St Landry County Louisiana Archives Obituaries.....Cretin, Marie Louise Franc November 17, 1913
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Mary K Creamr marykcreamer@yahoo.com February 22, 2015, 6:36 pm

St. Landry Clarion (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, November 22, 1913, Image 1

Gone from our midst but not from our hearts, Marie Louise Franc, beloved 
wife of G. H. Cretin, an esteemed citizen of our town. Marie, well named, 
MARY, fair soul of purity. Lady of Bounty, was born in Bordeaux, France, but 
married to G. H. Cretin in 1902 was brought finally as his happy wife to 
bless our town, our "Tree Embowered Town of O-", where like the sweet Lady 
of Sorrows, she who held the lily in her hands, whose name she bore, she, in 
OUR DAY carried the Lily, charity, sweet bounty, down the annals of the 
poor. Not sorrow laden heart thro' destitution but what lily of her wand 
found out to bless, its sadness to alleviate. And verily like the Flower 
born from the heart of the Mother of Charity, Jesus, the Nazarine, she 
turned from no moral leper of society, but sought them out to lift from out 
their slough. Her last act just before her demise was one of noble 
philanthropy, - she sought out and found thro' that innate divinity of 
spirit, where all others were in blindness of, searched not for, one old 
well known colored citizen known as :Henry Rabbit", on a bed of destitution, 
some old rags thrown over slats, dying in abject misery, - found him as was 
her way. Good Samaritan that she was, and lifted him from filth and pain to 
cleanliness and comfort with care surrounding him: his dying words were a 
blessing upon her, - with tears in his eyes and trembling lips he sais: "A 
golden chair must surely await such as she! May Jesus himself lead her in!" 
Coincidently, her death took place upon the same day as that of the poor old 
colored man that sent up for her his dying prayer and blessing. Many others, 
too numerous to relate, for her kind deeds were innumerable, sent up upon 
information of her death, like prayers, like exclamations: there was wide 
cast lamentation throughout the annals of the poor, as well as a deep regret 
from all, - no demise was ever more widely regretted, deplored, - from homes 
of the richest to those of the most destitute, known as she was for the 
sweet flower of her soul: the lily was folded in her hands, fair flower of 
charity never more to shed its sweet fragrance out, its pearly light to 
brighten from gloom hearts destitute, or to lead the feet of the blind; 
while flowers like unto her sweet deeds, in myriads, snowy wreath, bouquets, 
crosses, as has scarcely ever been before such a demonstration of, were 
brought in and laid around the sleeping form, one fast asleep in the arms of 
flowers, her fair deeds, - her form now buried upon flowers: placed them in 
the noble hands folded coldly above the stilled gentle heart: noble hands - 
holding the snowy lovely flowers - as they had but held acts of sweet 
unselfishness and kindly thought to be dropped as unostentiously as the 
flowers springing up in annals of the poor. The sweet song of her life is 
silenced forever: she is gone: the bright light is put out: the glory has 
faded from her soul lit eyes: sweet spirit, hopeful, brave, battling in its 
frail and patient frame, with a waft, as is blown out the light of a candle, 
- oh, mystery of life and death, - breaking the link that held her to her 
earthly form - leaving but the imprint: the exquisite, beauteous smile 
resting chiseled upon the face, - the sweet loveliness that had been worn 
thro' life, imprinted on the rigid cast of form: the lovely, noble spirit 
but leaving its impress a smile upon the frozen face, - the soul warmed song 
silenced - FOREVER!

But she was one of those that tho' passing into the invisible life, still 
lives among the ones she had familiarly mingled with, as the hopeful faith 
planted in the mind of a child - clings to it thro' the various vicissitudes 
of life. The home bereft still enframes her in fond memory as when in life 
she dwelt there. And adown the annals of the poor her name is spoken in 
hushed voice, her spirit talked o'er, with ever this recurring lamentation: 
"She was so good to me! She was so good to me!" And indeed, she had been, 
and good to all! Flowers of loveliness fell from her hands as naturally as 
they bloomed softly and unostentiously in the beauty of the paths of the 
NAZARINE, Jesus, born of the lily heart of Mary!



Additional Comments:
Marie Louise Fran Cretin is buried in section 3 of the Saint Landry Catholic 
Church cemetery located in Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana.

www.findagrave.com memorial # 102464691

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