Marlene Miller Marquer

Marlene Miller Marquer, age 89, passed away on Friday, December 3, 2021. She was the beloved wife of the late Claude J. Marquer, Jr for 62 years and mother of the late Claude J. Marquer, III.  She is survived by son George Marquer and his wife Twila, as well as daughter, Celeste M. Peddy and her husband Brent; grandchildren Steven Marquer, Ashley and Makena Marquer, Alexis Peddy Espinoza and Justin and Kathleen Peddy; sisters Beverly M. Parker and Betty Jean Burroughs; and sister-in-law Mary M. Dauphin. She was preceded in death by sisters-in-law June M. Harrold and Constance M. Aucoin.  She is also survived by many nieces and nephews. Marlene is the daughter of the late George Ernest Miller and Evelyn Fannin Miller.

Marlene graduated from Francis T. Nichols High School and attended Newcomb College in New Orleans before marrying her high school sweetheart, Claude. After Claude’s military service in San Antonio, Texas  and Anniston, Alabama the couple returned to New Orleans and opened Marquer’s Suburban Pharmacy in New Orleans East. She worked side by side with Claude for many years growing the business. Her many titles included business owner, pharmacy clerk, delivery driver and fill-in-assistant to the doctors who practiced in the clinic that she and Claude had established within the pharmacy. Marlene switched roles to mother and homemaker after she and Claude adopted their three children. As a founding member of Resurrection of Our Lord Church, she became very involved in parish and school activities. She held several roles including President of the Mother’s Club, Safety Patrol Leader and volunteered her many talents in the musical reviews and church fairs. She also devoted much of her time at Di Benedetto Playground following and supporting her children’s endeavors on the ball fields, driving players to their games and being their biggest fan.

She lived a very full life that included many accomplishments. Some of those included being a member of the Optimist Club; was owner of Wicks ‘N’ Sticks at Lake Forest Plaza; held a leadership role in the community organization ACTS in the 1990s; and was a recipient of the Order of St. Louis in 2004.

After Hurricane Katrina, she and Claude relocated to Hammond, LA where she was a parishioner of Holy Ghost Catholic Church.  She spent many of her last years lovingly caring for sick family members.  She doted on her grandchildren and made every effort to visit them, reveling in their many accomplishments. She also developed a passion to travel and share those travels with her children and grandchildren making priceless memories with her family.  In her free time, she loved to do puzzles and send kind words in letters and cards to the many people in her life.  She was a selfless person who was always thinking of others and always made them feel special.

She has left a large legacy and has touched so many lives in her different roles as daughter, wife, mother, sister, caregiver and friend.  She was loved by so many and will be sorely missed.  Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass at 1:30 PM on Saturday, December 11, 2021 in the Gerard Schoen Chapel of Jacob Schoen & Son, 3827 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70119. Visitation will begin at 11:00 AM. Interment will be in Greenwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association. This organization was special to her. 

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