Ralph Marks

It is with a heavy hearts and great sadness that the family of Junius Ralph Marks, age 93, announces his passing  March 24, 2023 at Senior Village Nursing Home.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12:00 pm on Monday, March 27, 2023, at Our Lady of Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Opelousas, Louisiana.  Rite of Committal and burial will follow at Bellevue Memorial Park in Opelousas. The Very Reverend Monsignor Keith DeRouen will celebrate the Mass.  Visitation will be at LaFond-Ardoin Funeral Home of Opelousas from 2:00 pm until 8:00 pm on Sunday and from 8:00 am until the time of service on Monday, March 27, 2023.  The rosary will be prayed at 6:30 pm on Sunday by Deacon Jerome Collins.

Ralph was the oldest of three sons born on August 27, 1929 to Zachary and Felicia Douet Marks. He was a “Jack of All Trades” spending his life in the dairy business and also as an electronic technician. There wasn’t anything that he could not fix.   After graduation, he married Marie Joyce Stelly and made his home in Opelousas.  There, they raised six children.  He loved his family.   He always said that “they were, by far his greatest accomplishment.”  He loved fishing and family gatherings.  He especially loved camping and fishing at the campgrounds in Chicot State Park and Indian Creek.  He was known for proudly showing off pictures of the many catfish that he had caught including the 87-pound catfish he caught at Indian Creek.  He enjoyed watching the annual Krewe de T-Lou Marks’ Mardi Gras Festival celebrated in the pastures at his home hosted by his grandson, Spencer. In the last six years, he replaced his fishing gear for bingo cards.  He could be found two to three times a week at the bingo tables in Opelousas and Cankton.  He looked forward to his weekly outings with friends.  One of his greatest joys when talking with people, was to make them laugh through his many jokes or stories that he loved to tell.  He never met a stranger.  Ralph was a loving father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend and will be missed dearly by all who knew him. 

He is survived by his five children, Calvin Marks (Velma), Dale Marks (Pam), Monette Gerace (Blake), Timothy Marks (Angie), Paul Marks, step-children Sherry Kordish (Larry), Gordon Rials (Sue) and Danny Rials (Gwen), his brother, Yorick Marks of Opelousas, sister-in-law, Linda Marks and brother-in-law, A.D. Stelly.  He is also survived by many grandchildren and great grandchildren.  He will also be missed by his beloved four-legged companion, “Bob.”

He was preceded in death by his parents Zachary and Felicia Douet Marks, his first wife, Marie Joyce Stelly Marks of Opelousas, second wife, Gladys Nezat Marks of Pine Prairie, his son Lynn Marks, his brother Lennie Marks, and his sister-in-law, Elaine Marks.

Pallbearers will be Spencer Marks, CJ Marks, Brandon Marks, Matt Marks, Laine Marks, and Christopher Gerace.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt appreciation and thank you to Senior Village Nursing Home and LA Hospice and Palliative Care for their devotion to medical care, especially his nurses Melissa Thompson, Tannette Scott and Tyler Redmond and the rest of the Hospice and nursing home staff. We would also like to thank Mary Gautreaux for bringing him weekly communion and Caroline, his at home French speaking caregiver.