PLEASE LOG IN FOR PREMIUM CONTENT Our website requires visitors to log in to view the best local news from Acadia Parish, LA. Not yet a subscriber? Subscribe today!
Funeral Services were held on Saturday, Nov. 26, at 11 a.m. at the Victory Baptist Church in Estherwood for Carla L. Petty, 33, who passed away at her home in Estherwood on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016, at 9:33 p.m.
Br. Mike Trahan, Pastor of the Victory Baptist Church in Estherwood will be officiating for the services. Burial will be in the Old Crowley Cemetery in Crowley.
The family requested the visitation be held on Friday, Nov. 25, at 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. in the Duhon Funeral Home Chapel in Crowley. Visitation resumed on Saturday, Nov. 26, at 8 a.m. until time of services.
Survivors include her companion, Lionel LeJeune of Estherwood; adopted daughter, Alisa Webber of Crowley; her adopted parents, Allen and Jessica Fontenot of Crowley; two sisters, Misty Gail Gauthreaux of Estherwood and Tina Monk of Vinton.; one brother, Ronald John Petty Jr. of Monroe; two stepsisters, Gretchen and husband Blaine Breaux of Crowley and Mary Jeffers of Crowley; two stepbrothers, Tyler Thevis and Heather Guidry of Crowley and Walter Jeffers of Eunice; three nieces, Natalie, Joshlyn and Montana; three nephews, Blaire and Jace, Skylar; and her best friend, Bonita Murray of Jennings.
Carla was preceded in death by Patricia Ann Gauthreaux; one sister, Julia Roberterson; one brother, Christopher James Monk; one niece, Nevada Roberterson; and her brother-in-law, William Willhite.
You may view the obituary, sign the guest registry and express condolences online to Ms. Petty’s family at www.duhonfuneralhome.com.
Duhon Funeral Home-Crowley, LLC, (337)783-1395, 1529 Crowley-Rayne Hwy, Crowley, LA 70526 is in charge of all of the arrangements.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, November 26, 2016 at Northside Assembly of God Church for Troy Forrest Harmon, 55, who died November 23, 2016 at Ochsner Medical Center in Slidell.
Rev. Randy Trahan and Rev. Gerard Morgan officiated for the services. At the family’s request, vising hours were held on Friday from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. and resumed on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Geesey-Ferguson Funeral Home in Crowley. Interment will be in Maxie Cemetery.
After surviving his motorcycle accident of a year and half ago, Troy accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and enjoyed many conversations about the Bible with family and friends. Troy told his family that even through these terrible circumstances he was happy and at peace.
Troy is survived by Michelle Hayes of Crowley and their two children Natalie Hayes and her fiancé, Grant Clark, Dillon Hayes and daughter, Lindsey Harmon Sonnier and her husband, Eric of Crowley and their two children Hunter and Noah Sonnier; parents, Margie and Floyd Harmon of Crowley; two sisters, Karen Harmon Vacek and her husband, Jim of Houston, and Kelli Harmon Zaunbrecher and her husband, Patrick Zaunbrecher of Roberts Cove; aunt, Sprank Harmon of Crowley; four nieces and nephews, Victoria Zaunbrecher of Baton Rouge, Zachary Vacek and his wife, Mary of Houston, Catherine Zaunbrecher of Baton Rouge, and Matthew Vacek of Houston; and a host of other extended family.
He is preceded in death by his grandparents, Ollie and Lafayette “Beak” Harmon; and Olivia and Jake Fruge.
Pallbearers were Dillon Hayes, Patrick Zaunbrecher, Jim Vacek, Eric Sonnier, Zachary Vacek, Grant Clark, and Brady Herpin.
Condolences may be made to the family by www.geesey-ferguson.com
Arrangements were entrusted to Geesey-Ferguson Funeral Home of Crowley.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Marshall Joseph Arceneaux, 79, of Rayne will be celebrated on Saturday, Nov. 26, at 11:30 a.m. in Gossen Funeral Home Chapel, Rayne. Father Michael Arnaud will serve as celebrant. Entombment will follow in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery No. 2 Mausoleum, Rayne.
The family is requesting visiting hours be held on Friday, Nov. 25, from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. in Gossen Funeral Home, with a rosary being recited at 6 PM. Visitation will continue on Saturday from 8 a.m. until service time in the funeral home.
Mr. Arceneaux passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016, in his Rayne residence surrounded by his loving family.
During his teenage years, Marshall had the pleasure of playing guitar for some of the greatest Cajun French musicians of that time. He recorded and sang vocals for Terry Clement and His Rhythmic Five band on the song “Le Valse de te Maurice”, which was on the B side of the original and iconic “Diggy Liggy Lo” record. He also played guitar for the great Aldus Roger and Lawrence Walker in their early years. After his marriage in 1958, he ended his music career and began a career driving trucks all over the United States, which he enjoyed very much.
Marshall is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Carol Myers Arceneaux of Rayne; daughters, Sheila Bourque and husband Lukas of Rayne, and Aline Lantz and husband Troy of Iota; sons, Dale Arceneaux of Mire, Eric Arceneaux and wife Lisa of Angleton, Texas, and Joseph Arceneaux and wife Krystal of Mire; sister, Beverly Mire of Thibodaux; 19 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren.
Preceding Marshall in death were his son, Brian Arceneaux; and parents, Eric and Loula Mae Guidry Arceneaux.
Serving as pallbearers are Joseph Arceneaux, Eric Arceneaux Sr., Cory Terro, Shea Lantz, Joey Thibodeaux and Troy Lantz. Named as honorary pallbearers are Dale Arceneaux, Lukas Bourque, Eric Arceneaux Jr., Daniel Arceneaux, and John Marshall Arceneaux. Serving as reader is Shelby Fuller, and serving as giftbearers are Alexis Bourque and Tori Arceneaux.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.gossenfuneralhome.net.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Gossen Funeral Home, Inc. of Rayne, LA, (337) 334-3141.
RAYNE - Mark and Janice Castille of Rayne are announcing the engagement and upcoming wedding of their daughter, Tayler Marie Castille, to Cody Adam Prather, son of Wanda Comeaux of Richard and Timmy Prather of Magnolia, Mississippi.
The couple will be married on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2016, during a 7 p.m. wedding ceremony at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, followed by a reception at The Crossing at Mervine Kahn.
The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Joyce B. Mier of Rayne, the late Leward J. Mier, and Calvin and Agnes Castille of Rayne.
Tayler is a 2011 graduate of Notre Dame High School, 2014 graduate of Louisiana State University at Eunice with a business degree, and is employed by ACS Medical Business Solutions.
The prospective groom is the grandson of Eldine Richard of Richard, the late Charles C. Richard, and the late Early and Shirley Prather of Richard.
Cody is a 2009 graduate of Church Point High School, 2013 graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a major in industrial technology and minor in business, and is employed by River Rental Tools.
Following their wedding, the couple plans to reside in Richard.
The officers and members of the A & O 21st Century Club, Inc. are pleased to reveal the identities of the six young men who will be introduced into society during the 20th Annual Fall Beautillion to be held this weekend on Saturday, Nov. 26, at the Rayne Civic Center.
This special event is scheduled for 8 p.m. with tickets currently on sale from members of the organization and the Beaus. Admission will be $10 per person.
The new king will be crowned by Dillon Charlot, last year’s honoree. Dillon is the son of LaTanye Senegal and the late Jason Hamilton
Beaus to be introduced during the 2016 festivities are:
Johnny Deculit, a junior at Rayne High School and the son of Janet Brown and Conrad Brown;
Drekylon Gibson, junior at Rayne High School and the son of Sylvia Mouton and the late Leroy Gibson;
Damian LeBlanc Jr., a Rayne High School senior and the son of April Evans and Damian LeBlanc Sr.;
Keshun Roberts, a Rayne High School senior and the son of Tara Roberts and Ron Charles;
Tony O’Brien Roberts Jr., a junior at Rayne High School and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Tony Roberts Sr.; and
Charles Solomon, a Rayne High School senior and the son of Mary Angelle and Darby Angelle.
The Ronald Duplichain Community Award will also be presented during the evening to an outstanding individual who has contributed towards the good of the community.
In addition, the following club awards will also be presented: Sisters of A & O “Sister of the Year” and A & O Club’s “Man of the Year.”
On Nov. 20, shortly after 2:30 a.m., Louisiana State Police Troop I investigated a single vehicle crash on U.S. 90 near Llama Road in Rayne where an unidentified person was killed after the vehicle crashed and caught fire.
The investigation revealed that a 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer was traveling west on U.S. 90 in Acadia Parish. For unknown reasons, the Lancer crossed the centerline, ran off of the left side of the roadway, entered a ditch and struck a utility pole.
After impact with the utility pole, the vehicle caught fire.
Due to the damage sustained in the crash, it is unknown if the driver was wearing a seat belt. The driver was unable to escape the vehicle and perished in the fire. The driver was unidentified at press time and was pronounced dead on the scene by the Acadia Parish Coroner’s Office.
Investigating Troopers are currently working on positively identifying the driver.
Alcohol use is unknown at this time and routine toxicology tests are pending. This crash remains under investigation.
Troopers remind everyone to remain safe on the roads and never get behind the wheel of a vehicle if you have had any alcoholic beverages. While not all crashes are survivable, proper use of seat belts can greatly decrease an occupant’s chance of death and may greatly reduce the extent of injury.
Louisiana law requires every vehicle occupant, front seat and back seat, to be properly restrained day or night. Taking the time to buckle up every trip and every time is the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash.
For as long as most people can remember, the noon whistle marked midday in the city of Rayne.
But, for the last few months, there has been no whistle.
Now it’s back.
“I hope it doesn’t get hung up and keep blowing,” laughed Brent “Blue” Foreman, dispatcher at the Rayne Water Department / Power Plant, as he leaned forward to hit the button at high noon on Wednesday, Nov. 16, the day the whistle was officially “recommissioned.”
“We ‘test blew’ it for a few seconds this morning and a few people called to ask what was going on,” he said.
This newspaper was among those callers.
While the “noon whistle” was traditionally used in factory towns to signify lunch break, it’s just more of a nostalgic tradition here.
The whistle — which actually sounds more like a fog horn on the Mississippi River — will sound at noon seven days a week.
No injuries were reported in a fire that destroyed a house 1401 S. Marie St. early Monday morning. Rayne firefighters were called to the residence at the corner of South Marie and East Henry streets just after 3 a.m. Monday to find the structure engulfed. Volunteers remained at the scene until almost noon.
A traffic problem on Hilda Street was solved and the continuation of drainage improvements announced during the November meeting of the Rayne City Council.
Mayor Charles “Chuck” Robichaux told members of the council that he had been approached by a resident on Hilda Street concerning street parking there.
According to the mayor, Hilda Street is a “substandard road,” measuring only about 13 and a half feet in width. Standard city roads are 21 feet in width.
“When people park on the side of (Hilda Street), it’s almost impossible for emergency vehicles — fire trucks, ambulances, etc. — to get through,” Robichaux said.
Robichaux recommended that no parking be allowed anywhere along the entire length of the street and that a sign be installed at the beginning of the street announcing such.
Edward Bergeron, a resident of Hilda Street, said he didn’t see a need for the prohibition.
“I’ve lived there for over 20 years and I don’t ever remember an incident where an emergency vehicle was impeded,” he said. “But if you think its in the best interest of the city, I’m all for it.”
During announcements just prior to the close of the meeting, Robichaux said the city has embarked on a project to clean culvert in ditches across Rayne as part of the continuing drainage improvement program.
“We’re fortunate in that FEMA is allowing us six employees to work on this project at no cost to the city,” the mayor said.
He said the crews have already cleaned a number of primary drainage culverts in the city and will be moving from area to area.
“They’re inspecting for defects and misaligned culverts also,” Robichaux said, adding that “some citizens may have to pay part of the expense of realigning or replacing defective culverts on their property.
“We’ll provide the labor.”
In other business, Councilman Kenneth Guidry said he had been approached by constituents concerning the possible placement of stop signs along Second Street.
“They said people are speeding up and down there,” Guidry said.
Chief Carroll Stelly said he will have officers “running radar” along Second Street and other city streets to deter speeding.
In other action, the council:
•nIntroduced an amendment to the code or ordinances relative to the reimbursement of travel expense and set a public hearing on the ordinance to be held Dec. 12.
•nAnnounced that the annual Rayne Christmas Parade will be held Tuesday, Dec. 6, at 6 p.m., culminating with activities at Depot Square.
•nAccepted the resignation of Larry Menard as a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission. His replacement will likely be named in December.
•nRenewed the contract with Building Code Inspection Services, LLC.
•nDeclared a 1999 Ford pickup as surplus and authorized its sale at auction.
Crowley Post-Signal
602 N. Parkerson Ave, Crowley, LA 70526
Phone: 337-783-3450
Fax: 337-788-0949
Rayne-Acadian Tribune
108 North Adams, Rayne, LA 70578
Phone: 337-334-3186
Fax: 337-334-8474
Church Point News
c/o The Eunice News, 465 Aymond St., Eunice, LA 70535
Phone: 337-457-3061