Madelyn "Maggie" FitzGerald Halphen

OPELOUSAS- A Mass of Christian Burial for Madelyn (Maggie) FitzGerald Halphen will be held on Saturday, December 2, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church.  Msgr. Keith DeRouen and Fr. James Brady will celebrate the Mass of Christian Burial. Rite of Committal will follow at Bellevue Memorial Park in Opelousas.

On November 27, 2023, Madelyn (Maggie) FitzGerald Halphen, 89, of Opelousas, La, passed away peacefully at her home with her son, Scott FitzGerald and Mary Ellen Gautreaux (her caregiver) at her side.

Maggie was born on October 19, 1934, to Lucius and Zula Courvelle in Sunset, La. After graduation from the AIC in 1953, she went on to study accounting at T.H. Harris in Opelousas, La. After graduating with her associate in accounting, she was employed by Dr. Littel. 

She then married her high school sweetheart, Donald Dean FitzGerald in 1954. Together they opened Cash Auto Supply in Krotz Springs, La in 1969. Upon Donald's passing in1982, she continued to operate the business before selling it in 1992.

She welcomed their first son, Donald Henry in 1956 and their second son Scott Wayne in 1966. 
In 1988, she married Lee Halphen (PopPop). She was an active member of the Opelousas Garden Club as well as the French Club, and Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church where she served as an Euchariastic minister for many years. She enjoyed traveling, dancing, gardening and entertaining. She was known for her beautiful red hair (which perfectly matched her high energy personality), stylish clothing and signature high heels. 

Maggie is survived by her sons Donald H. "Donnie" FitzGerald and wife Charlotte Taylor FitzGerald of Opelousas and Scott W. FitzGerald of Opelousas; granddaughters, Meredith FitzGerald Andrus of Opelousas, Lauren FitzGerald Underwood (David) of Amarillo, TX, Alexandra FitzGerald Haney (Donald) of Baton Rouge and Jennifer FitzGerald Katz of Ponchatoula and great grandchildren, Carson Lee Andrus, Julia Elizabeth Underwood, Samuel Henry Underwood, James FitzGerald Haney, Donald Charles Haney IV, and Olivia Taylor Haney; and sister in-law, Brenda FitzGerald Boyd (Robert).

She is preceded in death by her parents Lucius & Zula Courvelle; husbands, Donald Dean FitzGerald and Lee Garland Halphen; brother, Franklin David Courvelle and half sister, Hazel Courvelle.

A visitation will be held at the Sibille Funeral Home Chapel in Opelousas, on Friday, December 1, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. On Saturday, the funeral home will re-open at 8:00 a.m., with a Rosary to be prayed at 9:15 a.m. in the funeral home chapel by Fr. James Brady. 

Words of Comfort to the family may be expressed at www.sibillefuneralhomes.com. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Sibille Funeral Home of Opelousas.