Margaret Myers Mallett, a devout Catholic, was the second of nine children born to Luke, Sr. and Mamie Kinney Myers on April 17, 1936 in Jennings in Jeff Davis Parish. As a teen, she cared for her maternal grandparents, Elvina and Leo Paul Kinney. After graduating from Jennings High School, she attended SLI (now UL Lafayette) where she met Joseph “Joe” Mallett also from Jeff Davis Parish. On August 4, 1956, they were one of the first couples married at the newly formed Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Jennings, of which her family was a founding member. Margaret and Joe began their family in Welsh before moving to Baton Rouge for Joe’s work. In Baton Rouge, they were a founding family of St. Pius X Catholic Church. Upon moving to Wilson in East Feliciana Parish, they joined Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Jackson where she was active with the Altar Guild and was affectionately known as the “Donut Lady”.
Margaret was strong willed and her superpower was being a mom, grandmother and great-grandmother. She loved and honored the uniqueness of each of her children while always giving unselfishly to them. Her family was her life and her life was her family. She was a dedicated homemaker and talented seamstress while raising her children. Her sewing skills were well known in the community. She entered the workforce when her children were in high school and college and worked until the age of 70 as a counter clerk and seamstress at several Baton Rouge area dry cleaners. After retiring, Margaret’s passion was quilting with her friends and traveling to quilt shows all across the South. In the last few years of her life, she lived at La Plantation Retirement Community in Denham Springs where she enjoyed putting puzzles together with her friends. While there she was well cared for by the staff of La Plantation, Gentiva Hospice, Deborah Watson, Pamela James and her entire family.
Margaret passed away on Aug. 11, 2026 in Denham Springs. She was 90. Margaret is survived by her four children Lenora Harding, Sonia Mallett and partner Katherine Whitney, Tina Hall and husband Andy and Vern Mallett and wife Michelle; grandchildren, Jenifer Ceballos and husband Tony, Richard Mark Harding, Jr., Julia Whitney, Brandon Hall, Angela Potter and husband Stephen, Kyle Mallett and wife Megan and Adam Mallett; great-grandchildren, Kamron and Mirabella Harding, Noah Ceballos, Chadwick and Noah Potter; brothers, Andrew and Charles Myers; sisters, Marcelite Sonnier and Martha Louviere; and numerous nieces and nephews. Margaret is preceded in death by her husband; her parents; her daughter, Gwendolyn Mallett; brothers, J.C. and Luke Myers, Jr.; and sisters, Sr. Elizabeth Myers and Marie LeBlanc. Pallbearers are Vern Mallett, Richard Mark Harding, Jr., Kyle Mallett, Adam Mallett, Brandon Hall and Kamron Harding.
Visitation will be held at Matthews Funeral Home, 511 North Cutting Ave., Jennings on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, from 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., with Recitation of the Rosary at 10:30 a.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 1 p.m. in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 703 South Lake Arthur Ave., Jennings, celebrated by Rev. Anil Alexander. Burial to follow at Calvary Cemetery, Evangeline Rd., Jennings. After the burial service, family and friends are invited to spend time together at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Family Room.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Matthews Funeral Home Jennings, 511 North Cutting Ave., Jennings, LA 70546.
