Mae Koenenn

Mrs. Mae Koenenn, wife of L.A. Koenenn for 71 years, died Tuesday afternoon at her home in Long Beach. She had celebrated her 90th birthday on March 3.
Although she was born in Louisiana, she spent most of her adult life on the Gulf Coast where she was active in church, charitable and social organizations. She and her future husband met in New Orleans where she was a student at St. Mary's Dominican College and he at Loyola University. In later years, when they settled on the Coast, she taught at St. Thomas Catholic School in Long Beach. All four of their children graduated from St. Thomas and from St. John's High School in Gulfport.
While active at St. Thomas, she was president of St. Margaret's Daughters and was a Eucharistic Minister. In honor of her services to the church, Pope Benedict XVI sent her his Apostolic Blessing on the occasion of her 90th birthday.
In addition to her church activities, she was an avid golfer at Great Southern Club and later at Windance Country Club. Her love for flowers led her to work with the Long Beach Garden Club.
She and L.A. had a great love for the beach, the waters and the whole Coastal scene. When L.A. acquired a large boat for overnight fishing trips to the off-shore islands, it was she who named it ""Briny Marlin"".
Twice they lost their home on the beach to hurricanes and both times they rebuilt. After Hurricane Katrina, they lived for some time at Windance, but both of them longed to return to the beach. She frequently said: ""I want to go home"". And home was East Beach, Long Beach, where she died peacefully after a long illness.
Born in Labadieville, LA, she was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Dolese. Among her survivors are two sisters, Mrs. Lynn Arceneaux of Labadieville and Mrs. James Safford of Baton Rouge.
The Koenenn children have remained close to their coastal roots. Anne Koeneen Meeks lives in Baton Rouge. Alfred Koenenn is in Gulfport. Margaret Koenenn Papaleo is in Ponchatoula, LA and Emily Koenenn Henriksen is in Mobile. Their grandchildren are Lisa Mayeau and John Meek of Baton Rouge, Cori Howington of Savannah, GA, Richard Koenenn of Raleigh, NC, Jason Koenenn of Hattiesburg, Stephen Koenenn of Long Beach, Edward Francis of Baton Rouge, Thomas Francis of Denver, and Matthew Frey, Will Henriksen and Laura Henriksen all of Mobile. There are also 18 great-grandchildren.
The family asks that memorials be made to St. Vincent dePaul Pharmacy, 715 Division St., Biloxi, MS 39530 or St. Thomas Catholic Church, 720 East Beach Blvd., Long Beach, MS 39560.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, June 17, 2011, at 11:00 AM at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, Long Beach, with a visitation from 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM at the church.
Burial will follow at St. Joseph's at Rotten Bayou Cemetery, Pass Christian.
The RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 19130 Commission Rd., Long Beach, is in charge of arrangements.