Glam-Mas: Northshore’s Grand-Looking Grannies.
by Stacey Paretti Rase
photography by Abby Sands Miller
A grandmother’s young grandson called her on the phone to wish her a Happy Birthday. He asked his grandmother how old she was, to which she replied, “Why, I’m 72.” He was quiet for a moment and then asked, “Wow! Did you start at 1?”
This joke came across in an e-mail recently and reminded me that, as children, we don’t truly appreciate the many years that our grandmothers have experienced. It’s not until we grow more mature that we’re able to look at these women for who they really are and recognize what strength it takes to age gracefully in today’s world.
Across the northshore, there is no shortage of sensational and fascinating women who are defying the typical notion of the dowdy, behind-the-times grandmother. Instead, these women are proving to be the movers and shakers of our community. They stay active and in the know—many of them wearing the latest fashions and driving the hippest cars! But it’s not just those things that make these women glamorous. Read on to find out what our readers had to say about what makes the grandmother they know the perfect “Glam-Ma.”
Joan Rathe
Submitted by daughter Susan Rathe Illing
If graceful aging is an art form, then Joan Rathe is the Mary Cassat of 70-somethings. There are many cases of women preserving themselves by avoiding exertion and challenge, but Joan stays young by doing. She is always doing something. She raised eight children with her late husband, Sonny, and takes an active role in the lives of her 21.5 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, who are spread across Louisiana, Texas and California.
Almost every time I call her on the phone, she’s off to some appointment or other. Competitive tennis and bridge are her main pastimes of late, and she’s not afraid to take on much younger competition in either one! She frequently surprises her younger opponents who assume that this gentle grandmother will go gently into the night during a tennis match. My sister Lynne says she can count on one hand the number of times she and her husband have beaten Joan in doubles. Then Lynne corrects herself to say, “Make that one finger!” Joan has a tremendous competitive spirit, but her motherly instincts are well honed, as well. Somehow, she makes it nice to lose to her.
Joan understands the meaning of service and applies her energy there, as well. A hospice volunteer, a St. Tammany Hospital booster, an involved parent for decades at St. Paul’s, SSA and Our Lady of the Lake schools describe just a few of her causes over the years. While she makes it all look easy, she takes the curves that life throws in stride. She sailed through double knee replacement in 2005 and waged the greatest battle of her life earlier this year by supporting her beloved husband in the last days of his life.
In spite of the challenges of age, Joan has mastered the art of looking good through it all. She loves to travel and discover new places, and she loves to shop with her daughters and daughters-in-law. That’s why she cuts such a bella figura at social occasions and family events. Wherever she goes, she has a smile for everyone and a willing hand of help. She is proof that graceful aging is, indeed, an art form.
Sandy Morris
Submitted by daughter April Jarrell
Sandy Morris, aka “MiMi,” is a true Glam-Ma. You will hardly ever see her leaving the house without being perfectly dressed—clothes ironed, hair fixed beautifully and makeup on. She is a proud wife, mother of two daughters and two stepdaughters, grandmother of six and great-grandmother of one. She makes everyone in her life feel as if they are her number one priority, all the while juggling her many “extracurricular activities.” She is the President of Special Events Enterprises, which produces the Everything Bridal Extravaganza and is a member of the Business and Professional Women Organization, where she currently serves on the Woman of the Year Committee as well as the Scholarship Committee. She also finds time to volunteer at her grandsons’ school by helping out with the accelerated reading program and chaperoning field trips. She is a member of First Baptist Church in Covington, where she finds time to be active in the preschool ministry by volunteering for the Moms of Preschoolers (MOPS) program.
As I read back over the above paragraph, I realize that while I am amazed at all of the things she does, the many “little” things make a big difference. She just loves to make people feel special, whether it is a family member or not. She decided to sell Avon thinking that she could help people feel better about themselves. She came in contact with many different people, some of them elderly. Setting a few hours out of her day, she would visit with these elderly ladies and keep them company. She developed a relationship with them and they truly looked forward to these visits. People are drawn to her because of her gentleness and love.
There are so many more stories to share about her love and kindness, but I’ll try to sum her up by using these adjectives to describe her: gentle, kind, beautiful, loving, free-spirited, warm, devoted, selfless, affectionate and honest.
I will end with a story I love to share. One day, when my son Mason was five years old, he told me that he really wanted to go to MiMi’s house. Just like he always does, he was trying to sell me on why I should take him. Much to my dismay, Mason proceeded to tell me, “You know Mom, I need to go to MiMi’s house because she just dresses better than you.” If that’s not words spoken about a true Glam-Ma, I don’t know what is!
CJ Ladner
Submitted by daughter-in-law Michelle Ladner
Anyone who knows CJ already knows that she is the most outgoing and entertaining person you could ever get to know. She is amazing in that her life is non-stop, with a busy career, her own children, vacations, charities and parties. But to balance all of that by spending time with two grandsons who absolutely adore her and enjoy every moment with her is truly glamorous!
What else makes her glamorous? Let’s start off with her name. She never wanted to be the traditional “Grandma” or “Maw-Maw.” Instead, she chose a more modern name—“Nonni.” Recently, she’s been trying to switch that name to “Jet.” It’s just another example of how she keeps up with the times. (I’m not too sure if grandsons Mason or Chandler will go for it, but that doesn’t stop her from pushing it!)
Secondly is that she is absolutely beautiful. Looking like a movie star everywhere she goes, even to the gym, you wouldn’t think that she has three children of her own, much less grandkids. We can’t go anywhere without her running into people that she knows, and she is so proud to show off “her boys.” Mason saw Nonni and Grumpa (another cute name) in a picture in the newspaper and asked if she was famous since she is always in pictures and in magazines.
She’s also incredibly giving. Even at times when I try to be the firm hand, she will sneak a cookie or a special little toy. For Chandler’s first birthday, she gave him a “Mercedes.” Even though it’s a pedal toy car that he still has to wait to play with, it just goes to show that nothing is too much for her babies.
I am honored to have her as a mother-in-law and I know that Mason and Chandler and any future grandchildren will also be proud to call her grandma—or whatever name she wants to use at the time!
Kathy LeBlanc
Submitted by daughters Leigh-Ann Weaver and Lauren Shallcross
Our mom, Kathy LeBlanc, is truly one of the northshore’s most sensational Glam-Mas! While she is extremely busy running a business, Cedarwood School, and contributing to the community through various other organizations, the latest and greatest thing in her life is her one-and-only grandson. Jacob Scott Weaver joined the family in January of this year. Not wanting to be called “Grandma,” “Granny” or anything of the sort, Kathy decided on “K.K.”—short for Kathy.
K.K. loves having baby Jacob close by so she can see him as much as possible. While she may not be able to transport Jacob in her sporty little convertible, “Sweetie,” she has transformed both her home and office to accommodate all of his many needs and wants. Whenever she needs her baby fix during her workday, she can walk next door, scoop Jacob up from the school’s nursery, and put him in her very fashionable toile pack-n-play!
Kathy, with her youthful look, stylish dress and progressive thinking, is not your average grandma, but indeed defines the perfect Glam-ma!
Jo-Ann Decedue Bossier
Submitted by grandson “Sugar Plum” Parker H. Bossier
Being the first grandchild in my family, and not knowing any better, I used to call my grandmother “Poppy and Jay,” not knowing that I was actually addressing both my grandparents, Jo-Ann and Al, at the same time. Eventually, she straightened me out and got me to call her the name that has stuck with every subsequent grandchild—“Granny.”
Granny’s always there for any special occasion—even ones not so special. Before she moved to the northshore after Katrina, she’d always have spacewalks in her huge back yard for all the cousins’ birthdays, Christmases and Thanksgivings. On Christmas Eve, her dining room table was always full of food and her living room full of grandkids opening presents. Every grandchild is equal in her eyes, and even the younger ones appreciate that. After Katrina, the Christmas Eve ritual moved to her northshore house, despite the long drive for most members of the family.
She would go to every Grandparent’s Day at St. Martin’s Episcopal School, and still does. She always makes it a point to see all seven Bossiers at the school and take us all out to lunch. Her big black hair is unmistakable and easy to pick out in a crowd (even though she’s very short and hard to find sometimes).
No matter where we go, Granny always has her “green gum.” Every grandchild asks her for a piece, and we older ones usually get more—under the table, of course. The funny thing is that she never seems to run out.
It’s impossible to list all the things that distinguish Granny, but being that she lives on the northshore, and of course I think she’s the best, I think she’s the perfect Glam-Ma!
Jean Taylor
Submitted by daughter Susan T. Gottfried
Alma Jean Mabrey Taylor is a true southern belle and quintessential Glam-Ma. Jean, or “Grammy,” maintains her youthfulness through her unflappable southern grace, unbounded energy and tireless service to her community, her church and her friends and acquaintances.
Jean attended LSU in the late 1940s and recalls the excitement of being in college with post-WWII soldiers returning from war and going back to school. She said her dating calendar was always overflowing. After graduation in 1949, she moved to New York City to work for IBM as a draftsman. The former “LSU Beauty” and winner of the school’s Best Legs Competition soon found herself modeling on the side (she once graced the cover of Life Magazine!) In 1954, Jean met Ed, a dashing Navy pilot, on a blind date and married him on a whim two months later. In April 2004, Ed and Jean celebrated a fifty-year union with their three children (Clark, Dan and Susan) and four grandchildren. Sadly, Ed passed away in January of 2005, leaving Jean to carry on.
Jean was a working woman for her entire married life, mostly in advertising sales. She is considered by some to be the matriarch of the Times-Picayune’s West St. Tammany office. She was a “ray of sunshine,” calling on the growing business community of West St. Tammany and is still fondly remembered by business owners. She has been a tireless volunteer in our community, serving on the Covington Chamber of Commerce Downtown Development committee, with the Girl Scouts, the St. Tammany Art Association, the Hospital Guild, and as an officer in the Tchefuncta Garden Club. She has always been a compassionate and selfless woman who is drawn to helping those in need. Now, she is a regular leader in the Episcopal Caring Ministry and spends many volunteer hours each week with the not-for-profit St. Tammany Hospice organization. She is an attentive grandmother to her two local grandchildren, Steven and Amanda Gottfried, and regularly visits her California grandchildren, Jack and Laura Taylor. She is their constant source for good grammar and good manners—her favorite mantras.
Many who meet her would never guess that she will be 80 next year. She has almost flawless porcelain skin and expressive blue eyes. When not volunteering in our community or helping elderly neighbors with their day-to-day tasks, she can be found delivering her soothing soups and famous Vicksburg Creole tomato sandwiches to anyone needing a lift.
If there is a function or festival in town, she is there, but perhaps fleetingly. Like a butterfly, she alights, spreads some cheer and flits away to her next destination. With what appears to be an endless and enviable supply of energy, she is on the go from dawn to dusk, spreading her good will, filling her soul with good works and always looking good doing it!
Helen May Schopp
Submitted by granddaughter Joanna Brandt Case
My grandmother epitomizes the grace and decorum of bygone days. Helen May Schopp was born 100 years ago in New Orleans, where she eventually became a schoolteacher. Upon marrying my grandfather, Louis D. Ross, in 1931, she stopped teaching to move to Covington. (He lamented years later that he thought he had it made marrying a woman with a good job, and then she had to quit!)
The character of them both is perhaps best reflected in the children they raised: my uncle Louis D. Ross, Jr., a true gentleman, and my mother, Helen “Kay” Ross Brandt, who maintained her dignity and composure even until the end of her battle with pancreatic cancer last summer. My grandmother’s enchanting character also shone through the decades of her life, which have been filled with staying active in community and school-related activities, from war-time Red Cross volunteer to the ubiquitous Pink Ladies of the St. Tammany Parish Hospital Guild.
Although she’s sported all kinds of styles through the years, from her button-up “high-top” boots during her school girl days to the daily hat and gloves that gave way to more casual styles, I can honestly say I have never seen my grandmother wearing anything other than a skirt or dress. Many times, I see her eyeing my shorts and flip-flops, but she politely avoids addressing my “mommy attire.” She marvels at my toddler’s juice box and disposable diapers, helping me to appreciate the conveniences I have today. May’s style goes beyond clothing; her interest in others, her timeless observations and her enjoyment of life make her a true lady.
Throughout her life, my grandmother has met difficulty with optimism and humor, filling the room with her tinkling laugh. Her modesty would prevent my revealing too many details, but her strength has helped her to endure many illnesses over the years. Suffice it to say, she’s a survivor. When May reflects on the daily challenges of being a 100-year-old woman, she tells me, “I’m trying my best, but it’s hard.”
Well, she’s doing something right, and I treasure her words of wisdom that come from a lifetime of charm, endurance and style.
We’re certain that all grandmothers are Glam-Mas in the eyes of their families. Best wishes to all of them on Grandparents Day, September 9—and to all grandfathers, too!
