Saundra Alice Mallory Deaton

Published 2:00 pm Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 22, 2016, at 11 a.m. in Martin & Castille’s La Fleur de Lis Chapel in Lafayette for Saundra Alice Mallory Deaton, age 75, who died at 7:22 a.m. on Saturday, April 16, 2016, at the Carpenter House in Lafayette. 

The Rev. Howard Blessing, Pastor of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Lafayette, will conduct the funeral services. Memories of Saundra will be shared by Ginger Broussard. 

Saundra will be dearly missed by survivors including her daughter, Shannon Deaton, and godson, Christopher Bennett; her son, Devon Deaton and wife Eunice; one granddaughter, Danae Deaton; her sister, Vicki Miller and husband Bill; her niece, Brandi Miller; her nephew, Doug Miller and wife Paige; and a great niece, Lynzie Blanchard and husband Cole and their son Jack. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, J.D. Mallory and Arecia “Bea” Vidrine Mallory. 

Saundra began her career as a Registered Nurse at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, where she was one of six nurses to open the ICU in the almost 3,000-bed facility. She told interesting stories of her and fellow nurses having to steal medical supplies from other units within the hospital to treat patients in ICU due to budgetary constraints. After leaving Charity Hospital, she became a homemaker for the next 10 years of her life, where she won many awards for her talents in Crafts and Canning at the Washington County Fair. However, she was drawn back to her love of nursing soon thereafter.

In 1990, Saundra was hired as a Charge Nurse in the Medical Unit at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. Later, she was promoted to Director of Nursing in 1993, where patient care was of the utmost importance to her. 

Saundra retired from Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in 2005 as the Director of Nursing Operations. After retirement, she continued her service and love for patient care as a volunteer at Lourdes, as she missed her elderly patients dearly. She also enjoyed volunteering for the Susan G. Komen runs, digital scrapbooking, traveling abroad with friends and spending time with her cherished granddaughter, Danae.

In her last days, family members were humbled by the many stories, memories and compliments told by the staff members of Our Lady of Lourdes who previously worked with Saundra and were now caring for her.

Pallbearers will be Bill Miller, Doug Miller, Cole Blanchard, Richard Carroll, Kirby Hebert, and Danny Kinniburgh. 

The family requests that visitation be observed in Martin & Castille’s Southside location on Thursday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Friday from 9 a.m. until time of service. 

A Rosary will be prayed Thursday at 7 p.m. in Martin & Castille Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Saundra Mallory Deaton’s name to the Charity School of Nursing Alumni Association at CHSN Alumni Association, 450 S. Claiborne Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112 or online at charityalumni.org.

View the obituary and guestbook online at www.mourning.com.

Martin & Castille-Southside-600 E. Farrel Rd., Lafayette, LA 70508, 984-2811, is in charge of arrangements.