Gerald Joseph Naquin

Gerald Joseph Naquin was born on March 23, 1946 and passed on May 2, 2023. He peacefully left this world in the warmth of afternoon sunshine, wrapped in the loving words and arms of his family with the music of Cat Stevens playing gently in the background. 

Jay was a gentle soul full of generosity, goodness, joy, and laughter. One of Jay’s greatest joys in life was instigating and keeping laughter going, which made life with Jay quite the adventure. Ugly Tie contests, river rafting rides, frog-filled festivities, toilet papering the principal’s office, and Boom Chica Boom songs, are just a few of Jay’s memorable moments. 

Jay, Mr. Jay, Mr. Naquin, Dad, PawPaw, Honey, and even Santa Claus, are some of  the affectionate names he was called during his impactful life.  He was a passionate man who fiercely loved his family, friends, coworkers and students, and he remained forever willing to be a friend to any and all. His passions also included a lifelong love of words, grammar, literature, music, movies, nature, laughter, the Church, and God.  

Jay’s love for both humanity and literature called him to the field of education, but Jay was more than a teacher of English. He was also a role model by his actions and a mentor to many. Jay taught and showed respect and compassion for others. His heart and life were spent doing what he loved and his classroom was truly his second home.  

Throughout his teaching career, Mr. Jay could be found in the early morning hours sitting at his dining room table reading and grading papers.  Endless streams of coffee and red ink steadily flowed as he wrote to his students hoping to help them succeed, words that have stayed with some of them for a lifetime.  That same dining room table also held countless hours of early morning conversations, card games, Scrabble, and take out food with his children, family, and friends. Jay always made time for everyone.

Jay’s time, energy, and undivided attention to others seemed boundless. Throughout his life, he volunteered as a Cub Scout leader, Assistant Soccer coach, Baseball coach, and T-Ball coach. As a PawPaw, his favorite volunteer activities included holding popsicles for his grandchildren. Jay believed time dedicated to making a difference in others and bringing smiles and joy to faces was time best spent. 

Jay received his B.A. in English from LSU NO (UNO) in 1970 and his Master’s Degree in Administration from Southeastern Louisiana University. He taught for 44 years at three schools: Grace King High School, Covington High School and St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Ponchatoula.

He was actively involved in teaching and served as the English Department Chair, a class sponsor for multiple grade levels, and a committee member on numerous textbook adoption committees. He was also the union representative for both the Jefferson Federation of Teachers and the St. Tammany Federation of Teachers, where he was a political activist for teacher rights. Jay was also Harahan’s Outstanding Athlete in 1963, Redemptorist High School’s Class President in 1964, and a Pledge Trainer for Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity at UNO.

Jay’s pockets were always filled with M&M’s, peppermints, and quarters, which were given out to the young and the old.  We know PawPaw is right now handing out candy, telling jokes, and having conversations with everyone around him.  We know he is conjugating verbs, reading aloud from a dictionary, teaching in his forever classroom, and walking with Jara as they decide what they will eat while looking up movie times. 

Jay was preceded in death by his father and mother, Adam and Bernice Naquin, his youngest daughter Jara Dubois Naquin Bode, and his mother-in-law Lucy Fank. 

Jay is survived by his wife Janet, his son Jason (Kelly), his daughter Jayme (Ric), his granddaughters Isabel, Kennedie, Adyson, and Sydney, and his adoptive son Matthew Mahl. 

Jay is also survived by his siblings–Shirley Barouse, Yvonne Guaraggi, Patsy Coakley, Adam Naquin (Colleen), Linda and Frank Coates, Trey Fank, and close friends Leona and Percy Babin, Karen and Joey Sedtal, Carol and Dick Oswald, and his many friends at COAST.

Random acts of kindness were Jay’s wish rather than flowers. Services will be Friday, May 12, starting at 10:00 a.m. at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 501 Holy Trinity Drive, Covington, LA 70433, with mass beginning at 11:30 and Celebration of Life repast at 12:30.