Ilda Lee Woods Houston Weinert, a retired Jefferson Parish Public School Principal, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 20, 2018 surrounded by her loving family at the age of 98. She was preceded in death by her parents, Bezal Lee Woods and Jeannette Guy; her first husband, Kenneth F. Houston and second husband, Arthur B. Weinert. She was the loving mother of Nancy Houston Gonzalez (the late Ruben) of Jefferson, LA, Mary Weinert of Jefferson, LA and the late Jeannette Houston Pickett (the late Kenneth) of Arlington, TX. Beloved grandmother of Danny (Starlett) Pickett, Rebecca (Craig) Capua, Rachel Pickett, Randy Gonzalez, Jaime (Missy) Gonzalez, Sofia (Herrir) Watts, Jennifer Lawrence Burford and the late Rudy Gonzalez. Adored great-grandmother of Kent Collins, Chandler Pickett, Malyn Pickett, Allison Pickett, Amanda Capua, Mary Capua, Kathryn Capua, Isbelle Capua, Jessica Thornberry, Sarah Woosley, Tina Marie Gonzalez, Joshua Allemond, Crystal Landry, Taylor Dison, Randy Gonzalez, Jr., Ross Gonzalez, Alexander Loricano, Matthew Gonzalez, Abigail Gonzalez, Ryan Parr, Reece Watts, Zachary Fiorella. Benjamin Burford, Alexandra Keating, Joleigh Trumbaturi and Rosalee Lawrence. Cherished great-great grandmother of Ily Hunter, Evan Loescher, Keith Mills, Layla May Shirer and Elizabeth Keating. Ilda was born on September 3, 1919 in Caryville, TN and was a resident of Old Jefferson since 1942. She had a lifelong love of education which she passed on to her family. Ilda received her high school diploma in 1957 from Jefferson High School. She developed a deep love of teaching children with special needs and graduated with a BS in Education with a concentration on Special Education from Tulane University in 1963. She received her Master’s Degree plus 30 in Administration and Supervision in 1969 from Southeastern Louisiana University. She retired from the Jefferson Parish Public School System in 1985 as Principal of Lakeside Special School as an advocate of early intervention for children with special needs. She had a passion for travel and toured the world twice, often mentioning the Taj Mahal as one of her favorite places in the world. She spent many years in several quilting guilds both learning and teaching after becoming a Master Quilter. Even after losing her vision, she remained an active member of her quilting group at the Metairie Senior Center. The lives of hundreds of people from family, friends, parents and students have been changed because of the loving, giving and courageous person that she was. Her life is a testimony to “it only takes one person to make a change”. That is how she will always be remembered.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, March 3, 2018 at 2:00 pm at 901 Convention Center Blvd., Suite 115 in New Orleans, LA 70130. She loved bright colors, especially purple and yellow. Attendees are asked to wear bright colors to rejoice in her long life.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made in her memory to Metairie Senior Center, 265 N. Causeway Blvd., Metairie, LA 70001 or to the Lighthouse for the Blind, 123 State St., New Orleans, LA 70118.

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