Page 58 - ACTL Journal Fall24

IN ADDITION TO THE FELLOWS WE HAVE REMEMBERED ON THE PRECEEDING PAGES, THE COLLEGE MOURNS THE LOSS OF TWO FORMER FIRST-LADIES, BOTH OF THEM SPECTACULAR.
Jacquelyn Kay Moeller Lafitte
On Wednesday, May 8, 2024 Jacquelyn Kay Moeller Lafitte, age ninety-one, the widow of Past President Gene Lafitte, died peacefully at home in Covington, Louisiana.
Jackie was born in Clayton, Missouri, on November 2, 1932 and grew up in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Jackie attended Louisiana State University and received a B.A. degree in 1954. She and Gene were married on April 9,
1955, a sixty-five-year union that was instrumental in ev- ery personal and professional challenge and achievement throughout Gene’s impactful life and legal career. She and Gene were life-long best friends.
Jackie will be remembered for her character, rectitude, dignity, and decorousness, as well as her wonderful wit, sense of humor and the sparkle in her eyes. Jackie was truly a “Steel Magnolia.” She had three children, six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild who were the source of great joy and pride. Jackie loved life. She was an avid golfer and, while competitive, was more interested in the fellowship and the “usual” at the 19th hole. Jack- ie also was an enthusiastic Tiger fan, and she and Gene spent many weekends tailgating at LSU football games.
Barbara Jones Renfrew, widow of Past President Charlie Renfew, died peacefully in her home at sunrise, on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024.
Born in Toledo, Ohio, on April 23, 1935, Barbara grew up in nearby Perrysburg. A graduate of Smith College in 1957, she married H. Stanton Orser and they moved to San Francisco where he started his practice as an attor- ney. Through twenty-four years of marriage, she raised five sons while supporting numerous organizations that championed access to education, early childhood devel- opment, and reproductive rights.
Barbara returned to school in the 1970s, often with her children in tow, attending Mills College and San Fran- cisco State University, to earn a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Development. She conducted research at Let-
terman Hospital in the Presidio, measuring brain activity in in- fants and children.
In 1984, she married Charlie. Charles B. Renfrew was a for- mer federal judge and Deputy Attorney General in the Carter Administration. She traveled the
world with him, first for his work with the Chevron Corporation, and later for his major arbitrations and mediations.
They had both been mar-
ried before. It was import-
ant to Barbara that they
have something new and unique to them, not merely a continuation of the past. So they adopted a new hobby – bone fishing. And they attacked that new endeavor with the same commitment they devoted to everything else in their lives. They fished the great rivers on five continents.
In San Francisco, Barbara turned her home into a hub of ideas and creative exchange by bringing together ex- traordinary people from all walks of life. She was equally adept at orchestrating large family events with children and grandchildren, and always made time for special one- on-one dinners with each grandchild. She was uniquely connected to people, showing genuine interest and re- spect to everyone, and always stopping to listen.
Barbara is survived by her eight children, twenty-one grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Barbara Jones Renfrew
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