Obituary

Meveline Simmons Scalia

February 21, 1926 - August 16, 2023

Meveline Simmons Scalia went peacefully in her sleep into the loving arms of Jesus her Lord and Savior on August 16, 2023 at her home in Loranger LA. She was 97 years old. Meveline was born on February 21, 1926 to Henry “Bud” and Marie Simmons in Lexie MS. She was the oldest sister of Lois Neal, Donis Henderson, Genevieve Ard, Dorothy Baggett, and Clyde Henry Simmons all of whom preceded her in death.

She married her husband of 56 years, Sylvester Scalia, on April 12, 1947 in Arcola LA. Sylvester preceded her in death in 2004. They have two daughters Ann Scalia Neal (Bo) and Paula K. Faust (Roger), five grandchildren Jeffrey Kerr (LaDette), Bryan Neal (Juline), Amy Neal, Jonah Faust, and Jeremiah Faust (Kristie), eight great-grandchildren Krislyn Kerr, Kristofer Kerr, Madelyn Smith, Megan Smith, Nicholas Smith, Sylas Faust, Abby Faust, Miah Faust, and Noah Faust.

Meveline and Sylvester moved to San Jose CA in 1949. It was there that she received her certificate of training in semiconductor production. She worked at National Semiconductor until retirement. They returned to Louisiana in 1982.

Meveline was the kind of person who would call a stranger from the phone book because they had the same unique first name. She loved to show her friends and family all her different flowers when they were in bloom, and she would sit at the kitchen table and watch the hummingbirds at the window. She taught Sunday school, used her beautiful voice to sing in the church choir, and was the Women’s Missionary Union director at Foxworthy Baptist Church in San Jose CA and Loranger Baptist Church in Loranger LA, and has been a member of First Baptist Church of Amite LA for fourteen years. She attended church on Sunday even after she could no longer hear the sermons. She just wanted to be in the house of the Lord with her church family.

We call her Nana, and we firmly believe everyone should have a Nana. She was a daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. But most importantly she was a Christian and a prayer warrior.

Pallbearers will be David Faunce, Jeff Kerr, Kristofer Kerr, Bryan Neal, Scott Puls, and Nick Smith.

Visitation will be held on Saturday August 19, 2023 from 12:00 noon until service 2:00 pm at McKneely Funeral Home of Amite. Dr. Matthew White will officiate the memorial service. Internment will be at Briar Patch Cemetery in Loranger LA.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the First Baptist Church of Amite LA building fund at PO Box 935 Amite LA 70422.