Reading from left to right:
First row: Angela Rousseve, flower girl; Gwendolyn Coulon, angel; Yolande Rousseve, flower girl; and Jeanette Dannel, flower girl.
Second Row: Miss Vivian Dupart, bridesmaid ; Miss Carmen Rogers, maid of honor; Mrs. C.L. deLay (formerly Miss Eve C. Blandin), the bride; Mrs. Don Albert, matron of honor; and Miss Mildred Fauria, bridesmaid.
Third Row: Julian Parker, groomsman ; Malcolm Barrois, best man; Charles L.deLay, the groom; Harmond J. Blandin, father of the bride, and Alvin Robinson, groomsman.
On Wednesday morning,June 28,1939, Miss Eve Cecile Blandin became the bride of Charles Leon deLay in what proved to be one of the largest ceremonies which the social world had not seen for some time. Father Casserly presided at the impressive affair which was held at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in New Orleans. Huge palms and flowers lined the aisle and altar and the event was witnessed by a huge crowd of family and friends.
The two little flower girls, Angela and Yolande Rousseve were first cousins. Their fathers, Ferdinand and Charles Rousseve were brothers. The third little flower girl, Jeanette Daneel, was the daughter of Edward & Carmel Daneel who resided at 1809 New Orleans Street.
Miss Vivian Dupart,the daughter of Lionel and Camilla Dupart, became a teacher and married Winfred Francis Sardie in November,1945. Miss Mildred Fauria, born in 1914 to Sidney and Bertha Fauria, married Harold Cousin while Miss Carmen Rogers and Alvin Robinson, both members of the bridal party, would marry just five months later in November of 1940. An article on their marriage, posted November,2012,is on our blog.
A lovely reception was held at the home of the bride’s parents, Harmond and Louise Gueringer Blandin. The newlywed couple took up residence on North Dorgenois Street where they welcomed their many friends, and a belated honeymoon to the World’s Fair at New York was held at a later date .
The bride was a very popular lady in the city. She was a graduate of McDonogh #35 High School, Valena C. Jones Normal School and Xavier University where she was magna cum laude. Mr. Charles L.de Lay graduated from Dillard University, and received a master’s degree from Xavier University. At the time of the wedding, he was Director of the Department of Publicity at Xavier.
Together they would bring into the world one son, Christopher J.de Lay. Both were very dedicated educators. She was a classroom teacher and he was an administrator in the New Orleans public school system. They both participated in various social activities. Mr. deLay was a member of The Bunch Club, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the Young Men Twenty-Two Club, and the Knights of Peter Claver. Mrs. deLay belonged to the Lorelei Bridge Club, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and was past president of the Guild of the Urban League of Greater New Orleans.
Charles deLay passed away 4 December1989.Ten years later,Eve Blandin de Lay passed away on 5 January 1998.
Sources: photo and article courtesy of Xavier University Archives, The Xavier Herald (Published monthly by Student Body), July 1939 pages 4 and6; Ancestry.com federal census 1920-1930-1940; The Times Picayune Obituaries: 06 December 1989 for Charles de Lay and 7 January 1998 for Eve Blandin de Lay; www.sos.la.gov/Home/Archives/Research Library/Vital Records (Orleans Parish Marriage Records Index)
L.V.C.
Charlie Delay and my father Albert Bloom MD were longstanding friends who would visit each other’s homes holding often contentious philosophical arguments on a variety of topics. Though they seemed upset with each other, they always enjoyed each others intellect. I recall Mr. DeLay ringing the doorbell and calling out to my father, “Albert come out here on the porch. I want to tell you something.
My father was very saddened by his death. I remember when he called to let me know. Thanks for the photo.
Eve Blandin DeLay was my husband Mike’s aunt and godmother (her sister Elsie Blandin Bordenave was my husband’s mother). Mike called her “the little red-haired girl.” I’ve never known a sweeter person in the world or a greater sports fan. Any time she’d come to our house, you had to put the TV on WHATEVER sports program was going on – especially if it was tennis or the New Orleans Saints! She loved her family dearly, just as we love and miss her!
What beautiful memories you have of her!! Thank you for sharing them with us.
Any additional information regarding Helen Guillemet or any Guillemets?
Thanks
Bonjour Ms. Guillemet!
Thank you for commenting. Please visit and support CreoleGen often. Off hand, we don’t have any additional information on the Guillemet family. However, if you have specific genealogy questions, check our ‘Services’ page to see how we can be of assistance.
Those are my great grandparents on my father’s side. I am the grandchild of Christopher Joseph de Lay Sr. and the daughter of Christopher de Lay Jr., Giovanni Monique de Lay. Thank you for sharing this about my immediate family. Truly amazing. I have more photographs if needed. Do you by chance have anymore information on the de Lay-Blandin family? I would love to know. She (Eve) passed I believe when I was a baby or just before I was born. And I don’t believe I ever got the chance to meet my great-grandfather Charles.