Martin Landry

New Iberia - Memorial services will be held at 6:00 PM Tuesday, March 1, 2011 at Pellerin Funeral Home in New Iberia for Martin G. Landry, 61 who died Saturday, February 26, 2011 in New Iberia . Martin was the personification of a Norman Rockwell portrait of family. He was a loving husband and father, devoted son and engaged and supportive brother. He was a model nephew, cousin and uncle. He was the family historian and healer - not as a medical professional but rather in the more important role of keeping family connected after time and distance had drawn each apart. He visited as often as possible with the individual members of the 'tribe' reminding all of our collective roots while simultaneously focusing on and celebrating each individual with their unique needs, story and contributions to life and family. Martin was a good friend to many and a great friend to each in their time of need. His thoughtful calm, gentle bearing and clear thinking made each life he touched appear more manageable in the chaos, uncertainty or excitement of their moment. Martin was a 'Cajun Boy' who left this part of the world over 40 years ago but always kept his roots anchored in the rich cultural and spiritual soil of South Louisiana . Although his style was controlled - his spirit exemplified the Joie de vivre and Laissez les bons temps rouler that are Cajun Country. In terms of what he did, Martin was a graduate of Catholic High School in New Iberia . He received his undergraduate degree from LSU in Baton Rouge and an MBA from the University of Georgia in Athens . In 2007 Martin retired from his career with the federal government having served for 18 years with the General Accounting Office and 16 years with the Centers for Disease Control. He was blessed in these roles not because of the jobs he had but because it allowed him to pursue his passion for helping people and finding better ways to get results needed. Martin is survived by his mother - Mazie Boudreaux Landry of New Iberia and his wife Paula Sanford Landry of Smyrna Georgia. Paula and Martins daughter Dana and her husband Scott Sutherland reside in Seattle Washington and their son Drew is a resident of Atlanta . Martins brothers include Patrick and his wife Lucy ( Halifax , Canada ) - Joseph ( Houston , Texas ) and Jimmy and Cathy and Paul and Mary ( New Iberia ). He was preceded in death by his father - Wilbert (Boozoo) Landry and son Gabe. Memorial contributions can be made to: National Alliance of Mental Illness - Georgia, 3050 Presidential Drive, Suite 202, Atlanta, GA 30340-3916, Telephone: 1-770-234-0855. A gathering of family and friends will be Tuesday from 11:00 AM until 7:00 PM at Pellerin Funeral Home in New Iberia . Pellerin Funeral Home, 502 Jefferson Terrace Blvd., New Iberia, LA 70560, 337.365.3331, is in charge of arrangements. EulogyMartin, Gabe, Uncle Booz, Paula, Dana, Scott, Drew, Mazie, Patrick, Lucy, Jimmy, Cathy, Paul, Mary, Joseph, family and friends: Above the stove in Aunt Mazies kitchen is a framed needlepoint stating, 'The most wasted day of all is that on which you have not laughed.' I agree. Days like today make laughter a challenge. My job is to make sure we dont waste this day. Let us laugh together. I used the quote that follows because it includes the word young and that will make Martins contemporaries feel better. George Patton once said, 'It is foolish and wrong to mourn the death of the young men that died. Rather we should thank God that the young men lived.' And so it is with Martin - let us join together today to celebrate his life versus mourning his death. Let us thank God that he lived. Our family tree shows Martin as my first, first cousin. In practice he was my first brother. Growing up we were close - really close. As time and the distractions of life took us in different directions our contact was less frequent and our interests and experiences diverse but the affection remained unchanged. Ill miss him - today, I remember him for all of us. If the substance of Martin had to be defined in a word it would be 'family.' Martin worked his whole life to create and refine our family and his world in the idealized model of 'Ozzie and Harriet.' To play out this TV metaphor of life, Martins style most closely paralleled that of Mr. Rogers and his neighborhood. As hed walk into a room you could almost hear in the background 'Its a beautiful day in the neighborhood - A beautiful day for a neighbor- Would you be mine - Could you be mine - Wont you be my neighbor.' Since Ive been asked to close on a positive note - Ill get the ugliness out of the way early. Yesterday Paulas cousin, Ann, and I were talking as she observed Martins brothers. She commented that Martin and Joe looked a lot alike and Jimmy, Paul, and Patrick shared many similarities. She then struggled to close her comments with the truth so I relieved her angst by stating the obvious - 'I know they aint pretty but theyre nice.' Martin was the oldest followed by Patrick, Jimmy, Paul and finally Joseph. Many folks in town admired the determination of Aunt Mazie and Uncle Booz because they kept trying in spite of the results. Finally Joseph arrived and they could accept their fate. Aunt Mazie we admire your courage. Seriously these boys aint perfect but they are all good and are very devoted to you - their Momma. When I was about 5 and Martin was 3, Momma mentioned that I had gone with her and daddy to Aunt Mazie and Uncle Boozs wedding. Martin immediately insisted that he had been there as well. Martin claimed he always spoke the truth so I believed him. I just know that things were different back then and a baby attending his Mommas wedding was probably a little scandalous. In high school Martin played varsity football in spite of the fact that he could have qualified for the 115 pound team. Martin was skinny - really skinny. Today wed call him anorexic. I remember making him hold a blocking dummy on windy days just to assure he wouldnt blow away at practice. To this day Coach Banna talks about Martins courage and toughness because he certainly didnt have the bulk to do what he did. Coach was right - Martin throughout his life did stand his ground even when bigger folks would attempt to push him around. Martin was smart - very smart. As his more conservative brothers and I heard him ramble with some of his most liberal ideas - wed often ask how could someone this bright come up with these 'airhead' thoughts After much deliberation we assumed the common sense had probably been knocked out of him as a 115 pounder trying to block a 200 pound tackle. Martin the Democrat would use every trip home as an opportunity to convert me and his brothers to a more liberal viewpoint - somewhere to the left of Attila the Hun. We couldnt win these debates but he never converted us. In his eyes, we continue to wallow in our ignorance. The most memorable of these debates was when Slade was a year old. Martin was verbally abusing me and winning style points. I was near defeat when Slade threw up all over me. I prevailed - Martin didnt have the stomach to continue. Thanks Slade. On Thursday of this past week, I changed my voter registration from Republican to 'no party affiliation.' I never got to tell Martin. He would have liked that. I hope this news was posted on the Pearly Gates when he arrived.I could go on but I wont. Heres reality. Martin like the rest of us wasnt perfect but he was good enough and he worked on getting better every day. He loved his family both immediate and extended - and would do anything he could to help any of us. More amazing than anything was how he engaged each of us - where we were and as we are - he didnt try to make us fit into his view of family - he tried to fit the family into our view of ourselves. He was the family historian and healer - he recognized each of us as the individuals we are and his 'touch' of us was always personal, respectful, calming and well intended.The day that Martin and Paula married nearly 36 years ago was one of the happiest days of his life. Today is one of the saddest of mine. Meeting some of you again reminded me of that day when many of the Cajuns here walked into the wedding reception to party. I heard one of you describe us as 'a swarm of locusts descending on a field of grain.' That was a valid description. Yall gave us great food - we took great drinks. I hope today we have offered you, our guests, some comfort. Treasure the memories of that day and remember today - not for the hurt we feel but as the celebration of life that this is. On a final personal note - three years ago Martin spent a month nursing my Momma as she declined physically and mentally though the ravages of aging. Martin - from Nan, Johnny, Claire and me - thanks.Saturday Claire, Johnny and I walked from Martins room at the hospital to the Nursing Home. As Claire and Johnny held my Momma close, I explained that Martin had passed - he was gone. Mommas eyes grew wide and her face contorted - you could literally see her brain attempting to process the unthinkable. She understood but could not understand. And so it is with me and I assume most of you - our reality is that Martin is gone. It is unthinkable. Let us accept it as it is and have the faith necessary to know someday well meet again! Peace!