JONESVILLE – Services for Jeanette Holmes Babin, 90, of Alexandria, who died Saturday, July 5, 2008, at Christus St. Francis Cabrini Hospital, in Alexandria, will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Gerard’s Catholic Church.
Burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery, in Pineville, under the direction of Young’s Funeral Home in Jonesville.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today, at the funeral home, with a rosary at 7 p.m. led by the Rev. Louis Sklar.
Mrs. Babin was born in Calvin, La., and grew up in Winnfield, La., one of 10 children of Joseph W. and Louisa Holmes. She was married to Gerald D. Babin, former mayor of Jonesville, and owner/operator of Babin Motors, until his death in 1987. After moving to Alexandria in 1994, she married Lamar Donald, who died in 2004.
Mrs. Babin was a resident of The Versailles/Matthews Memorial Nursing Center at the time of her death. A long-time resident of Jonesville, Mrs. Babin was a leader in community and church affairs for many years. She was a past president and 30-year member of the Catahoula Parish Library Board, past president of the Jonesville Woman’s Club, founder and past president of the Mental Health Association of Catahoula, a board member of the Alexandria Regional Mental Health Center and the Mental Health Association of Louisiana. She served as president of the Alexandria Diocesan Council of Catholic Women in the mid-1960s.
In addition, Mrs. Babin was one of the founders of the Louisiana Soybean Festival and served as the organization’s manager. She also served on the Jonesville Planning Commission, Catahoula Historic Preservation Commission, American Legion Auxiliary and was a member of the Fort Beauregard Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. She was also a charter member of the Catahoula-Concordia Republican Women’s Club.
She was also preceded in death by one son, Gerald R. Babin; and one grandson, James A. Babin.
Survivors include three daughters, Priscilla Babin, Melanie Torbett and husband, Lindsey, and Deidre Hughston and husband, David, all of Alexandria; eight grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the Catahoula Parish Library, St. Gerard’s Catholic Church or a charity of choice.