Emily Coward Lartigue was born in Ville Platte, Louisiana on May 29, 1924, to Watkin and Mary Pappion Coward. She was one of eleven children born to this union.
Emily was united in holy matrimony to Homer Lartigue, Sr. for thirty-four years who preceded her in death in 1975. To this union seven children were born, Cassie Jean, Casey Jones, Herman James, Homer Jr., Roland Edward, Robert Richard and Annette Octavia.
Mother Emily Lartigue, as she was lovingly called, had a long walk with God that took her from Saint Peter Missionary Baptist Church, in Beaumont, Texas and New Light Baptist Church, in Anahuac, Texas where she dutifully served as First Lady under the leadership of Reverend Homer Lartigue Sr. until 1967, when she and her family moved to Lansing Michigan, where they united with Union Baptist Church.
In 1972, she became first lady at True Light Baptist Church under the leadership of Reverend Homer Lartigue Sr. After the death of her husband, she united with Mount Zion All Nations Bible Church, under the leadership of Pastor H. Levi McClendon in Lansing, Michigan where she served as a Mother of the church.
Mother Emily Lartigue embraced her religious belief no matter what state she lived in. She was under watch care at Champions Church in Spring, Texas, Shiloh Baptist Church in Yorktown, Virginia and Star Hill Baptist Church, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She was a prayer warrior and steadfast in her faith.
Left to mourn Mother Lartigue are five sons and two daughters: Cassie J. Lartigue Phillips, and her husband, Winston of Yorktown, Virginia; Casey J. Lartigue, Sr. of West Point, Connecticut; Herman J. Lartigue, Sr. and his wife, Reverend Alice of Spring, Texas; Reverend Homer Lartigue, Jr. and his wife, Lessie of Lansing, Michigan; Roland E. Lartigue and his wife, Delma of Raleigh, North Carolina; Robert R. Lartigue of Lansing, Michigan; and Annette Lartigue Chambliss of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She was preceded in death by six siblings and left to cherish her memory are two sisters: Naddie Pete of Lansing, Michigan, and Cecilia Stevens of Beaumont Texas; two brothers, George Coward, Sr. of Beaumont, Texas, and Mitchell Coward, Sr. of Amarillo, Texas; one sister-in-law, Dan Ethel Coward of Beaumont, Texas; twenty grandchildren; thirty great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren; Godchildren, Durvin Coward Sr., Mitchell Coward, Sr., Jayeton Thomas, and Elgra Faye Armstrong, and Glenda Pete Dent; along with a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Mother Emily Lartigue was one of God’s chosen servants and will be missed immensely by all that knew and loved her.
A gathering of Mrs. Lartigue’s family and friends will be at 9:00 a.m., with her Homegoing Service to begin at 11:00 a.m., on Saturday, March 22, 2014, at St. Peter’s Baptist Church, 4615 South 4th Street, in Beaumont, under the direction of Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin Avenue, Beaumont, with interment at Live Oak Cemetery, in Beaumont, Texas.
