Published in Jennings Daily News June 12, 2026
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held to honor the life of Jean Necessary Istre of Lake Charles at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 13, 2026 at Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church in Jennings with Rev. Keith Pellerin officiating. Visitation for Jean will be June 12, 2026 from 4-8 p.m. with a rosary recited at 6 p.m. at Miguez Funeral Home. Visitation will resume on Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 9 a.m. until the time of departure at 1:30 p.m. at Miguez Funeral Home. She will be laid to eternal rest in Calvary Cemetery following her services under the direction of Miguez Funeral Home.
Jean was born May 13, 1947 to the late Hazel Ruth Daughenbaugh Necessary and was niece of the late Pearl Daughenbaugh, both of Jennings, and began her life as an identical twin. This unique relationship with an identical twin would serve her well in childhood years through her college years. Graduating eighth in her class from Jennings High School, she continued her education at McNeese State University receiving a B.A. degree in Early Childhood Education. She was named Outstanding Elementary Teacher her senior year. While at McNeese, she was a member of Phi Mu Sorority and represented the sorority on the Panhellenic council. She was one of the 25 original members of the McDuff Clan of Scotch Guard established in 1966 as an auxiliary with the goal of promoting Army ROTC and the military in general. After graduation, Jean would go on to become a very successful elementary school teacher in Jennings and Brookhaven, Miss. Her love of children and her ability to maximize the potential of her students made her a much sought after teacher for incoming parents.
In 1968, she married her childhood sweetheart and life partner Ronald J Istre of Jennings. She fell in love with him in mid-1960 after meeting him at Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church Sunday mass. She was 13 years old and he was 15. After marriage, they moved to Brookhaven, Miss. where they lived for 16 years. While there, Jean taught grades first through fourth in the Brookhaven Public Schools, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School and Brookhaven Academy. While teaching at St. Francis, Jean was a member of the board of directors helping to lead the school to academic excellence. She and Ron's love and talent for landscaping resulted in many awards and recognition by the Brookhaven Beautiful Committee and the Twilight Garden Club. In fact, the garden club presented them with a permanent Yard of the Month sign which they proudly continued to display years later on the patio of their Lake Charles cottage. In 1983, Jean and Ron moved to Cleburne, Texas and Jean decided to leave her love of teaching and focus on starting a new household and the adjustments to this new life. This decision would lead to a different lifestyle of community involvement, creativity and interior design over the next 30 plus years. Jean would become president of the Newcomers Club, president of the Twilight Garden Club and member for 36 years, a member and chairperson of the Heritage Assembly, volunteer for Meals on Wheels, a member of Cumtux Book Club, and helped form the Loving Hearts Circle of Kings Daughters. Jean used her creative and artistic talents to fill her home with antiques, oil paintings, Boehm Porcelain Collections and various other collections. Her annual Christmas open house parties were attended and enjoyed by so many. The hundreds of Christmas ornaments she handmade adorned the usual seven Christmas trees throughout her cherished and lovely home. Their Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas landscaping decorations were always a season delight for the community. After 37 years in Cleburne, Texas, they moved to The Verandah at Graywood Retirement Community in Lake Charles. This new chapter in her life allowed for more time with family and new friends, but her love of interior design and landscaping continued.
She and Ron spent virtually their entire lives together with a courtship that began in early 1960, marriage in 1968 and continuing through 58 years of a beautiful life with Ron. Friends and family will always remember her unique sense of humor and genuine friendship. She made everyone she met feel special and accepted them for who they were. Her four-legged kitty cats were the center of their lives. She and Ron were lifelong members and generous supporters of several animal support organizations.
She leaves behind her wonderful husband; sister Marilynn Necessary; nieces, Kathy (Darryl) Bertrand of Lake Arthur, Kim Precht of Jennings and Julie (Percy) Lougon of Gueydan; brother-in-law, Tom Broussard of Jennings. This family did so much to help them in the later stages of their lives.
Jean is preceded in death by her mother, Hazel Ruth DaughenbaughNecessary,herauntPearlDaughenbaugh, her twin sister, Jane Necessary Boudreaux, her sister-inlaw, Terry Broussard and niece, Lisa Broussard Avila.
In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to Hobo Hotel for Cats and Kittens in Lake Charles (hobo. hotel@bellsouth.net) or Best Friends Animal Society (bestfriends.org)
