women throughout this parish, now the heads of large families, who received the first rudiments of education within St. Valerie school, and these people cannot look upon the death of their first instructress with other than feelings of the deepest sorrow.

Miss Odile possessed a robust and healthy appearance during the last few years of her life, there being no sign to indicate that dissolution was not far distant. The spell of sickness that culminated in death came on about two months ago, but until within two weeks of her death there was no fear entertained that she would not recover. But God willed otherwise and now she is gone, gone forever, as the healthiest and strongest of us shall have to do.

St. Joseph Cemetery - Thibodeaux

While her departure will be deplored by all of her relatives, none will so sorely miss her as her sister, Miss Emmeline and her aged and good mother, for whom Miss Odile tenderly cared and for whom she expressed the sincerest solicitude when she bid adieu to earth.

They will miss her immeasurably and no solace will replace her. No longer can we speak of “Misses O. and E. Naquin” as an actuality. Only one now lives to fill the duties of both.

But there is a common end to all things that are mortal and from this end Miss Odile was not exempt. She lived and died a virgin and the angels are surely now around her in Heaven.

Her remains, followed by an immense concourse, were taken yesterday evening to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church (which was filled to its utmost capacity) where both Father Dubourg and Father Chastel, assisted by Father Richard, performed a lengthy ceremony, and then the body was deposited in a tomb in the cemetery to await the resurrections.

May her soul be hallowed in glory. To the bereaved ones we offer our sympathy.

Odile Naquin

Odile was the daughter of Maximin Noel Naquin (1814-1855) and Azelie Richard (1817-1901). She had one sister – Emeline (or Emmeline) Naquin (1848–1927). Neither sister ever married.

Relation to Me

Odile was my 1st cousin, 3x removed.

Sunday’s Obituary

Sunday’s Obituary is a daily blogging theme used by many genealogy bloggers to help them post content on their sites. Find out more about daily themes at Geneabloggers.com.