28 years ago today, my parents got married at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Crowley. Their first date was Oct 31, 1992 at a Halloween party. My mom received a request one day at work (Crowley Post-Signal) to visit Duncan Construction and meet with my dad. Since he was a business owner, my mom thought she was being sent on an assignment to write a story for the newspaper. However, my dad had been inquiring about my mom and her eligibility and thought calling her to visit him would be the perfect opportunity to ask her out. She said yes and they made plans to go to a Halloween Party that Saturday.
Since that first date, they were inseparable. She said that he danced with her all night to every single song. Come to find out, he hated to dance, but said he didn’t want any other man to dance with her that night.
Two and a half years later, they got married after a short engagement (they were getting “old”).
I was born July 1996 and my sister, Sybil, came along Nov 1997. Just a few months later is when my dad became mentally and physically disabled. For the remainder of his life, my mom stood by his side. She was his caregiver. His soulmate. In sickness and in health, they were inseparable. I had the greatest display of love right in front of me.
10 months before my dad passed away, my mom also lost her dad. Today marks 7 years. My Paw Paw, Reverend Roy John Kibodeaux Sr., founded the Welcome House Homeless Shelter and Maxie Tabernacle nearly 50 years ago. What started out with him personally housing, clothing, feeding the homeless in his own home; then, turned into a shelter where men, women, and children found a place for safety, food, shelter, and belonging.
When we visited him at his house, we always knew we were going to get a sermon. He was steadfast in his faith. This message that he shared with me on Dec. 13, 2012 will stay with me forever: “I see your beauty radiating from within as you grow in your knowledge of the Lord. I see in your future a lovely young lady who will never settle, never rush in your decision making; instead, go to God in prayer, be patient, and wait on the Lord for answers to your prayers.”
KATHRYN SHEA DUNCAN 