Melna Camille Jensen Turcan

Melna Camille Jensen Turcan, age 90, of Natchitoches, LA, and formerly of Baton Rouge, passed away Friday, October 2, 2009, in Natchitoches, LA. Arrangements are being handled by Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home in Natchitoches, LA. The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Monday, October 5, 2009 at the First United Methodist Church in Natchitoches, LA. The funeral service will be at First United Methodist Church at 11:00 AM Monday, October 5, 2009, with Rev. Donald Avery officiating. A graveside service will be held at 12:30 on Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at Rest-Haven Memorial Gardens in Baton Rouge, LA. Mrs. Melna was a loving and compassionate person. She had an incredible sense of humor, a fond love for life, and enjoyed her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was a southern lady in all respects and had a very strong will. While in Baton Rouge she was a member of many organizations and Ingleside Methodist Church. After moving to Natchitoches, she became a member of The Lesche Club, Chapter AP of the PEO Sisterhood (where she served as President and Chaplain), the Natchitoches Northwestern Symphony Society, and the First United Methodist Church. She loved playing the harp and played with the Natchitoches Northwestern Symphony Society on several occasions. Her harp will be donated to the music department to Northwestern State University. She was preceded in death by her husband, Honore Ben Turcan, Jr.; and her parents, Macmicken Jensen and Camille Graves Jensen. She is survived by her daughter, Sharon Turcan Gahagan and husband Henry Cole Gahagan, Jr. of Natchitoches, LA; three grandchildren, Kristen Gahagan Weber and husband Scott Jackson Weber of Houston, TX, Henry Cole Gahagan, III and wife Jacqueline Copp Gahagan of Dallas, TX, Jensen Gahagan Sessums and husband Christopher Bradshaw Sessums of Nashville, TN; three great grandchildren, Larsen Elise Weber of Houston, TX, Camille Elizebeth Weber of Houston, TX, and Henry Cole Gahagan, IV of Dallas, TX. Pallbearers will be The Honorable Fred Sconyers Gahagan of Natchitoches, LA, Don Norris of Shreveport, LA, Scott Jackson Weber of Houston, TX, Christopher Bradshaw Sessums of Nashville, TN, Henry Cole Gahagan, III of Dallas, TX, Scott Williams of Sugarland, TX, Warren Gannuch of New Orleans, LA, Wayne Hirschey of Baton Rouge, LA, Dr. Steven Horton of Natchitoches, LA, and Thomas N. Whitehead of Natchitoches, LA, and Lon Norris of Baton Rouge, LA. Honorary pallbearers will be nephews, Frank Pritchard, Steve Pritchard, Paul Pritchard, and David Pritchard, all of Atlanta, GA, and John Cutrer, of Port Neches, TX. In lieu of floral tributes, the family requests memorials be made to the 1st United Methodist Church of Natchitoches in Mrs. Melna's name.