Leo Augustine Cavell 1927-2011

Leo Augustine Cavell, 83, died Monday, May 16, 2011 at 9:20 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, May 19, at 11:30 a.m. at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 201 E. Bayou Parkway, Lafayette, Louisiana. Visitation will be St. Pius X Catholic Church, from 8:30 a.m., until time of the funeral with burial to follow in Lafayette Memorial Park.

Mr. Cavell was a native of Baton Rouge and resident of Lafayette since 1949. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Lina Kate Coyne Cavell; sons, John Anthony Cavell and wife Kay, of Baton Rouge, Daniel August Cavell and wife Belinda, of Thibodaux, Lawrence Arthur Cavell, Philip Aidan Cavell and wife Caroline, all of Houma, Jeffrey Alton Cavell and wife Maura, of Crowley, and Charles Alden Cavell and wife Jennifer, of Bossier City; daughters, Mary Lynne Cavell, of Thibodaux, and Nancy Louise Cavell Kane and husband David, of Eureka, Mo.; 23 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; sister, Mary Patricia Cavell Bulber, of Lake Charles; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his son, Thomas Andrew Cavell; parents, Anthony Frank Henry Cavell and Marie Ernestine Whitmore Cavell; brothers, Alexander Whitmore Cavell, Brother Louis (Anthony Joseph) Cavell, S.C., Francis Raphael Cavell Sr., Edgar Richard Cavell and Mark Ignatius Cavell; sisters, Sister Mary Leo (Louise Amelda) Cavell, M.S.C., and infant sister, Mary Cavell.

He was a 1944 graduate of Catholic High School, Baton Rouge, and received his Bachelor of Science degree from LSU in 1950. A veteran of the Navy, he opened the medical lab at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in July 1949. He served the Louisiana Council Knights of Columbus as Executive Secretary of and as editor of its monthly newspaper, The Louisiana Knight for 38 years from December 1954 until his retirement in December 1992.

At the time of his death, he was a parishioner of St. Pius X Catholic Church, an Honorary Life Member, Past Grand Knight and charter member of Our Lady of Fatima Council 3470 Knights of Columbus, an Honorary Life Member and charter member of Bishop Schexnayder Assembly Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, a charter member of the Lafayette Serra Club, a Knight Commander of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher, as well as a member of Stanley Martin-Felix Ducrest Post 69, of the American Legion.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests either offerings for Masses or that memorial contributions be made to the Bishop Greco Memorial Fund, Louisiana Council Knights of Columbus, P.O. Box 51166, Lafayette, LA 70505-1166; St. Joseph Abbey, 75376 River Road, St. Benedict, LA 70457-9997; Mother of the Redeemer Monastery, 168 Monastery Lane, Opelousas, LA 70570-1010; Mother of Grace Carmelite Monastery, 1250 Carmel Drive, Lafayette, LA 70501; or the charities of one’s choice. View the obituary guestbook online at http://www.mourning.com/obituaries/Leo-Cavell/. Arrangement are being handled by  Martin & Castille-Southside, 600 E. Farrel Road, Lafayette, LA 70508, (337) 984-2811.