Melanie Hanks Hensgens

December 5, 1961 - April 16, 2021

Funeral services will be held on Monday, April 19, 2021 at 10:00 A.M. in Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist for Melanie Hanks Hensgens, 59, who died on Friday, April 16, 2021 at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in Lafayette. The family requests that visitation be observed in Martin & Castille's DOWNTOWN location on Sunday from 3:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. and will continue Monday at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist from 8:00 A.M. until time of services. A Rosary will be prayed by Brady LeBlanc on Sunday at 6:00PM in Martin & Castille Funeral Home. Entombment will be in St. John Mausoleum. The Very Reverend Chester C. Arceneaux, V.F., Rector of Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, will conduct the funeral services. Concelebrants will be Reverend Andrew Schumacher, Parochial Vicar and Reverend Monsignor Charles J. Dubois. For family members and friends who are unable to attend on Monday, April 19, 2021, at 10:00 AM, the service will be live-streamed to a Memorial Facebook Group dedicated to Melanie Hanks Hensgens. To join the group, click the link below and then "join group". The video will appear on this group at service time 10:00 A.M. You may also share memories, pictures and condolences to the family in this group. Facebook link: www.facebook.com/groups/melaniehankshensgens/ Survivors include her beloved husband of 36 years, Karl Joseph Hensgens; two daughters, Paige Hensgens Hightower and her husband Thomas “Trey” R. Hightower III of Lafayette and Anna Katherine Hensgens of Nashville, TN; three grandsons, Thomas James, Joseph Anthony (twins) and Michael Hanks Hightower; sister-in-law, Julie LeGros Hanks; nieces, Tessie Hanks Navarre (Godchild), Tiffany Hanks Holmes and Tabitha Hanks; brother-in-law, Nicholas “Tony” Hensgens, Jr. and wife, Pam; sister-in-law, Stephanie Hensgens Berger and husband, Ronald; sister-in-law, Michelle C. Hensgens and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Irene LeBlanc Hanks and Anthony “Gummy” Hanks; brothers, Bryan Lynn Hanks and Hoyt Anthony Hanks; godmother, Sue LeBlanc Dugas, brother-in-law, Kenneth James Hensgens; maternal grandparents, Nobie Marie Henry LeBlanc and Oneal LeBlanc and paternal grandparents, Elia Courts Hanks and Nathaniel Hanks. Melanie was born in Jennings, LA and graduated from Lake Arthur High School in 1980. In her early days, she spent many days helping at her parent’s famous restaurant, Nott’s Corner in Lake Arthur, LA. She attended McNeese State University and spent her working career as a legal assistant. Upon marriage, she and Karl raised their two girls in Lafayette, a community that holds a special place in her heart, where she was also a mother to many of their friends. She loved being involved in her children’s activities throughout their years at Cathedral-Carmel School and St. Thomas More Catholic High School. She provided delicious food for school friends and family, as well as her own. The saying was, if you need anything for a shower, party or event, “Call Mel!” Her favorite hobbies included monogramming and sewing, especially for her grandsons, attending sporting events, cooking for others, especially her annual Christmas Eve seafood and chicken and sausage gumbos. As a friend, she was a true friend for life. Always there to support, listen and provide. She was a member of Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church where she stayed true to her faith and monogrammed each baptismal cloth for the parish. Over the years, numerous friendships were developed from Lake Arthur, Lafayette, and two special friends in Houston, TX, Cheryl Johnson and Debbie Brown. Though she had many enjoyments, her main passion in life was taking care of her three grandsons. Melanie will be deeply missed and memories of her and her beautiful heart will be cherished by all who knew her. Pallbearers will be Thomas “Trey” R. Hightower III, Nicholas Anthony Hensgens III, Joseph Alvin Hensgens, Kyle Holmes, Kevin Berken and Dal Miller. Honorary Pallbearers will be her three grandsons, Thomas James, Joseph Anthony and Michael Hanks Hightower, R.J. Dugas, Gayland LeBlanc, Nicholas “Tony” Hensgens, Jr. and Ronald Joseph Berger. Memorial contributions can be made in Melanie Hanks Hensgens name to Cathedral-Carmel School, 848 St. John Street, Lafayette, LA 70501 and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, <>, 1 Music Circle South Suite 200, Nashville, TN 37203. A heartfelt appreciation is extended by the Hensgens family to the physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists and aids at Our Lady of Lourdes and AMG Hospitals for the love and compassion they provided, especially Doctors Frank Courmier and Justin Ardoin. View the obituary and guestbook online at www.mourning.com Martin & Castille-DOWNTOWN-330 St. Landry St., Lafayette, LA 70506, 337-234-2311