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Joyce was a 1957 graduate. This fund provides scholarships for outstanding Charity students. You can customize your donation by multiplying ($10 x 2 = $20)
Joyce Bonaventure graduated from high school in Point Coupee Parish and entered Charity Hospital School of Nursing in 1954. Toward the end of her three years in school, she met Jim Leissner, a Texas Aggie, in front of Pat O'Brien's on Mardi Gras Day. They exchanged addresses and later Jim flew Joyce over to Texas A&M for a senior dance. “I don’t know how I got together enough money to fly her,” says Jim, “but it worked out.” Indeed it did! Joyce graduated from Charity in 1957, and Jim came back through New Orleans on his way to Fort Benning to report for active duty. They were married in 1958, had five children within five years (Nathan, Blanche, Naomi, Diane and Laura) and happily raised their family in Texas. Jim was a teacher and computer guy and became “self-unemployed” (retired) after Y2K. Joyce officially retired from nursing in 2012. Sadly, Joyce and Jim have lost two of their children: Laura died in 2010, and Nathan in 2016. Joyce and Jim decided to establish a scholarship endowment in the children's honor, to benefit Charity nursing students: the Joyce Bonaventure and James Leissner Scholarship in memory of their children Nathan and Laura.