Marvin Gene Mearns' Obituary
Marvin Gene Mearns, age 86, of Mandeville, Louisiana, passed away on Saturday, December 21, 2024. He was born on February 21, 1938, in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
He is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Bridgid Hirt Mearns; children, Dr. Micah and Jesse Hatchett, grandchildren, Brice Hatchett, and Luke Hatchett. He is also survived by his siblings, Mary Lee & Angelo Russo (sister and brother-in-law), and Rebecca Dickerson (sister-in-law) and many extended family members and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Foster Clark Mearns and Geneva Mancuso Mearns; father-in-law Al Hirt; and siblings, Richard Mearns, and Donald Mearns.
M. Gene Mearns was a loving husband, father, grandfather, sibling, and son. He was also a brilliant and caring mentor to the hundreds of people he worked with over his 50-year career in journalism. A proud graduate of LSU, he started his epic career as a Baton Rouge Capital correspondent for United Press International before being drafted and serving in the US Army. His career included positions such as bureau chief for The Times Picayune/The States-Item St. Bernard/Plaquemines beat, executive editor of the Houma Daily Courier, and metro editor for The Baton Rouge Advocate. Delighted by his heritage and chosen home of New Orleans, Gene loved cooking Italian and Creole food. He also enjoyed shooting, conversing, tracing his ancestry, and molding future writers and reporters. He loved the culture of Louisiana and loved being a member of the press. Even after being personally displaced by Hurricane Katrina, he still made it into the newsroom each day to report on it and all the other newsworthy occurrences in Louisiana. Gene will be immeasurably missed by the family he loved very much and may his contributions to this world continue to be realized in the lives of those he touched.
Services will be held privately at a later date.
E. J. Fielding Funeral Home of Covington, Louisiana, is honored to be entrusted with the funeral arrangements. The Mearns family invites you to share thoughts, memories, and condolences by signing an online guestbook at www.ejfieldingfh.com.
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