Hazel Poche

Hazel Gottschalk Poche, born May 1, 1927, on a strawberry farm in Ponchatoula, LA, to Andrew and Edna Boyes Gottschalk, Hazel passed away on February 28, 2021 at the Butterfly Wing of Hospice of Baton Rouge.

She is survived by daughter, Melody Guichet and husband, Ron L. Morrison of Blue Ridge, GA.; daughter, Crystal Burdsall of Baton Rouge, LA.; stepson, Robert Poche and wife Mary, and stepdaughter, Carolyn Braud and husband Charles, all of Gonzales, LA.; grandchildren include, David Andrew (Drew) Burdsall, and wife Heather, Brittany Burdsall West, both of Baton Rouge, LA., and Gray Guichet Barker of Los Angeles, CA.; Step grandchildren, Brandi Taylor and husband Daniel of Tuscon, AZ, Dirk Poche and wife Dawn, and Marisa Smith and husband Ryan, all of Gonzales. Great-grandchildren include Cara Burdsall, David Allmand and Faith West.

Preceded in death by parents, Andrew and Edna Gottschilk; brother, Leon, former husband, Murphy Guichet; husband, Whitman Poche and beloved son-in-law David Burdsall.

Hazel attended what was then Southeastern University in Hammond, LA.

She was a loving and devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, but took delight in all children. She also loved and cared for many animals on the farm she shared with husband Whitman. Upon calling, one never knew if she could be found feeding horses, cows, dogs, cats, ostrich, emus, parrots, or at one time, the fence jumping buffalo.

After Whitman's death and in her senior years, she found fulfillment and a new family through her work at the Louisiana Arts and Science Museum. Even after her retirement shortly before her 90th birthday, she enjoyed outings with friends from the LASM and hearing news of their lives. The family thanks Carol Gikas and Sam LoSavio for their care of and belief in her as an employee. Hazel was a devout Christian, an independent woman, a great conversationalist, and charmer. Her life was a full one and she will be missed.

Special thanks to Hospice of Baton Rouge for their professional, kind, and caring staff; and to her good friend, Juanita Bordelon.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to Hospice of Baton Rouge, CAWS, or the Louisiana Arts and Science Museum.

Visitation will be at Resthaven Funeral Home on Jefferson Hwy., on Thursday, March 4, 2021 from 1:00 PM until services at 2:30 PM. Burial to follow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory. Covid protocol will be observed.