Mary "Pam" Pamela Martin Dugas

God blessed us with Mary Pamela Martin Dugas on December 31, 1946. She was called to her heavenly home on September 2, 2022. We will celebrate her life at St John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Prairieville, Louisiana, on Tuesday, November 22, 2022.

Born in Franklin, Louisiana, Pam lived her formative years in Morgan City where she immensely enjoyed her “Union Street” friends and family. As a teenager, her family moved to Broussard, Louisiana, where she attended St. Cecilia Catholic School and met the love of her life, Jean Ledel Dugas. Pam is survived by her adoring husband of 56 years.

Pam and Jean were married on November 11, 1965, and from that day on, they were practically inseparable. Pam always said, “The greatest gift you can give your children is to love your spouse.” Her love for Jean was immeasurable and visible, truly an inspiration to her children, grandchildren, and all who met them. They were partners in faith, in parenting, in fishing, in cooking and sharing their delicious creations to those friends and family who needed support. Pam was joyful, had a wonderful sense of humor and had a generous spirit.

Aside from raising a large family, Pam and Jean immersed themselves in a multitude of charitable vocations; Marriage Encounter, CCD, RCIA, and various organizations advocating for the sanctity of life. Pam obtained her master’s of theology from Loyola University and afterwards taught religion and morality classes at Catholic High School and Saint Joseph’s Academy in Baton Rouge. During those years she continued her charity work by counseling at the women’s prison, helping the homeless, the poor and the elderly and anyone in need.

Pam was “Mom” to 7 children, of whom 6 are surviving and the best mother-in-law to their spouses: Michael (Susu) Dugas, Karen (Gary) Gurtcheff, Kathryn (Jay) Podorsky, John (Stephanie) Dugas, Marc (Leigh Ann) Dugas, Benjamin (Jessica) Dugas. As her nest emptied, she and Jean were always up for any kind of adventure that involved family. She loved to travel but more importantly, she loved to travel if it meant sharing experiences with family. “Nothing, nothing beats having a loving family.”

The boys recall their mom at the fishing camp in Dulac, “Mom was probably the only one who could get away with going to the camp on a guys’ fishing trip. She would be up early making coffee and preparing breakfast, somehow working behind the scenes in plain (and welcomed) sight. She would always be waiting on the dock for the boats to return even though we sometimes came back with empty ice chests and a few less lures.” Mom loved being at the camp with family.

Whenever the Dugas family would get together for a celebration, whether at the camp, at home or with cousins, it was always in conjunction with food…lots of good food, plenty of desserts, and drink to go with it. Pam was inspired to collect all the family favorites and compile them into a cookbook, complete with family stories, “Mom and Dad’s Words to the Wise” and lots of fun family photos. She loved asking for recipes from each family member. She was driven to create an enduring legacy - three different family cookbooks over the course of 20 years. It gave her great joy and pride to see her children and grandchildren making a dish from one of the cookbooks. We all knew that when you are surrounded by family and share a meal together, you are rich beyond measure.

Pam was “Mimi” to 20 grandchildren: Marilis, Andre’ and Sofia Dugas (Jaime Jimenez); Jean, Jaim, Jack, and Daegan Haller; Stephen (Ashley) Podorsky, Robert (Chelsea) Podorsky, Mary (Matthew) Avrill; Edward “Teddy” Dugas, Audrey (Stephen) Montgomery, Evan (Karlee) Dugas, Brennan Dugas; Lawson, Allen and Addison Dugas; Bennett, Reyna and Hazel Dugas. “Mimi” was a most attentive, fun-loving and encouraging grandmother. She found ways to connect with each grandchild at different stages of their lives. The grandchildren loved coming over to help her bake all kinds of goodies, fill up the gumdrop tree or dance to the old tunes on the jukebox. Pam was the biggest fan and cheerleader for every extra-curricular event the children and grandchildren participated in. She was never one to gush with “I love you,” instead she expressed her pride and love to them in tangible ways: calling on their birthdays and a post on the Family Facebook page; making hats, scarves and ponchos over the years; listening to their stories of dreams or difficulties; and always accepting them wherever they were and still encouraging them to continue growing. She instilled in them and her own children a love of reading, music, poems (memorizing and reciting them as well as creating them), prayer, family time, and fun.

She was also “Mimi” to 5 Great-grandchildren: Camden Matthew Avrill, Aurora Mae Montgomery, Stella Janina Podorsky, John Paul Podorsky and Sarha Lucia Jimenez Silva. They will cherish their Mimi’s love, warm hugs, baked treats, laughter, and blankets.

Pam was the big sister to her two siblings, Thomas Allen Martin, Jr. “Brother” (Sue Ann) and Melanie (David) LeCompte and loved spending time together with them and being part of their lives, whether it was a celebration or a regular Tuesday. She was the fun and caring Aunt Pam to her dozens of nieces and nephews and their children, celebrating their unique personalities and lives. She was a beloved sister-in-law, to the many Dugas family members on her husband’s side.

She leaves behind her Aunt Jeanette Chaisson Hover of Georgia, who she adored and with whom she enjoyed sipping martinis and reminiscing about childhood adventures. “Everyone should have a Union Street childhood.”

Pam and Jean never met a stranger, often welcoming their children’s and grandchildren’s friends into their home, their fishing camp, and their lives, and so they have several “adopted family” members who they treated like their own: Matthew and Alisa Kennedy and their children Lauren and Ryan. Pam’s children’s in-laws also became part of the bigger Dugas family, often joining in family celebrations, meals, and travels.

Pam was preceded in death by her talented, kind-hearted and generous son, Andre’ Paul Dugas; her witty and fun-loving son-in-law, Michael Andrew Haller; and her loving parents, Stella Chaisson Martin and Thomas Allen Martin, Sr.

The family of Pam Dugas wishes to thank all of you who cared for her in any way – her “fan club” as she so proudly noted - during her days in the ICU at the Baton Rouge General. We especially appreciate the excellent care, compassion, and kindness shown to our family by the doctors, therapists, and nurses, especially Danica, Priyanka, and Becca. Pam was grateful for the check-in visits and calls from her oncology team of Dr Varnado and Dr Castle. We thank those who expressed their love through cards (which she kept on display and re-read), phone calls, rosaries, chaplets, religious relics, meals, thoughts, and prayers. Pam wrote in her one-line musings, “I believe people praying for me is softening the blow.”

Our family is confident that Pam is now with her beloved son Andre’, tapping their toes to some James Booker piano music, reunited with other family members and ready to welcome the rest of us when it is our time. She always told Jean and the rest of the family, “Andre’ taught us how to live and how to die.” Recently, she wrote: “Never understood how Andre’ could keep saying ‘I’m so lucky.’ Now I do.”

To love deeply is to feel the pain of loss. Pam, Mom, Mimi, Aunt Pam, Miss Pam, “Marie” – our Queen - was truly and deeply loved. Please continue to pray for her and the rest of our family as we navigate through this new season of life.

Services will be held at St John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Prairieville, Louisiana on Tuesday, November 22, 2022.

Visiting hour: 9-10am

Holy Rosary: 10-10:30am

Eulogy: 10:30-12:00 noon

Funeral Mass: 12:00 noon

Reception to follow at St. John activity center

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.oursofh.com for the Dugas family.