Jessie Langenhennig Scalia was born on August 13, 1933 in New Orleans, Louisiana, and departed from this Earth on January 25, 2018. Jessie spent her final days and hours at home, in the close care of her family, and died peacefully with family gathered warmly around her. She had a distinctly singular way of bringing us together, and endearing us to her and herself to us. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 64 years, Joseph Scalia Jr., D.D.S., and is survived by her sons Joseph Scalia III, Psya.D. (and his wife Lynne Scalia, Ed.D.), Bert Gerard Scalia, Lynnette Scalia (and her husband John Klees), Lisa Landesman, D.D.S. (and her husband Mark Landesman), and her younger sibling, Sr. Mary Jordan Langenhennig, O.P. Her children, Yvette and Julie, preceded her in death. Jessie is also survived by five grandchildren, Jessica Giddens, Sarah Scalia, Joseph Scalia IV, Ph.D., Dominique Scalia, J.D., and Ian Landesman, D.D.S.; as well as her five great-grandchildren. Jessie was Valedictorian at Saint Joseph High School, and graduated magna cum laude in English at Holy Cross College, instilling her literary self into the souls of her loved ones. She served as a Lector and as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at Holy Name of Mary, and found great meaning and peace in her Catholic faith, transmitting its higher values to all her children. She spent her life deeply engaged with and committed to her family, striving with her Joey to provide her children a good life. She never ceased to evolve as a parent, a mother, continuing through even her final days to inspirationally encounter each of her children. Jessie was a gentle and dear soul, who unassumingly possessed and practiced the virtues of faith, truth, hope, and courage, therein always possessing the wise and patient subtlety of irony.  She had a way of moving people without a hint of pretense; those who knew her well will recognize that experience. It is not thinkable that she is gone.

We family members wish to express our gratitude for all the love and support of the aides and nurses and the Heart of Hospice for the comfort and care they granted in Jessie’s final days, and for their continuity of care from the time of Joseph Jr.’s final weeks through the closing days of Jessie’s life.

Services will be held on Saturday, February 3 at Jessie’s cherished and caring Holy Name of Mary Church, in Algiers Point. Visitation will begin at 9:00 and
Mass will commence at 11:00. Interment will immediately follow at Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.

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