Amy Comeaux Hanks lived a remarkable 101 years in Acadiana and departed this life March 2, 2017. Born in 1915 on a farm in Maurice, the youngest of six children of Ovilia Lalande and Leus Comeaux, she was raised speaking Cajun French and learned English in school. She graduated as class Valedictorian from Indian Bayou High School where she met her eternal love and husband, Nelson Paul Hanks.
Amy experienced a century of history and great change, strengthened in fortitude and resilience by the Great Depression and World War II, through which she fervently awaited Nelson’s return from his four years of heroic service, before they married in 1946.
She was a loving, supremely devoted and wise mother of two daughters who survive her, Donna Faye Hanks Wimberly of Natchitoches and Claudette Marie Hanks Reichel of Baton Rouge.
Amy was the last survivor of her family’s generation. She took great joy in her family of four generations, including granddaughters Laura Ann Wimberly Davis, Natalie Lane Reichel, Ariel Marie Reichel, Alicia Leigh Reichel and Sabrina Nell Reichel; and great-granddaughters Anna Kathryn Chelette and Emma Grace Chelette – to whom she was “Maw-maw.”
Amy dedicated her life to God, family and home. She gave up the opportunity to attend college on full scholarship to care for her beloved mother. As a young wife and mother, she designed the home she and Nelson saved for and built in stages with features ahead of its time, with never a debt, and resided in the home she loved the remainder of her life.
Amy was a self-taught, award-winning seamstress who designed and tailored exquisitely, a devotee of domestic sciences, and a master of organization who greatly valued education and high standards of achievement for her daughters. Throughout her life, she was a devout Catholic and volunteered many years at the Iberia St. Francis diner and thrift store. She was an active member and leader of the Iberia Homemakers organization, the National Assoc. of Retired Federal Employees, the Cattleman and Cowbell’s Associations and frequent volunteer for the 4-H Club youth development program.
Amy lovingly cared for her husband through 10 years of Alzheimer’s disease until his death in 2005. She was fiercely self-reliant and uncommonly healthy, living independently until her mid 90s.
She always appeared decades younger than her years and kept her age a guarded secret most of her life – until her loved ones spilled the beans on her 100th birthday.
Amy always appreciated her “good life” and felt blessed, despite the trials and hardships of history. Her daughters consider her a truly amazing woman and mother whom they will always miss and admire, along with their wonderful father. May they both now rest in peace together again with our heavenly Father.
Friends and family are invited to visitation at Evangeline Funeral Home in New Iberia Friday, March 3 from 4:30-7 p.m., with the Rosary being prayed at 6 p.m., and Saturday from 8:30-9:30 a.m., followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. at St. Peters Catholic Church, to be officiated by Father William Blanda. She will be laid to rest at Holy Family Mausoleum with her husband. Appreciation is extended to pallbearers, son-in-law Mark Reichel, grandson-inlaw, Donovan Davis; family members, Glen Broussard and Charles Trahan; and friends Kermit “Mousey” Comeaux and Terry Schaubert.
Flowers or memorial donations in the name of Amy Comeaux Hanks to the Alzheimer’s Association, Catholic Charities or the Louisiana 4-H Foundation – LSU AgCenter are gratefully welcome.