Mabel Lavigne

On March 20, 2018, we lost our precious mother, Mabel Pauline Lavinge, who was our best friend, our protector, our confidant and the person we could always count on to stand beside us through the good times and the bad. She fought very hard to stay here with us but God had different plans for her. Mom was just tired and she knew of a much better place to make her home where there is no more pain and no more sorrow, in the house of our Lord and Savior. She will be terribly missed here but we know, because of God’s promise, that we will see her again and be with her for all eternity someday. She was preceded in death by her parents, James Lavigne and Joy Lavinge Harper, her husband and the father of her children Octave Albert Fleitas (1962), her daughter Patricia Ann Fowler (2016) and her son-in-law Michael Wayne Hickerson (2013). The loss of her daughter took a heavy toll on her and she was never quite the same.  She is survived by her daughter Mary Jane Washburn of Vista, California her beloved only son Robert Octave Mance of Canyon Country, California and his beautiful wife Marie and her daughter Margaret Rose Hickerson of Covington, LA. her daughter Hazel Marie Keating and her husband, Lyle Paul Keating Sr. whose greatest joy in life was picking on his mother-in-law. We have laughed for hours listening to the antics of those two. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Douglas and Kayla Shiflet, Charles Shiflet, Jacalyn Andes, Nikki and Cody Savoy, Lacy and Travis Sincomb, Crystal and Bob Kacmar, Michael Mance, David and Kerry Clark, Robert Clark, Allen and Brook Hickerson, Christy and James Beebe, Shaunna and Michael Bell, Stephen and Sarah Coblentz, Michelle Fowler, Jessie and Donna Fowler, Paul Jr. and Kendra Keating, Joseph and Misty Keating, Cheryl and Joey Maggio. She is also survived by thirty-five great-grandchildren and two great great-grandchildren who lover her and will miss her terribly. She was the proud great grand-mother of and Airman. Our Mother was tough and resilient in this life. She spent a lot of her adult life as a cross-country truck driver seeing most of the United States and Canada. She loved animals and rescued many. She never slowed down and at times we struggled to keep up with her. We truly wish she were still here with us but find comfort in knowing that she is safe and warm in His loving arms. We will miss here laugh, we will miss her smile, we will miss her daily phone calls and we will miss her frown and watching her eyebrows touch. We used to always tell her that they were going to stay that way one-day if she kept frowning like that. She didn’t believe us. Thank you, Mama, for everything. Until we meet again we love you and will never forget… we promise to carry you in our hearts…forever. Celebration of Life will be April 14, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at 19000 South Fitzmorris Road, Covington, LA 70435