Beverly Moncla Griffin

Private Graveside Services will be held for Beverly Moncla Griffin on Monday, April 27, 2020 at the Holy Sepulcher Mausoleum in Opelousas, LA and will be officiated by the Very Reverend Monsignor Keith J. DeRouen.

Beverly Moncla Griffin, 90, of Opelousas, Louisiana, died Thursday, April 23, 2020, from pre-existing conditions, in the comfort of her home.

The youngest of three girls, Beverly was born in 1929 to Sam Arthur Moncla and Elva Mary Caillouet of Moncla and Washington, Louisiana, respectively.

Beverly graduated from Opelousas High School in 1946, where she was actively engaged in extracurricular activities that included cheerleading, basketball and tennis and staff membership on the school newspaper, Tiger Talk.

She later completed her B.A. in education and business in 1950 at the former Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now University of Louisiana) in Lafayette, where she met her future husband, Ted Griffin. They married in 1951 and began their life-long friendship and marriage of 63 years. Ted was a 40-year career, public school teacher, principal and administrator.

For most of her professional life, Beverly worked at First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Opelousas, during which time both she and Ted raised four children: Ted Jr. (Susan) of Houston, Texas, Janet of Lafayette, Louisiana, Sam (June) of Opelousas, and Gretchen of Somerville, Massachusetts.

In her spare time, Beverly enjoyed many years of singing in the St. Landry Catholic Church choir and later was a member of the Altar Society at Our Lady Queen of Angels Church in Opelousas. Early retirement afforded her the welcomed opportunity to volunteer weekly at Opelousas General Hospital, an endeavor that ultimately spanned nearly 20 years.

She was known for her terrific cooking and love of gardening. Her kitchen was a memorable gathering place for family, friends, and conversation, and her outdoor patio equally so, shared with her beloved hummingbirds. She treasured monthly gatherings with card-playing friends and “Lunch Bunch” buddies with equal delight.

Her last years were filled with unbounded sports enthusiasm, most of which was heaped on her favored New Orleans Saints and LSU Tigers. Her cheerleading, by then was chair-bound, but, no less enthusiastic.

Paramount to her life was her pride and joy in her 5 grandchildren, Heather (Daniel) Burch, Kerri (Taylor) Nipp, Julie Ward, Samuel "Beau" (Amy) Griffin, Jr., Nicole (Wayne) Glankler, 8 great grandchildren, David, Hunter, and Jonathan Burch; Sammy and Jimmy Griffin and Madelyn, Lilly and Griffin Glankler.  She treasured their every achievement, both great and small, and proudly marveled at successive accomplishments at each stage of their young lives. In later years, no longer able to travel to see them, she enjoyed their faithful visits to be with their Grammy.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ted Griffin, Sr., her sister, Dorothy "Scottie" Moncla  Roberts and her parents, Sam and Elva Moncla. Beverly is also survived by her sister, Miriam Moncla Roy.

Beverly’s children and the extended Griffin family convey their sincerest gratitude to her devoted caregivers, who sustained her with remarkable compassion, especially during the later years of her life. Together, Shirley and Ella Mae Rubin, Lillie Thomas and Mary Denton kept her life whole until its peaceful end.