James Courtney Wicker

On Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at 9:06 p.m., James Courtney Wicker departed this life to rest with our Lord at 78 years of age. James was born on August 26, 1944 to Theodore Roosevelt and Marguerite Williams Wicker of St. Francisville, LA. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 60 years, Evelyn Barard Wicker, and four daughters: Renetta Chester (Norval), Melanie Mitchell (Gayland) of Atlanta, GA, Melissa Bournes (Eluard) and Nechelle Gist (Christopher) of Albuquerque, NM. He will also be missed by his brother, Horace Wicker (Janet) and sister, Beverly Buggage (Terry), brothers-in-law, Gary Barard (Karen), Albert Barard III, David Barard, and sister-in-law, Artemise Wicker. He is survived by his eight grandchildren: Nalani Chester, Melina Chester, D’Juan Dickerson, Drake Mitchell, Tori Hughes, Jaimee Gist, Christopher Gist, and Benjamin Gist. He is also survived by six great-grandchildren: Demetre, Yohanna and Paris Dickerson, Trusaan Smith, and Nirvana and Chance Mitchell. His loss will also be felt by a host of nieces, nephews, extended relatives and friends. James was preceded in death by his parents, Theodore and Marguerite Wicker; sister Doris Landreau; brothers, George and Malcolm Wicker; father and mother-in-law, Albert Barard Sr. and Hazel Barard; brother-in-law, Winston Barard, and sister-in-law, Margaret McCann. In 1962, he graduated from G. W. Carver Senior High School, and went on to work at Kaiser Aluminum/Calciner Industries for over 40 years. He attended the New Orleans Regional Technical Institute, where he earned an Operating Engineer Certification for Air Conditioning and Boilers. After retiring in 2008, he enjoyed fishing, traveling to different states in the country with his wife, and using his vacations to visit his grandchildren. His hobbies included woodworking, building wooden rocking horses for his grandchildren, and working with a friend to build a small boat to enjoy his favorite pastime of fishing. Relatives and friends of the family, priest and parishioners of St. Maria Goretti Church, also employees of Calciner Industries/Kaiser Aluminum (Chalmette), Lockheed-Martin (Michoud), Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Louisiana National Guard are invited to attend Funeral Mass at D.W. Rhodes Funeral Home, 3933 Washington Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70125 on Friday, May 26, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. Visitation at 12:00 pm. Interment immediately following at Mount Olivet Cemetery, 4000 Norman Mayer Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70122. The funeral will be live streamed at http://www.facebook.com/D.W.RhodesFuneralHome/live. Arrangements by D.W. Rhodes Funeral Home, 3933 Washington Avenue. Please visit www.rhodesfuneral.com to sign the guestbook and share online condolences.