ST. TAMMANY PARISH, LA. Obituary for: LIVAUDAIS, MARTHA BEHRNS Submitted by: Louis Lavedan. Source: Honaker Funeral Home, Slidell, La. Died Wednesday, September 12, 2012 ======================================================================= Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgenweb.org/volunteers/copyright.shtml ======================================================================= NOTE: If a Photo is available for an obituary record, a reference note will be included with the record. =========================================================== LIVAUDAIS, MARTHA BEHRNS September 12, 2012 ========== A photo is available for this file. Please go to http://usgwarchives.net/la/sttammany/obits/dateobits/2012/st1209.htm and click to view list of photos. ========== After a 35 year struggle with a rare liver disease, Martha “Marti” J. Behrns Livaudais a former Slidell City Council woman and longtime commercial lender in Slidell died Wednesday, September 12, 2012, peacefully at her home in Slidell, LA, with her family by her side. She was 66 years old. Beloved wife of Edward D. Livaudais, devoted mother of son, Jeffrey A. Livaudais and daughter-in-law Pritha Livaudais, of Woodbury, Minnesota and daughter, Caryn Livaudais Saker and son-in-law Jon Saker of Roswell, Georgia. She was the doting Grandmother of John Daniel Livaudais, Victoria Livaudais, Claire Saker and Nicholas Saker. She leaves behind her dear cousins, Marianne Gray, Joann Fromm and Marilyn Komrska and a sister, Barbara Behrns. Ms. Livaudais was born in St Louis, MO to the late Valentine and Ann Behrns, and grew up in Cincinnati Ohio. She graduated from St. Ursula Academy in Cincinnati and earned her BS degree from the University of Cincinnati. She attended UNO for further business studies. She served the community in many ways; she served on the PTA board of Slidell Junior High, was PTA president at Slidell High School, served on the board of the Rotary club of Slidell Northshore and the Slidell Heritage Festival. She was on the board of The Slidell Chamber of Commerce, Rainbow Child Care and STARC. She chaired a very successful East St. Tammany United Way campaign in 1999. Ms. Livaudais was elected to the Slidell City Council for 2 terms as District E representative from 1994 to 2002. She was elected again to the Council’s at large position from 2002 to 2006. She served as Council President and Vice President. During these years she was an advocate for economic development for small business, drainage improvements and high ethical standards. She worked to bring about the leases in the Slidell Train Station to put it back in commerce, and the construction of the Retention Ponds in the city. She sponsored legislation to allow Slidell’s first Mardi Gras night parade. She wanted to keep Mardi Gras in Slidell as well as prevent flooding with retention ponds and clean drainage canals. Ms. Livaudais was the recipient of many awards, some of those listed here: Slidell Women’s Republican Club, woman of the year. She was voted woman of the year by the Slidell Business women’s club. She was awarded the legislator of the year award in 2004. She received a certificate of recognition by the Slidell Chamber of Commerce in 1992 and 1997. She received commercial lender of the year by First Bank in 1993. She received Member of the month award for outstanding Service to the Chamber in 1998 and 1999. She was presented with the Public Service Group Achievement Award by NASA in 1996. She was given a Certificate of appreciation for finding the land to use as the retention pond in 1997. She received a certificate of appreciation for outstanding service on the Slidell Chamber of Commerce Committee on the needs of SMH in 2003. After many years in banking, Ms. Livaudais joined Resource Bank as a Senior Vice President and was instrumental in establishing their Slidell branch and helping the bank grow. She had a rewarding career as a lender and mentor for other bankers and lenders. She loved what she did and helped many small businesses in the community prosper and grow. She treated all of her clients with kindness and respect. They benefited from her knowledge and became loyal clients and friends. She was a commercial lender for over 25 years completing her career by retiring from Resource Bank in December 2011. Amid all of her accomplishments, she always claimed her greatest achievements were being wife, mother and grandmother. She always imparted her positive attitude and her values of ethics, courage and determination to everyone she met. The family would like to thank for their caring love and support, Dorthy Bolden, Slidell Memorial Hospital and Hospice Compassus. Visitation will be at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 1050 Robert Blvd., Slidell, LA on Saturday, September 15, 2012 from 9:00 until 11:00 a.m., immediately followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Franklin, N.C. Kindly omit flowers. The family asks that donations be made to the Rainbow Childcare Center, P.O. Box 1534, Slidell, La. 70459, in Marti’s honor. ===================