Katherine Roane

Published 12:00 am Thursday, February 8, 2024

Katherine “Billie” Roane passed away peacefully in her home in her own bed, as she wished, on February 1, 2024. By force of will she lived long enough to see the birth of her latest great-grandchild in December; and to celebrate her 102nd birthday in January at Orange Beach, Alabama surrounded by her children and many of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Billie was born and raised in New Iberia, the eldest of the three children of Edward and Florence LaSalle (née Fortier.) She graduated from Mount Carmel Academy in New Iberia and attended Dominican College in New Orleans. She married Jeanerette-native Spencer Boyd Roane in 1943.

In her very long life Billie experienced incredible changes in the world, quietly taking it all in stride. She remembered riding around town with her father, the mayor, checking on people after the Great Flood of 1927. She had her first child while Boyd was on a U.S. naval ship in the Pacific during the last months of WWII. She remained engaged in life to the end, adapting to new technologies as they arrived. When Boyd eagerly brought home their first computer, she began regularly corresponding with family and friends via email. She kept abreast of current affairs, reading the papers and watching the news on a daily basis. In recent years, as her eyesight deteriorated, she continued to pursue her many interests via audible books provided through the National Library Service.

Billie and Boyd made their home initially in Jeanerette and then in rural Donaldsonville, where they raised their large family of six children – crawfishing, crabbing, hunting, casual gatherings with good friends and all things “South Louisiana”.

In 1969 they accepted an assignment with Dow Chemical to move to Germany, where they lived for six years, joyfully immersing themselves in everything Europe had to offer, traveling often and extensively.

In 1975 the couple returned to the U.S., eventually settling in Baton Rouge. When Boyd retired they picked up the travel mantle again and struck out with the Elder Hostel program, continuing their broad lifelong educations and adding to their large group of friends scattered around the world.

Over the years Billie became a passionate and accomplished gardener and rejoiced in her yard blanketed with flowers lovingly tended. She had a lifelong appreciation for music and live theater. She and Boyd were season ticket holders to the Baton Rouge Symphony, LSU Opera, New Orleans Opera and the Baton Rouge Little Theater; and charter members of the OLLI opera classes.

Billie had a memory that was second to none, a faculty she maintained until the very end, amazing family and friends with her flawless recall of generations of genealogy, birthdates and events large and small.

She was preceded in death by Boyd in 2002 and some of the light went out of her life then, loving and missing him always. Billie was soft-spoken, sensible, unassuming, thoughtful and measured in everything she did. She was a beautiful woman who was loved and admired by many and this only became more and more pronounced as she aged, always and to the end, with grace.

She is survived by six children, sixteen grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren. It was her desire to donate her body to science. Her memory will be honored with a tree planting at a later date and with a gathering of family and friends in Orange Beach next summer.

We would like to thank Hospice of Baton Rouge for the superb care, concern and support they provided her and the family over the past few weeks. Memorial contributions may be made in Billie’s name to Hospice of Baton Rouge, 3600 Florida Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70806 or www.hospicebr.org.