Dewey Lee Singleton Cornay Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Private graveside services will be held at Bellevue Memorial Park Cemetery for Dewey Lee Singleton Cornay, 88, who passed away at her residence on December 24, 2020 surrounded by her loved ones. Dewey was born August 18, 1932, to James Dewey Singleton and Lucille Clark Singleton at her ancestral family home known as Forest Home in Arnaudville, Louisiana. She grew up on the farm, along with her sister Elizabeth “Betty” Singleton Gaiennie, and attended public school in Arnaudville and Gulf Park College on the Mississippi coast. She married Clement J. Cornay, Sr. at Forest Home in 1952 and lived in Lafayette until 1957 where the first four of their six children were born. From 1957 to 1969 they lived in Baton Rouge where the last two children were born, before moving back to Lafayette where she remained until her death. In 1980 she obtained a degree from USL in Merchandising and Design. Dewey had within her an amazing artistic talent and fascination with fabric and design, even from an early age. In her younger years she created beautiful needlework pieces, many of which adorn the walls of her home. Later she began designing and constructing hand-made linen and lace dresses, pieced and quilted coats, jackets and vests, elaborately and intricately detailed with antique fabrics and ornaments. The dresses, jackets and vests were sold in specialty shops in Atlanta, Santa Fe and Estes Park under Dewey’s own label “ALLIE LOWE”, a name she chose in honor of her paternal grandfather’s cousin who was noted for her needlework. Dewey won awards for her creations at shows in Santa Fe and Paducah, and appeared a number of times in American Quilter magazine modeling her own fashion designs. She was also an extremely talented quilter, and created an impressive body of quilts and wall hangings, many now beautifying the homes of her children. In her later years Dewey enjoyed the beaches of Alabama and Florida and visiting the family home and farm in Arnaudville, but her greatest joy was her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was dearly loved by family and friends, and will be greatly missed. Survivors include her six children, Clement J. “Joe” Cornay, Jr. (Kathy), Lisa Cornay Roberts (Jerry), James D. “Jim” Cornay (Beverly), David J. Cornay, Jules Cornay and Lucille Cornay Yanagida (Brent), and eight grandchildren, Katie Roberts LaBry, David Roberts, Natalie Cornay Manalo, Meghan Cornay Lavin, Emily Cornay Rinaldi, Jennifer Cornay, Mason Cornay and Nathan Yanagida, as well as ten great-grandchildren. Dewey is also survived by her beloved sister Betty Singleton Gaiennie, her Gaiennie nieces and nephews and their families, and a host of very dear friends. She was preceded in death by her parents James Dewey Singleton and Lucille Clark Singleton, and by her brother-in-law George C. Gaiennie, Jr. The family would like to thank the staff of Leading Health Care and Compassus Hospice, as well as her primary care physician Dr. Kemp Coreil. Special appreciation is also extended to Dewey’s long-term caregiver Gypsy Hebert, and her other caregivers, who provided kind and compassionate care during her illness. In keeping with Dewey’s wishes, her cremains will be interred alongside her parents in Bellevue Memorial Park Cemetery. Family and friends are invited to view the obituary and guestbook online at www.mourning.com Martin & Castille Funeral Home - DOWNTOWN, 330 St. Landry Street Lafayette, LA. 70506 337-234-2311, is in charge of arrangements.

Dewey Lee Singleton Cornay

August 18, 1932 - December 24, 2020

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