Hazel Marie Keating

Her light made this world so much brighter, and her soul was overflowing with beautiful grace and dignity. Her heavenly Father called her home on January 10, 2025,at 11:59 p.m., and for us, the world became so much darker. Our family matriarch, Hazel Marie Keating, answered His call with courage after her, often, difficult journey on this earth. She was 66 years old and the daughter of Octave Albert Fleitas and Mable Pauline Lavigne Fleitas. She was born in Madisonville, Louisiana on October 30, 1958, and was raised by her maternal grandfather, James Lavigne, and her step grandmother Louise Lavigne. She was raised with her grandparents’ biological children as a sibling. She married the love of her life, Lyle Paul Keating Sr, on November 15, 1975. Their marriage lasted for 48 years through the ups and downs of life...through laughter and tears. They were blessed with three amazing children who they raised with incredible love and patience and they, together, watched as their family grew and thrived on the very land that Paul, Sr. was born and raised on in Covington, Louisiana.

She is survived by those three children... Lyle Paul Keating Jr., Joseph Octave Keating (Misty), and Cheryl Lynn Keating Maggio (Joey). She was the loving grandmother of Hannah (Blake), Aiden (Catherine), Waylon, Kinley, Sammy and Addison, Nick (Reagan), Sam, Brendon, and Gabe. Great grandmother of Axel, Noelle, Jaxton, and Grayson. Also survived by a multitude of cherished nieces and nephews and their families.  

She is, also, survived by three of her four biological siblings... Robert Octave Mance (Marie), Mary Jane Washburn, and Margaret Rose Hickerson who were separated from her due to adoption prior to her birth. Hazel searched, tirelessly, for her siblings until she found them all. She reunited with all four by 1992 and the heartache of her youth and years of adulthood was finally relieved. She never gave up on finding them and, because of her, our family was made whole again. Chosen, among many, and someone who our family owes a debt of gratitude to is Jeff and Terri Crockett for their constant love and support. Hazel loved them both very much. 

Hazel was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Paul, Sr., on January 16, 2022, both of her biological parents (1962 and 2018), sister, Patricia Dixon (2016), brothers-in-law, Lawrence David Keating Jr. (1995), Charlie “Marty” Keating, Sr. (2012), Michael Gene Keating (2019),Michael Hickerson (2013), nephew, Stephen Coblentz (2021), and many others, biological and chosen. She was never the same after she lost Paul, Sr. as her heart never healed and she failed to flourish. 

Flowers bloomed with her touch, and she took pride in the beauty of them as she surrounded her home, inside and out, with more than you could count. She loved to do wood work and paint making decorations for every special occasion into spectacular outdoor scenes. Christmas was celebrated, in her home each year, with huge gatherings, incredible meals, a birthday cake for her Jesus, and stories about Jesus's birth for all of the children. Laughter was abundant and her joy was found in the smiles of those she loved. She adored teaching Bible school and taught young children the goodness of God for many, many years. Hazel gave more of herself than she ever kept. She loved with her whole heart and spoke kindly and gently to everyone. Her circle was huge, and her laughter was contagious. We thank our heavenly Father for giving her to us. That He chose us for her to love. That He chose us for her to call her family. She was our gift, and our family will forever cherish her love because it was nothing short of gracious and honest. Our love for her will never die and we will carry her memories with us forever in our hearts. Our tears will flow as well as our prayers that one sweet day we will all be reunited in the kingdom of Heaven, in the presence of our Lord and Savior, for eternity, and that we will never have to say goodbye again. That hope, that prayer, that peace and that promise will sustain us. But, for now, our hearts are broken. We love you to the moon and back, Hazel Marie Keating...Until we meet again.

“A celebration of her life will be held at a later date to give out of state family members and friends an opportunity to plan to attend. That date will be announced on her family’s Facebook pages.”