Norma Jeanne Rogers Blake
The light in our world went dim at 6:02 a.m. Wednesday, July 22, 2021, when our mother, Norma Jeanne Rogers Blake, closed those piercing green eyes for the last time, surrounded by those she loved best: daughters, Roberta “Bertie”, Charla and her beloved granddaughter, Whitnie Victoria. She passed away peacefully in the home that she, our dad Braxton and our precious Grandma Roberta shared following Hurricane Rita.
Visitation for Mrs. Blake were held Sunday, July 25, 2021, at Miguez Funeral Home in Jennings from 10:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. A remembrance of her life was celebrated at 6 p.m.
Services for Norma Jeanne Rogers Blake, 83, of Moss Bluff were held Monday, July 26, 2021, at noon in First United Methodist Church in Lake Charles, with Rev. Weldon Bares’ officiating.
Visitation at the church began at 9 a.m. Monday, with an OES service at 11:30 a.m. Burial in Wakefield Memorial Cemetery was private under the direction of Miguez Funeral Home of Jennings.
Norma Jeanne’s service included an End of Watch service and presentation of the United States Flag by the Cameron Parish Sheriff’s Department. In honor of her service to the Cameron Parish Sheriff’s Department, her flag will fly over the Cameron Parish Courthouse and will then be returned to her family.
She was born Nov. 11, 1937, in Cameron to Charles A. “Buster” and Alma Roberta Eagleson Rogers. She was a 1955 graduate of Creole High School. She also attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and McNeese State University in Lake Charles.
She married Joseph Braxton Blake, Jr., of Beaufort, N.C., on Aug. 10, 1957, in Cameron. Braxton came to Cameron with the Menhaden Industry, like so many of their lifelong friends. They had just celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary when Braxton passed away in 2007.
Norma Jeanne retired from the Cameron Parish Sheriff’s Office after 25 years of service as deputy chief tax collector. She served the Louisiana Fur and Wildlife Festival many years as the coordinator of the Miss Cameron Parish Contest and as co-editor of the Louisiana Fur Festival cookbook. She was a 60-plus year member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Thelma Hackett Chapter No. 225 and held dual membership in Moss Bluff No. 242. In 2015, she was appointed as Grand Adah for the Order of the Eastern Star, State of Louisiana. She also was a member of Daughters of the American Revolution, United Daughters of the Confederacy, United Methodist Women, Home Demonstration, Cowbelles, National Longhorn Association, Cameron Parish Library Board and Cameron Parish Crime Stoppers, and many others.
She is survived by two daughters, Roberta “Bertie” and her husband Billy Pinch of Welsh and Charla Jo Blake of Moss Bluff; beloved granddaughter Whitnie Victoria Pinch of Welsh; stepgrandchildren, Christie and David McCullough of Roswell, Ga., David Pinch (Bronwen LaLande Theriot) of Kinder and Fallon and Marcus Broussard of Maurice; step great-grandchildren, Haydon (Hayley) Sturlese, Emma Grace Pinch, Riley Theriot, Adrian McCullough, Easton and Grant Broussard; and step great great-grandchild, Amelia Gail Sturlese; very special niece, BJ Blake of Bonneau, S.C.; sisters-in-law, Ella Blake Stroud of Florida and Jeannette Blake of South Carolina; brother-in-law, Larry Pittman of North Carolina; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews; and hundreds of wonderful friends across the country.
Preceding her in death were her parents; her beloved husband of 51 years, Joseph Braxton Blake, Jr.; her in-laws, Joe and Neta Carol Blake of Merrimon, N.C.; sister-in-law, Frances Blake Pittman of Beaufort, N.C.; and brothers-in-law, George Allen Blake of South Carolina and Bobby Douglas Stroud of Florida.
Carrying Norma Jeanne to her place of rest were pallbearers Bryan “Goose” Richard, Lester “Ferpo” Richard, Jr., Hayes “Pete” Picou, Jr., Ronnie Dean “Deannie Bug” Picou, Jim Paul Dupont and James Austin “Jamie” Guthrie.
Honorary pallbearers and special friends and family were Renetta Peshoff, Jeanette Benoit, Charlie LeBlanc, Leanna Vincent Caldwell, Sally Domingue, Gail Mudd, Charles Primeaux, Franklin Jones, Ricky Chapman, Larry Turner, Jerry Jones, Sr., John Conner, James Kendall Burton, son-in-law Billy Pinch and Gwen Klumpp. Also included are the members of her OES Grand Family; members of her primary chapter Thelma Hackett No. 225, past employees of Cameron Construction Company and The Santa Fe Ladies.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Norma Jeanne’s memory to the Wounded Warrior Project, OES Service Dogs, Wakefield Memorial Cemetery or a charity of your choice.
Words of comfort may be expressed to the family at www.miguezfuneralhome.com.