Rose Johnson Shidla, 97 (just one day short of her 98th birthday), passed away peacefully Oct. 3, 2023 with her family by her side.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023 at St. Margaret’s Catholic Church in Lake Charles, La. Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. with a Rosary to be recited at 6 p.m. on Sunday Oct. 8, 2023 at Johnson Funeral Home of Lake Charles. Visitation continues from 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 9 at the funeral home. Burial will be held at the Consolata Cemetery in Lake Charles immediately following Mass. Officiating will be Father Andy Derouen assisted by her brother Deacon Dwight J. Johnson.

Rose was born in Washington, La. Oct. 4, 1925 and grew up on the family farm in central Louisiana. She loved music and dancing, learning to dance on the front porch of her parent’s home to the music she, her siblings and cousins played on the record player. Later, they all danced to the music of the big bands at the “Blue Moon” in Bunkie. Oh, what a good time they had!

Rose was also an accomplished artist. Her home is filled with her original oil and watercolor paintings which will be treasured by her family for years to come. She loved fashion, all things beautiful, including her gardens and her home where her large family gathered on holidays to enjoy her wonderful cooking and warm hospitality.

Rose loved her Lord! She was a devout Catholic serving her parish as a Eucharistic Lay Minister taking Holy Communion to those not able to attend Mass.

Rose will be fondly remembered for her great love of babies and children. She cared for numerous children in her home in a private day care center for many years. Even after their “Graduation”, many of her “babies” continued to visit her throughout her life.

Preceding Rose in death were her beloved husband, John Joseph Shidla; her sister, Dorothy Sabatini and her husband Sammie; parents, Emile and Alice Oliver Johnson; her sister-in-law, Lavisa Johnson and nephew, Stephen Johnson.

She is survived by her brother, Dwight John Johnson of Harahan; her five children, Dorothy Alice Shidla (Penny) Burrows (Thurl Russell)of Lake Charles, John Joseph (Johnny) Shidla Jr. (Donna) of Lake Charles, Jo Ann Shidla Wheless (Burrows ‘Buz’ Johnson, Jr.) of Shreveport, Wenceslaus James (Wen) Shidla of Shreveport, and Charles Wayne Shidla of Fort Worth; grandchildren, Terry Dale Burrows (Lynne) of Montgomery, Texas, Lisa Burrows Saucier (John) of Lake Charles, Burrows Johnson (B.J.) Wheless III (Jennie) of Longmont, Colo., William McIntyre (Mac) Wheless of Shreveport, Kaylynn Courville of New Orleans, Megan Courville of Lake Charles, Jeremie Shidla of Topsey, Joshua Shidla of Lake Charles, Dustin Shidla of Lake Charles, Courteny Dupuis (Mike) of Broken Arrow, Okla. and Whitney Fisher (Mauricio) of Redington, Ariz.; 19 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and extended family of the heart.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers are Wen Shidla, Dustin Shidla, B. J. Wheless, Mac Wheless and Elliott Burrows.

Heartfelt appreciation and gratitude are extended to the doctors, staff and nurses of Harbor Hospice as well as the numerous caregivers that have extended compassionate and loving care to our beloved Rose (and her family) in her final years.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Rose’s honor to St. Margaret’s Catholic Church, 2500 Enterprise Boulevard, Lake Charles, LA 70601 or Harbor Hospice – Lake Charles, 5210 Lake Street, Lake Charles, LA 70605 or to a charity of your choice.