Betty Ann Marie Pettijean Mendoza
Betty Ann Marie Petitjean Mendoza was born on Nov. 16, 1934, at home two miles north of Rayne to Adolph Petitjean and the former Sadie Richard. She attended St. Joseph High School where she sang in the choir.
She worked as a receptionist for Dr. Lionel Kahn in the early 1950s and was a secretary in the Law Offices of Curt Petitjean in Rayne, and Huey Breaux in Lafayette.
Later in life she served on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Committee for 14 years in Crowley.
Survivors include her husband, Cleven “Butch” Mendoza Jr; three children, Patrick Babineaux Jr and wife Simonne of Rayne, Christine “Tina” Walgenbach and husband Gary of Katy, Texas, and Lee Curtrer and wife Karen of Houston, Texas; three grandchildren, Patrick “Joey” Babineaux III and wife Jessica of Breaux Bridge, Rachel Walgenbach of Katy, Texas, and Sarah Cutrer of Houston, Texas; two step-grandchildren, Shauna Davis and Garrett Harrison of McKinney, Texas; two great-grandchildren, Madelyn and Paige Babineaux of Breaux Bridge; and sister, Jackie Bordelon and husband Douglas of Rayne.
Preceding Betty in death were her parents; infant daughter, Katherine Cutrer; infant older sister, Louella Mae Petitjean; brother, Richard James “Jimmy” Petitjean; maternal grandparents, Numa Richard Sr. and the former Cora Lou Legere; and paternal grandparents, Theophile Petitjean and the former Fedora Domingue.
Funeral services were held on Wednesday, June 8, at 11 a.m. in Gossen Funeral Home Chapel in Rayne. Deacon Dan Besse will officiate.
Interment followed in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery #2 in Rayne.
Visitation was held on Tuesday, June 7, from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. in Gossen Funeral Home, with a rosary recited at 7 p.m. Visitation continued on Wednesday, June 8, from 8 a.m. until service time in the funeral home.
Mrs. Mendoza passed away on Sunday, June 5, 2016, at 9:30 a.m. in a Lafayette health care facility.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.gossenfuneralhome.net
Arrangement were entrusted to Gossen Funeral Home, 504 N. Polk St., Rayne, LA 70578, 337-334-3141.