Christine (Chris) Bagarry Dionne, passed away Sunday, October 13, 2013, at the age of 95. Born December 15, 1917, Chris was a native of Hayes, Louisiana, and a graduate of Chenier Business School. She met and married her first love, J. L. Bagarry, Jr. in Beaumont and was co-owner of several businesses with her husband of thirty-four years until his death in 1972. In 1976, she met and married her second love, Oswald Dionne of Port Arthur. While he worked at the Texaco Refinery she was a homemaker. He retired after forty-five years of service. They traveled to all states in the United States and others in Europe. They were members of Texaco Retiree Social Club and married twenty-nine and a half years at the time of his death in August of 2006.
Chris is preceded in death by her parents; Maude and J.E. Fontenot; husbands, J.L. Bagarry, Jr. and Oswald Dionne; brothers, Curtis Fontenot and Durelle Fontenot; sister, Juanita Fontenot May; and son-in-law, Robert Brantley, Sr.
She is survived by her daughters, Gwenita Bagarry Brantley of Kerrville, Joella Bagarry Harvey and husband, Rusty, of Nederland; step-daughters, Janie Fuller and husband, Ben, Suzanne Brammer and husband, Bob, of Port Arthur; grandchildren, Robert Brantley, Jr. and wife, Lisa of Kerrville, Cass Brantley and wife, Lisa, of Nederland, Thomas Brantley and wife, Jackie, of Arkanas; David Harvey, Jr. and wife, Carly of Beaumont; and Jonathan Harvey, of Nederland; eight great-grandchildren; brother, T.J. Fontenot of Gueydan, Louisiana; and many nieces and nephews.
A gathering of Mrs. Dionne’s family and friends will be on Tuesday evening, October 15, 2013, at Broussard’s, 505 North 12th Street, Nederland. Her funeral service will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 16, 2013, at Broussard’s, with interment to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont.
Memorial contributions may be made to American Heart Association, P.O. Box 841125, Dallas, Texas 75284.
