Obituary: Carmen May LeBleu Guilbeau – Red Jacket 1947 & 48 – April 4, 2017

Carmen May Guilbeau 

May 1, 1928  –  April 4, 2017

Carmen May Guilbeau, 88, a native of Fenton who taught at Chapelle High School in Metairie in the 1960s and ‘70s, then was librarian at Rummel High in the ‘70s and ‘80s and lived in Baton Rouge after Hurricane Katrina, died on Tuesday, April 4, 2017. The former Carmen LeBleu was married for 64 years (1950-2014) to her beloved Baker J. Guilbeau (deceased) of Sunset, whom she met at the Kinder swimming pump near Fenton while students at Southwest Louisiana Institute in Lafayette (later USL and ULL). She was a member of the Red Jackets dance team for football games. She graduated from SLI in just three years with a bachelor’s degree in education and taught at Fenton High, then at Slidell High with her husband and at Airline Park Elementary before Chapelle. She traveled with Chapelle students on field trips to Mexico City and New York City. After she and her husband retired in the mid-1980s, they traveled throughout Europe and the United States. She was a devout Catholic at St. Mary Magdalen in Metairie, then at Most Blessed Sacrament in Baton Rouge. An English and History teacher, she loved to read and do crossword puzzles. She also liked watching pro tennis, went to LSU gymnastics meets and occasionally watched basketball as she was a guard on the Fenton High basketball team.

She is survived by her daughter, Deborah Anne Guilbeau of Baton Rouge; three sons, Joseph Baker Guilbeau of Metairie, Kevin Paul Guilbeau of Houston and Glenn Michael Guilbeau of Baton Rouge; daughters-in-law Kathy Moran Guilbeau, Jennifer Williams Guilbeau and Michelle Millhollon Guilbeau; former son-in-law Ralph Thibodeaux (deceased), former daughter-in-law Nancy Wiltz Guilbeau; seven grandchildren, Katherine Thibodeaux Cancienne (husband Clifford William Cancienne), Joshua Paul Guilbeau (wife Tina Evans Guilbeau), Kristen Guilbeau Foyil (husband Ace Foyil), Yvette Nicole Guilbeau, Jeffrey Michael Guilbeau, Ryan Joseph Guilbeau, Caleb Paul Guilbeau; and five great grandchildren, Dominick William Cancienne, Matthew Joseph Cancienne, Abigail Therese Cancienne, Olivia Riley Foyil and Brady Baker Guilbeau. She was preceded in death by her father, Frank A. LeBleu; mother, Lillian Hebert LeBleu; sister Freida LeBleu Scott and brother Frank A. LeBleu Jr.

Visitation will be held on Friday, April 7, 2017 from 6:30 pm until 9:00 pm at Resthaven Funeral Home. Visitation will continue on Saturday, April 8, 2017, from 9 a.m. to noon, with a memorial service at noon. Burial will be at the LeBleu Cemetery in Fenton at 4 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to the St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Metairie.

Family and friends may sign the online guestbook or leave a personal note to the family at www.resthavenbatonrouge.com.

Athletic Network Footnote: Appreciation is expressed to Betty Lowry and Corinne Randazzo for their notification of this Red Jacket loss.