Claire Ferrand Winder

Claire Ann Ferrand Winder was born on January 16, 1952 to Edward and Germaine Ferrand. She was a very proud New Orleans native. She departed this life on January 1, 2025. As a child, Claire was raised in Epiphany Catholic Church where she was baptized. She was a devoted member of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church. She received her early education from Epiphany Catholic School, was a proud graduate of St. Mary’s Academy and later graduated with a degree in Mathematics from Xavier University of Louisiana. After graduating she moved on to a 5 year career at South Central Bell/Bell South. After her short tenure with the phone company, she focused on her tax service which she started in 1978, and started her roles as a Director of Religious Education and Liturgical Director at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church. During her tenure at St. Paul, Claire received a Masters of Theology from the Black Catholic Institute at Xavier University of Louisiana where she later volunteered for years in multiple capacities. She coordinated liturgical services for multiple conferences throughout the United States as a member of God Works Inc. After Hurricane Katrina, she worked in the Finance Department at Xavier University before retiring to concentrate on her income tax company full time again. Claire was also a lifelong member of At A Moments Notice social club. The one word that comes to mind when describing Claire is “EVERYTHING”. She was a devoted daughter, cousin, wife, mother and friend. She blessed the lives of anyone she came in contact with. She was a true angel on earth and we all know she took the express lane straight through heaven’s doors. “Tid Bit” is preceded in death by her parents Germaine and Edward Ferrand, her brother Gerald Ferrand, and her sisters Brenda Hamilton and Denese Gleeton (Claude). She is survived by her husband, Donald Winder, Sr., her mother-in-law, Bernadette Winder, her son, Donald Winder, II, her daughters, Anika Lodree (Emmett, Jr.) and Dawn Winder Evans (William, Jr.). She will be greatly missed by her grandchildren, Dominic, Jonia, Jonee, Tya, Rahshad, Destini, Emmanuel, Andria, Aaron, Donavin, Dontae, Aeneas “AJ”, and E’Yanni and a host of great-grandchildren. She has blessed the lives of her sisters and brothers, Lisa and Horace Spurlock, Jr., Earl Ferrand, Edwin and Pamela Ferrand , Karen and Isaiah Cole, her in-laws Shannon Hamilton, Sr., Kerry and Beverly Winder, Richard and Janice Winder, and Lonnie (deceased) and Jacquelyn Mathews. She loved and cared for all of her cousins and her many nieces and nephews, along with a host of other relatives and friends. Her memory will forever live on through them. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend a Memorial Mass at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church, 1923 St. Phillip Street, New Orleans, LA 70116 on Friday, January 10, 2025 at 11:00 am. (No visitation) Arrangements by D. W. Rhodes Funeral Home, 3933 Washington Ave. Please visit www.rhodesfuneral.com to sign the online guestbook.

Claire Ferrand Winder

January 2, 2025