Janice Turner Aucoin

Janice Turner Aucoin passed away on August 28, 2026, surrounded by her family. Born on March 27, 1941, in Opp, Alabama, she was the daughter of Euel and Audrey Turner. She graduated from Andalusia High School and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Southern Mississippi in just three years, proudly playing in the “Pride of Mississippi Drum Line” along the way.

After college, Janice moved to Port Neches, Texas, to begin her teaching career at Pease Elementary. It was there that she met the love of her life, Waldon “Don” Aucoin. They married on December 28, 1963, beginning a beautiful life together filled with adventure and deep devotion that spanned more than six decades. Don’s career with Texaco took the couple and their two daughters to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1980 and later to Aurora, Colorado, in 1986, where they remained until retirement. Through every move, Janice and Don made it a priority to return home to their families for holidays and school breaks, keeping family traditions alive and ensuring their home was always filled with love and laughter.

In 1999, Janice and Don downsized, purchased the first of several motorhomes, and took to the open road. For more than a decade, they traveled across the country to attend Newmar rallies, explored remote places-learning firsthand that you can put an RV on a ferry-and shared the wonders of the country with their grandchildren. Being grandparents was one of the greatest joys of their lives, a role they cherished and spoke of with immense pride. In 2011, Janice and Don made their final move back to Baton Rouge, thrilled to be closer to family and to leave snow shovels and icy sidewalks behind for good.

Janice’s hands were rarely still, and she was happiest when serving others. She lovingly sewed Halloween costumes and matching dresses for her daughters, cross-stitched personalized Christmas stockings and birth announcements, and crocheted blankets for every new baby. A talented cake decorator, she ensured that no birthday was complete without one of her beautifully detailed creations, each made sweeter by the love baked into every recipe. Blessed with a natural green thumb, she loved her garden and her flowers and was always ready to share a special bloom with a friend.

Janice served as historian for the Precious Moments Club for nearly a decade, sharing her love of creativity, collecting, and honoring life’s milestones. She was also a passionate sports fan. In the ’80s and ’90s, she cheered for her daughters through countless soccer and softball tournaments, braving freezing rain, blistering heat, terrible sock-line tans, and even a foul ball to the face that left her with a black eye for weeks. Her ultimate sports devotion, however, belonged to the Colorado Rockies. A fiercely loyal fan, she religiously tuned in to every game, regardless of their record, cheering them on right up until her final days.

Faith and fellowship were central to Janice’s life. Baptized in the Baptist faith in 1949 and received into the Catholic Church in 2009, she found her church home at St. Joseph’s Cathedral, where she was an active member of the Ladies of the Cathedral. She welcomed parishioners through the Coffee and Donut Committee, supported newcomers through the RCIA program, and volunteered every Monday to assist with collection counts while catching up with her friends. Janice poured her heart into church traditions—baking hundreds of Italian fig cookies and lamb-shaped cakes for St. Joseph’s Day, helping with Grands Day, and contributing at least five cakes each year to the parish bake sale.

Janice was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 62 years, Waldon “Don” Joseph Aucoin; her daughter, Malissa Anne Aucoin Gore; and her parents, Euel and Audrey Turner.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Melinda and Phillip Parker; eight grandchildren, Malissa “Missy” Gore, Sadie (Andrew) Williams, Joseph “Joey” Gore, Magen Gore, Lance Hightower, Kaitlyn Parker, Logan Parker, and Weston Parker; one great-granddaughter, Lucy Williams; her sister, Malissa Turner; her brother, Euel Thomas Turner Jr. (Beth); and numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family members, all of whom she loved dearly.

A celebration of Janice’s life and love will be held on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at St. Joseph’s Cathedral, 401 Main Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. An inurnment will follow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory, 11817 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she will be laid to rest and forever by Don’s side.

Though Janice will be deeply missed, her legacy lives on through the family she treasured, the faith she shared, the traditions she created, and the countless lives she touched with her generosity, creativity, and love.

Family and friends may sign the online guestbook or leave a personal note to the family at www.resthavenbatonrouge.com