Watching from heaven: Big Saints fan remembered by family as Super Bowl nears

By Jacob Brooks
The Daily News
Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 8:17 AM CST


According to her family, the late Joyce “Duchess” Ahmed has a message for the New Orleans Saints football team: “Bless you boys, because Black and Gold is at the Super Bowl, from you Coach Emeritus!”

Ahmed, a Bogalusa native who lived in New Orleans nearly 40 years, was die-hard Saints fan.

“She believed in the Saints when many others had doubt,” according to a statement from her family. “She believed in the Who Dat Nation when brown paper bags were a citywide display of embarrassment and disappointment. As long as one can remember, she would coach the team from the comforts of her living room and would attend Saints games when her schedule permitted.”

Bogalusa native Joyce “Duchess” Ahmed was a die-hard Saints fan, according to family members and friends. Ahmed passed way not long before the Super Bowl season for the Saints began. Family members decorated Ahmed’s grave in black and gold last week in preparation for the Super Bowl this Sunday.

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Before Ahmed died of cancer last summer, she had remodeled her once flooded New Orleans home to include a “Saints den” where she and others could watch the games amid a flurry of Saints memorabilia, according to her family.

“On July 17, 2009, God called Joyce home to join the angels and get her crown of righteousness,” according to her family. “Joyce was not able to coach the team this year from her Saints den, but their destiny was in the hands of the angel in the end zone. Joyce has always scolded the referees, questioned the decisions of the coaching staff and coached the New Orleans Saints team. However, now she is the Coach with a Crown.”

Last Friday, Ahmed’s family members decorated her gravesite at Bogalusa Cemetery in preparation for the upcoming Super Bowl.

Ahmed’s sister, Carolyn Peters of Bogalusa, said Ahmed was “loving, caring and forever giving.”

When Ahmed went to the last game between the Saints and the Colts — a match up in Indianapolis won by the Colts — she met a displaced New Orleans resident and gave her a Saints umbrella, according to Peters.

Ahmed also declared that when the Saints and the Colts met again, it would be the Black and Gold that would win the game, Peters said.

The time has come.

Copyright © 2010 Daily News

Comments

    Reader Comments

    The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of downtownnews.com.

    Terry Henry II wrote on Feb 3, 2010 10:18 AM:

    " Thank you for honoring my late Aunt Joyce. She deserves every word. We Love you Te Te.

    Love,

    Terry Jr.
    Saints Fan - Living in Indianapolis "

    malon wrote on Feb 5, 2010 7:29 AM:

    " I WILL BE WATCHING THE SAINTS PLAY. THEY WILL ALWAYS BE MY TEAM, I,M FROM DOWN THERE. U GO SAINTS(WHODAT)
    LIVING IN MISSOURI "

    MSG Robert J Booth RET wrote on Feb 6, 2010 10:13 AM:

    " Win or Loose, We made it to the Big Dance!!!!!!

    Go SAINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Who Dat sey dey gon beat dem Saints? "

    Tonchelle Ward wrote on Mar 2, 2010 12:28 PM:

    " Thank you, Daily News for your public display of supporting the love we had for my mother, Joyce. She was an awesome woman with a Who Dat spirit.
    She said that the Saints would get them next time and I guess now everyone else believes!!!!!

    Tiny "

    Submit a Comment

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Thank you for your comments!

Reader Comments

The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of downtownnews.com.

Terry Henry II wrote on Feb 3, 2010 10:18 AM:

" Thank you for honoring my late Aunt Joyce. She deserves every word. We Love you Te Te.

Love,

Terry Jr.
Saints Fan - Living in Indianapolis "

malon wrote on Feb 5, 2010 7:29 AM:

" I WILL BE WATCHING THE SAINTS PLAY. THEY WILL ALWAYS BE MY TEAM, I,M FROM DOWN THERE. U GO SAINTS(WHODAT)
LIVING IN MISSOURI "

MSG Robert J Booth RET wrote on Feb 6, 2010 10:13 AM:

" Win or Loose, We made it to the Big Dance!!!!!!

Go SAINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Who Dat sey dey gon beat dem Saints? "

Tonchelle Ward wrote on Mar 2, 2010 12:28 PM:

" Thank you, Daily News for your public display of supporting the love we had for my mother, Joyce. She was an awesome woman with a Who Dat spirit.
She said that the Saints would get them next time and I guess now everyone else believes!!!!!

Tiny "

Submit a Comment

We encourage your feedback and dialogue. All comments will be reviewed by our Web staff before appearing on the Web site.
(optional)
   

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