Years after reading Walker Percy in a college classroom, I found myself standing beside his simple grave at St. Joseph Abbey in St. Benedict, Louisiana, just north of Covington — one of several landmarks I visited on a Walker Percy literary tour of the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain.
What began as a novel assigned in an Honors seminar had somehow led me here. This is the story of how a writer’s questions followed me for decades — and why I finally went looking for him.
Why Did I Look for Walker Percy?
In college, I took a series of Honors classes called Ideas in Conflict. There were four of them, each centered on a different time period. The fourth focused on the modern era, and one of the books we read was Walker Percy’s final novel, The Thanatos Syndrome.
One of its central themes was the ethics of genetic engineering, a topic that completely fascinated this nerd. It was the early 2000s, around the time Dolly, the world’s first cloned mammal, had been euthanized due to lung disease. The conversations felt urgent and real.
I loved the topic so much that my best friend, two of our guy friends, and I traveled to North Carolina with our Honors advisor to present a paper on genetic engineering at a conference. It was my first time presenting at an academic conference. I was nervous, but I was also exhilarated. There is something about realizing you can step into those bigger conversations that made this girl understand she would always be a lifelong learner.
Since that experience, and since Percy spent his later years in Louisiana and set many of his novels here, he has always held a special place in my heart.
Fast forward to January 2026. I had the opportunity to meet Josh Holloway, who played Sawyer on LOST, one of my all‑time favorite shows. I have met quite a few cast members over the years. While choosing which photo to have him sign, one option showed Sawyer reading Lancelot by Percy. On the show, Sawyer was an avid reader.
I did not choose that photo in the end, but I did choose to read Lancelot for my book challenge. In The 52 Book Club’s 2026 Reading Challenge, one prompt was to read a book spotted in a TV show or movie. Lancelot fit perfectly.
Since Percy lived and is buried in Covington, my husband, my kid and I decided to spend a Saturday visiting places connected to his life on the Northshore.
A Sense of Place for the Out-of-Towners
Walker Percy’s grave is located at St. Joseph Abbey in St. Benedict, Louisiana, just north of downtown Covington in St. Tammany Parish on the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain.
The Abbey sits off Louisiana Highway 437, only a few minutes from Interstate 12, making it easily accessible from New Orleans, Mandeville, and Madisonville.
Visitors exploring Covington’s historic district, Bogue Falaya Park, or other Northshore landmarks can conveniently include the Abbey grounds as part of a literary day trip through southeast Louisiana.
Visiting Walker Percy’s Grave at St. Joseph Abbey
Our first stop was St. Joseph Abbey in St. Benedict, Louisiana, where Walker Percy is buried in a simple grave beside his wife, Mary Bernice “Bunt” Townsend.
Our first stop was the Abbey gift shop, because of course it was. We picked out a First Communion gift for our daughter and some delicious monk‑made treats. Then we walked the peaceful grounds, stopping to pay our respects at several graves along the way.
If you have read our piece on famous graves in Metairie Cemetery, you know we believe cemeteries can be meaningful places to reflect, learn, and teach respect for those who came before us.
The Abbey felt that way.
Our daughter was struck by the beauty and serenity of the space. She said prayers as we walked, lingering especially at the grave of a three‑year‑old boy. There were little cars and trucks placed around it, even a toothbrush. She wanted to know his story. She wanted to know if his family was okay. I love how empathetic and tenderhearted she is.
We eventually found Percy’s simple, unadorned grave beside his wife, Mary Bernice “Bunt” Townsend. We paid our respects, took a few pictures with the book I am reading, and then sat quietly on a bench, soaking in the stillness of the Abbey.
There was something fitting about its simplicity.
Walker Percy’s Life in Covington, Louisiana
Next, we drove to the historical marker for Percy’s original homestead on Military Road. The inscription notes that he is best known for his philosophical novels set in and around New Orleans, especially The Moviegoer, which won the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction, and that he co-founded the Fellowship of Southern Writers.
Walker Percy Historical Markers in Covington
We then drove to a second historical marker on East Boston Street in Covington. It lists many of his works, including:
- Lancelot
- The Second Coming
- Love in the Ruins
- The Thanatos Syndrome
- The Last Gentleman
- The Moviegoer
The marker also notes that he is buried three miles north at St. Joseph Abbey.
It stands near where his daughter’s bookstore, Kumquat Book Shop, once operated. The shop is now a boutique called The French Mix. We did not go inside, but we took a few pictures of the building. Percy used to write upstairs in a small office above the shop.
The Walker Percy Statue at Bogue Falaya Park
We made a few fun stops along the way, browsing at Copper Rooster Antiques and Ox Lot Books and grabbing a delicious treat at Coffee Rani, before heading to Bogue Falaya Wayside Park.
Our main goal there was to see the nine‑foot‑tall bronze statue of Percy by artist Bill Binnings. The sculpture depicts him standing in a doorway, just a short distance from where he and his wife once lived.
But the park itself was such a gift. It sits along the Bogue Falaya River, which is perfect for launching boats and kayaks. It also has a disc golf course, walking paths, and, my daughter’s favorite, a large ADA‑accessible playground.
She had the best time climbing, making friends, and playing in the enormous sandbox.
Walker Percy Statue at the Madisonville Library
Our final stop was the Madisonville Branch Library, where another bronze statue of Percy sits on a bench with his beloved Corgi, Sweet Thing. The sculpture, also by Binnings, rests in the library’s Serenity Circle just outside the entrance.
It felt like a fitting place to end our day searching for Mr. Percy.
Why Visiting Walker Percy’s Covington Landmarks Matters
There’s something special about spending a day tracing the physical footprints of a writer whose ideas once challenged you in a college classroom.
Percy’s novels wrestle with identity, faith, modernity, and meaning — big themes that once sent me to a conference in North Carolina. He remains one of the most important Catholic novelists of the twentieth century and a defining voice in Southern literature.
And now, years later, those same ideas sent me on a Saturday adventure with my family — walking abbey grounds, chasing playground laughter, and standing quietly beside a simple grave in Covington.
Full circle in the most Louisiana way possible.
Frequently Asked Questions About Walker Percy
Where is Walker Percy buried?
His gravesite is located at St. Joseph Abbey in St. Benedict, Louisiana, just north of Covington on the Northshore.
Can you visit Walker Percy’s grave?
Yes. St. Joseph Abbey is open to visitors. Guests can walk the grounds respectfully and visit Percy’s grave along with other burial sites at the Abbey. We highly recommend visiting the gift shop, especially if you are Catholic.
Is there a Walker Percy statue in Covington?
Yes. A nine‑foot bronze statue of Walker Percy by artist Bill Binnings stands at Bogue Falaya Wayside Park in downtown Covington. Another statue of Percy seated with his dog, Sweet Thing, is located outside the Madisonville Branch Library.
What is Walker Percy best known for?
Walker Percy is best known for his novel The Moviegoer, which won the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction. He also wrote Lancelot, Love in the Ruins, The Thanatos Syndrome, The Last Gentleman, and The Second Coming
Did Walker Percy live in Covington, Louisiana?
Yes. Walker Percy spent much of his later life in Covington, where he wrote several of his novels and helped found the Fellowship of Southern Writers.
Exploring More Louisiana Literary and Historic Sites
One of the things we love most about living in Louisiana is how easily history and everyday life intertwine. From abbey grounds on the Northshore to historic cemeteries in New Orleans, these places invite us to slow down and look a little closer.
In fact, we didn’t even see all the sites for Mr. Percy, according to Visit the Northshore. He lived on Milan St., and his books mention some very New Orleans locations. I guess we will have to write another blog soon.
If you enjoy exploring Louisiana’s famous landmarks, take a look at our guide to the famous graves at Metairie Cemetery and our other New Orleans articles. And if there is a local site we should visit next, let us know in the comments.
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