Mignonne Berger Cleneay

Services for Mignonne Berger Cleneay will begin in Tyler on Wednesday, September 30, 2015, at Stewart Family Funeral Home. Visitation is scheduled for 5:00, followed by the prayerful celebration of the rosary at 6:30, officiated by Reverend Monsignor Milam Joseph of Dallas under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian burial will be Friday, October 2, at 10:00 a.m. in the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, conducted by Reverend Monsignor Gerald Lefebvre. Interment will follow at Roselawn Cemetery in Baton Rouge. Mrs. Cleneay passed away Thursday, September 24, 2015. She was born on June 23, 1917, in Covington, Louisiana. Her early years were spent in southern Mississippi and south Louisiana, where her family was in the lumber business. She graduated from Port Allen High School in Port Allen, Louisiana, and attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. While living in Port Allen, Mignonne met one of her neighbors, Bland Cleneay, who was to be her future husband. She married him in 1938. They resided in Louisiana until 1942, when Mr. Cleneay was called to service by the army. Following WWII, they lived in southern Louisiana and in Franklin, Tennessee, before moving to Tyler in 1958. As a member of the Immaculate Conception parish, Mignonne made an indelible impression on everyone due to her unique southern charm. Her unmistakeable southern drawl was particularly popular at St. Gregory’s Elementary School, where she enjoyed teaching students whom she referred to as “precious little people”. Relatives and friends will always share many fond memories of Mignonne, recalling wonderful weekends of laughter at her family lake house. There, she loved to cook constantly for everyone. From Cajun crawfish boils to coffee and conversation, those lucky enough to be present could always count on enjoying “lagniappe”- just a little bit extra. She leaves behind a legacy of love and devotion. For that, and for her long life of 98 years, her family is most grateful. Mrs Cleneay is preceded in death by her parents, Mignonne and William Berger, her husband, Benjamin Bland Cleneay, and her son, Ben B. Cleneay, junior. She is survived by her loving family, including her children, Mignonne Hughes and husband, Hal of Dallas, Bill Cleneay and wife Claudia of Tyler, and Carol Fraze of Plano; grandchildren, Meredith Noble and husband Ted of Dallas, Natalie John and husband Douglas of Dallas, Nicole Motley and husband Stewart of Dallas, Megan Fraze of Plano, Nancy Jones and husband Stephen of Superior, Colorado, and grandson, Chris Howell of Las Vegas, Nevada; great-grandchildren, Lauren, Cameron, and Allison John of Dallas, Colin and Conrad Noble of Dallas, Reagan Motley of Dallas, Rayne and Kinsey Jones of Superior, Colorado. Pallbearers will be Dan Birch, Jeff Birch, Chris Howell, Douglas John, Stewart Motley and Ted Noble. Memorials may be made in honor of Mignonne Cleneay to St. Gregory Cathedral School, 500 South College Avenue, Tyler, Texas 75702, or to The Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, Texas The family wishes to extend heartfelt thanks to the staff at the Prestige Estates, as well as to Mrs. Cleneay’s devoted and loving caregivers, Reabie Williams and Mary Brown. The tenderness and devotion of these “guardian angels” provided a great source of consolation to the family. Services for Mignonne Berger Cleneay will begin in Tyler on Wednesday, September 30, 2015, at Stewart Family Funeral Home. Visitation is scheduled for 5:00, followed by the prayerful celebration of the rosary at 6:30, officiated by Very Reverend Monsignor Milam Joseph of Dallas under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian burial will be Friday, October 2, at 10:00 a.m. in the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, conducted by the Very Reverend Monsignor Gerald Lefebvre. Interment will follow at Rose Lawn Cemetery in Baton Rouge. Mrs. Cleneay passed away Thursday, September 24. She was born on June 23, 1917, in Covington, Louisiana. Her early years were spent in southern Mississippi and south Louisiana, where her family was in the lumber business. She graduated from Port Allen High School in Port Allen, Louisiana, and attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. While living in Port Allen in 1921, Mignonne met one of her neighbors, Bland Cleneay, who was to be her future husband. She married him in 1922. They resided in Louisiana until 1942, when Mr. Cleneay was called to service by the army. Following WWII, they lived in southern Louisiana and in Franklin, Tennessee, before moving to Tyler in 1958. As a member of the Immaculate Conception parish, Mignonne made an indelible impression on everyone due to her unique southern charm. Her unmistakeable southern drawl was particularly popular at St. Gregory’s Elementary School, where she enjoyed teaching students whom she referred to as “precious little people”. Relatives and friends will always share many fond memories of Mignonne, recalling wonderful weekends of laughter at her family lake house. There, she loved to cook constantly for everyone. From Cajun crawfish boils to coffee and conversation, those lucky enough to be present could always count on enjoying “lagniappe”- just a little bit extra. She leaves behind a legacy of love and devotion. For that, and for her long life of 98 years, her family is most grateful. Mrs Cleneay is preceded in death by her parents, Mignonne and William Berger, her husband, Benjamin Bland Cleneay, and her son, Ben B. Cleneay, junior. She is survived by her loving family, including her children, Mignonne Hughes and husband, Hal of Dallas, Bill Cleneay and wife Claudia of Tyler, and Carol Fraze of Plano; grandchildren, Meredith Noble and husband Ted of Dallas, Natalie John and husband Douglas of Dallas, Nicole Motley and husband Stewart of Dallas, Megan Fraze of Plano, Nancy Jones and husband Stephen of Superior, Colorado, and grandson, Chris Howell of Las Vegas, Nevada; great-grandchildren, Lauren, Cameron, and Allison John of Dallas, Colin and Conrad Noble of Dallas, Reagan Motley of Dallas, Rayne and Kinsey Jones of Superior, Colorado. Pallbearers will be Dan Birch, Jeff Birch, Chris Howell, Douglas John, Stewart Motley and Ted Noble. Memorials may be made in honor of Mignonne Cleneay to St. Gregory Cathedral School, 500 South College Avenue, Tyler, Texas 75702, or to The Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, Texas The family wishes to extend heartfelt thanks to the staff at the Prestige Estates, as well as to Mrs. Cleneay’s devoted and loving caregivers, Reabie Williams and Mary Brown. The tenderness and devotion of these “guardian angels” provided a great source of consolation to the family.

Mignonne Berger Cleneay

June 23, 1917 - September 24, 2015