Mandeline Skrmetta Langlinais

Mandeline Skremetta Langlinais, 93, died Sunday, May 26. 2013. Madeline was born on January 6, 1920, and was a lifelong resident of the Gulf Coast. She was born in Biloxi to Peter and Frances Pitalo Skrmetta and married the love of her life, Lewis “Hooks” Langlinais. During their 67-year marriage, they lived on the Point of Biloxi and raised two children. Mandeline is preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Frances; stepmother, Louvinia Skrmetta; her husband, Lewis V. Langlinais; son, Lewis M. Langlinais; brother, Jimmie Skrmetta; and sisters, Perina Skrmetta, Catherine Schwark, Mary Skrmetta and baby sisters, Vincenzia and Mandalena Skrmetta. She is survived by her daughter, Frances McNabb (Don), Ocean Springs; daughter-in-law, Donna Langlinais, Biloxi; grandsons, Donald McNabb (Kie), Deridder, LA; Thomas McNabb (Christina), Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Michael Langlinais (Cathy), Biloxi; Matthew Langlinais (Kim), Biloxi; eight great grandchildren, Michael, Samantha, Tiffany, Shanna, Jeffrey, and Ally Langlinais, all of Biloxi; Connor McNabb , Hernando, MS, and Gavin McNabb, DeRidder, LA. She is also survived by two sisters, Genevieve Creel and Dorothy Skrmetta; and one brother, Peter M. Skrmetta, all of Biloxi. With Yugoslavian-descent parents and a Cajun-descent husband, her life was filled with traditional ethnic traditions. Holidays were celebrated around her dining room table. She loved serving gumbo for Christmas morning brunch and sharing Pusheratas, fingers and bowties with those who stopped by. Up until Hurricane Katrina destroyed their home, Mandeline continued to cook Sunday dinners for her children and grandchildren on Crawford Street. Mandeline loved living on the Gulf Coast and spent her life with family members who made their living on the water. She spent much of her childhood on Ship Island with the Skrmetta family and her married life with her husband who was a commercial fisherman. During her lifetime, she worked in the shrimp factories and in the food industry, including the Biloxi school cafeteria, Chic N Take, and Fishermen’s Wharf, where she was honored to meet and to serve President Gerald Ford. The family would like to thank the entire staff of Ocean Springs Nursing Center, Greenbrair Nursing Facility, Ocean Springs Hospital, especially the ER and Third Floor East staff, Dr. Jim Martin, and Gentiva (Odyssey) Hospice. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Sacred Music Teacher at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, 2090 Pass Rd., Biloxi, MS 39531. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:15 a.m. on Friday, May 31, 2013 at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. Friends may visit 10:00 a.m. until mass. Interment will follow at Biloxi National Cemetery. The Howard Avenue Chapel of Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.