Reflecting on 4 years of serving the community.

Written by Debi Menasco | Photos by Johnny Chauvin

LN Hughes Funeral Services is celebrating their fourth anniversary this month.  We visited with Lisa Hughes, owner/funeral director, as she reflected on the past years and the families that she and her staff have had the honor of serving.

Lisa and her husband, Harry, strive to serve with compassion and grace. “It has always been our mission to serve,” stated Lisa, “We are dedicated to making difficult times easier.”

One aspect of that is pre-planning. “We encourage our clients to make the choice to pre-plan their own funerals and memorials.  Pre- planning relieves your loved ones of the emotional strain of arranging a funeral within hours of the loss, at a time of grief and emotional stress,” Hughes emphasizes.

Another avenue of caring comes from their grief support group. Started in 2022, the Grief Support Group meets the second Tuesday of each month at 3:00 pm in the reception room.  All are invited to attend.

Preparations are underway for their 3rd Annual Christmas Memorial Service and Candle Lighting.  It will be held in the chapel on Sunday, December 3, 2023.  Live Christmas music begins at 1:30 pm followed by the program at 2:00 pm.

Throughout the four years, Lisa and Harry have continued to make improvements with updates to the funeral home, including exterior improvements, adding gardens and a pergola with outdoor seating, and also a new sign to welcome guests.  “We keep moving forward to ensure that families have a meaningful experience.Because at the heart of it all, family is what is important. In fact, we owe a great deal of gratitude to our family and friends who continue to offer their love, support, and a helping hand whenever needed,” stated Lisa.

Another unique touch available at LN Hughes is the one-of-akind urns they have available. A dear friend, Penny Lopez Lewis is a pour paint artist from Loranger.  Penny searches near and far for decorative containers that can be repurposed into decorative urns.  Penny Ann Spiritual Pours are on display in the funeral home and can also be special ordered for clients who would like a customized urn.

Prior to being LN Hughes Funeral Services, the building was the home of The Well UMC.  And, after a 10-month renovation, Lisa and Harry opened their doors in August 2019.

Everything seemed to come full circle in 2021 when they welcomed The Living Well Christian Church Congregation (formerly The Well UMC) to hold Sunday mornings services in the building again, and they have been celebrating with them ever since.  Doors open at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings with coffee and fellowship, followed by the Amazing Praise Band. Church services are held in the chapel of LN Hughes Funeral Services every Sunday at 10:15 a.m.  Pastor Roy Hutchinson begins each week by saying “Welcome to the Living Well Christian Church, where all are welcome and loved, and we leave the judging to Christ.”

Lisa joined Tangipahoa Professional Women’s Organization in 2019 and has enjoyed meeting other women in the organization and attending the motivational monthly luncheons.  In 2021, she was appointed as public relations chair.  She served as 20222023 President-Elect and Scholarship Chair, and recently, Lisa was sworn in as the 2023-2024 TPW President.  She is a board member of Women Mean Business and is very excited about the upcoming events being planned.

Hanging in Lisa’s office are two signs that mean a great deal to her.  They simply read “Do good and good will come to you” and “She believed she could, so she did.”

LN Hughes Funeral Services is located at 21400 South I-12 Service Road in Ponchatoula. Feel free to stop by and visit with Lisa and Harry or go to LnHughes.com to learn more.