James Charles "Sonny" Maumus

James Charles “Sonny” Maumus passed away on October 3rd, 2020, in Gulfport, MS. Jim was born on March 25th, 1946, in New Orleans. He graduated from Cor Jesu High School in 1965 and worked at Le Petit Theatre in the French Quarter. He was a Payroll Specialist at McDermott Inc. from 1974 until 1996. Following his retirement from McDermott, Jim worked as Director of Payroll Services at Universal Studios. He was an active member of the American Payroll Association, earning national Payroll Man of the Year in 1986. He traveled around the country teaching payroll seminars for the APA, and contributed articles for the organization's journal. He was also one of the first to earn the APA's "Certified Payroll Professional" designation. Jim was a lector, cantor, and Eucharistic minister at St. Maria Goretti Church. After Katrina, Jim moved to Kennesaw, GA and was Director of Communications at St. Catherine of Siena. In 2013, he moved to Gulfport, where he was a member of St. Joseph Parish. He was honored to be a Eucharistic minister for the Mass at UNO said by Pope John Paul II in 1987, and was awarded the Order of St. Louis Medal by Archbishop Schulte in 1992. Jim also was active in the organization "City Lights", which helped save historic theaters in New Orleans like the Saenger and the Orpheum, and was also a member of the Urban League and Knights of Columbus. Jim was preceded in death by his father, Cecil Charles Maumus, his mother, Marie Raymond Maumus, his son, Jeremy Jonathan Maumus, and his grandson, Patrick James O'Donnell. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Marybeth Shambra Maumus, sons James Joseph Maumus (Marlene), Joel Christopher Maumus, and Jeffrey Christian Maumus (Cherie), daughter Emily Maumus Whynot (Michael), grandson Gabriel Jude O'Donnell, brothers-in-law Nicholas Shambra (Sue), Edward Shambra (Jane), and Paul Shambra (Helen), along with a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins. There will be a Funeral Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church at 411 N. Rampart St. in New Orleans on Saturday, October 24th at 2pm. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall. Private interment will be at St. Louis Cemetery #3 on Esplanade Ave. Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, Howard Avenue in Biloxi is honored to serve this family.