Deacon Leslie Vincent

Leslie Dale Vincent, husband, father, deacon, and servant of God’s people, passed away on August 28, 2020; he was 84. Leslie was born on November 10, 1935, in Rayne, Louisiana, to Swinford “Jack” and Mabel Hulin Vincent. He graduated from Rayne High School in 1953, where he played clarinet in the band. He earned undergraduate degrees in Accounting (1957) and Petroleum Engineering (1967) from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana Lafayette). In 1960 he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he met and married his one true love, Barbara Greene. He began his petroleum engineering career in Lafayette but was soon transferred to New Orleans, where he and Barbara raised their four children and were active members of St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church. Leslie’s career focus began to change, in the 1980s, as he began regular annual Ignatian retreats at Manresa Retreat House. He made countless group and individual directed retreats and served on the board. Ignatian spirituality called Leslie to a life more directly grounded in his faith. He became active with Bridge House, serving that organization in many capacities, culminating in his receipt of the Richard Buzzy Gainennie Award in 2019.
In 1996, he was ordained as a deacon in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. As a deacon, he spent many years in active parish service, and also served as chaplain at Meadowcrest Hospital, and later with Notre Dame Hospice where he was still serving at the time of his death. Leslie Vincent is survived by his wife of sixty years, Barbara Greene Vincent; his four sons, Bryan (Susan) of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Michael (Barbara) of Hendersonville, Tennessee, Keith (Blair) of Keller, Texas, and Mark (Wendi) of Woodstock, Georgia; nine grandchildren, Philip and Andrew Vincent, Caroline and Taylor (Renee) Vincent, Ethan (Hannah) Vincent, Laura Vincent McDaniel (Andrew), and Keever, Berkley, and Hudson Vincent; one great-granddaughter, Evelyn Claire Vincent; his brother Douglas (Kerry) Vincent of Tulsa, Oklahoma; and special friend of the family, Michael Romero of New Orleans, Louisiana. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Andrew The Apostle Catholic Church, 3100 Eaton Street, New Orleans, Louisiana on Tuesday, September 1 at 10:30 a.m., preceded by visitation at the church at 9:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, Leslie requested donations to Bridge House (bridgehouse.org). MOTHE FUNERAL HOME is assisting the family during this difficult time. Family and friends may offer condolences at mothefunerals.com