On Aug. 29, 2009, at 9:10 p.m., Mary Fooshee Valentine got her wings. She is soaring with Daddy and the rest of her family gone before her. She is at peace now. She fought a hard fight. She loved her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren so much that it made it hard for her to leave. We all surrounded her with so much love it gave her strength to take her final journey. We will continue to celebrate her life through memories and love. She was 87 and a retired security officer from the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Visitation at Charlet Funeral Home Inc., Zachary, on Monday, Aug. 31, was from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Visitation resumes at the funeral home on Tuesday, Sept. 1, from 9 a.m. until service at 11 a.m., conducted by the Rev. Rusty Bowser. Burial at the Plank Road Baptist Church Cemetery. Survived by two daughters, Valeria Valentine Verbois and her husband, James Verbois, of Springfield, and Mary Ellen Travis and her husband, Bobby Travis, of Zachary; four sons, Gusta Derrel Gardner and his wife, Mary Alice Hurst Gardner, of French Settlement, Charles Ferrel Gardner and his wife, Raye Anne Core Gardner, of Jarreau, J.D. Gardner and his wife, Brenda Berthelot Gardner, of Clinton, and David Mark Valentine and his wife, Kathy Verbois Valentine, of Baywood; brother, Clark Fooshee and his wife, Myrtis Jane, of Jackson; 25 grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren and one expected. Preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Alvin Ray Valentine. Pallbearers will be Mark Valentine, Stephen Ray Valentine, Matthew Valentine, Mike Freeman, Harry Gardner, Jason Gardner, John Chase and Robbie Fooshee. Honorary pallbearers are Herman Middleton, Danny Greig and Ross Junior Maggio. Memorial donations may be made in her memory to St. Jude Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or St. Joseph Hospice of Baton Rouge, 8923 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70810.
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