Margaret Steen Villemez
(January 17, 1916 - September 20, 2009)

Abbeville—Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at Abbeville United Methodist Church for Margaret Chauvin Steen Villemez, 93, who passed away on Sunday, September 20, 2009.

She will be laid to rest at Graceland Cemetery with Reverend John Vining and Reverend Donald Theriot officiating the services.

Pallbearers will be Matthew Wunsch, Jr., Jay Steen, III, Brien Wunsch, Patrick Wunsch, Patrick Smith and Charlie Sonnier.

Margaret was born on January 17, 1916, in Gueydan, La., the daughter of Albert and Maud Chauvin. Her siblings Wilson, John, and Rosa Mae predeceased her. She was married twice, first to John Wesley Steen who passed away in 1983 and then to Dr. Edward R. Villemez who passed away in 1995.

Margaret graduated from Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now ULL) with a BA in education. She was a member of the Red Jacket Club, ULL Alumni Association. She was named the Outstanding Alumni of ULL in 1982. She was the longest serving member of the ULL Foundation. Margaret was a lifetime resident of Vermilion Parish, active in her church and community. At the First United Methodist Church of Abbeville over the years she taught Sunday school, was choir director, was the organist, and served on various governing boards. She was a member of the Abbeville Women's Club, Delta Kappa Gamma, Phi Mu, the Abbeville Cultural and Historal Alliance, Daughters of the American Revolution, Daughters of the Confederacy, and the Order of the Troubadours.

She is survived by her children, The Honorable Wesley W. Steen, Wesley's wife Ebbie, Margaret (Sis) Steen Wunsch and her husband Matthew. Margaret is also survived by seven grandchildren: Dr. Anna Steen, John Wesley Steen II and his wife Kristin, Lee-Wilson Steen Smith and her husband Patrick, Matthew Wunsch, Jr. and his wife Meredith, Elizabeth Margaret Wunsch, Patrick Wunsch, and one great grandchild, Matthew Wunsch III.

The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles Street, on Tuesday, September 22, 2009 from 4:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.; Wednesday, September 23, 2009 from 8:00 a.m. until time of services. 

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Margaret Chauvin Steen Villemez scholarship fund at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.