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Rayne - A Mass of Christian Burial for Norris Joseph Clement, age 91, will be celebrated on Thursday, February 21, 2019 at 11:00 AM in Gossen Funeral Home Chapel, Rayne. Father Aaron Melancon, pastor of St. Theresa Catholic Church in Duson will serve as celebrant. Interment will follow in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery No. 2, Rayne.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, February 20, 2019 from 4:00 PM until 9:00 PM in Gossen Funeral Home Chapel, with a rosary being recited at 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue on Thursday from 8:00 AM until service time in the funeral home.

Mr. Clement passed away on Sunday, February 17, 2019 in a Rayne health care facility.

Mr. Clement was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Rayne, and he attended St. Theresa Catholic Church in Duson. He was a rice and cattle farmer for most of his life, and he retired as a school bus driver for Lafayette Parish. He was a member of Woodmen of the World. Mr. Clement enjoyed playing cards and going to the casinos. His greatest joy in life was being with and caring for his family.

Survivors include his daughters, Barbara Richard and husband, Ronald of Rayne, and Joann Monte and husband, Steve of Judice; grandchildren, Scott Richard, Ron Richard, Tonya Monte, Kendall Monte, and Kellie Roy; great-grandchildren, Ezra Richard, Raeanne Richard, Evan Richard, Paxton Gayon, Zach Duffy-Richard, Caity Richard, Silas Roy, and Kendra Monte; great-great-grandchildren, Skye Richard and Ayla Richard; and Godchild, Shirley Dore'.

Preceding Mr. Clement in death were his wife, Merlise Bearb Clement; parents, Willie Clement and Mea Leger Clement; siblings, Nola Gaspard and husband, Wilson, Bertha Dupuis and husband, Clarence, Nolan Clement and wife, Lena, and Willie Mae Clement; brother-in-law, Sabre Bearb; grandchild, Matthew Richard; and great-grandchild, Layla Monte.

Serving as pallbearers are Scotty Richard, Ron Richard, Kendall Monte, Steve Roy, Paxton Gayon, and Greg Dore'. Named as honorary pallbearers are Evan Richard, Ezra Richard, Silas Roy, and Zach Duffy-Richard.

The family wishes to express their gratitude to Hospice of Acadiana, and to caregivers, Sandi Richard and Clara Boulet for the compassionate care given to Mr. Clement.

Condolences may be expressed online at www.gossenfuneralhome.net.

(Published by Gossen Funeral Home of Rayne, LA)

Norris — Merlise Bearb. Merlise was born 12 Feb 1931, Rayne, Acadia Parish, Louisiana, USA; died 6 Sep 2011, Rayne, Acadia Parish, Louisiana, USA; was buried 9 Sep 2011, St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery #2 - Rayne, Louisiana, USA. [Group Sheet]

1. B.A. Clement
2. J.A. Clement

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Willie Clement of Rayne died at 3:50 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20 at the Lafayette Sanitarium. Funeral services will be held today, Thursday, Feb. 21 at 9:00 in the St. Joseph Catholic church. Interment will be in the St. Joseph cemetery.

Mr. Clement, a farmer, was born Sept. 25, 1895 and was 62 at the time of his death.

Survivors are his wife, the former Mea Leger, two sons, Nolan and Norris of Rayne; two daughters, Mrs. Wilson Gaspard and Mrs. Clarence Dupuis of Rayne; seven grandchildren, three brothers, Walter and Elphie of Rayne, and B.B. Clement of Lake Charles, three sisters, Mrs. Elias Simon of Crowley, Mrs. Leland Clark of Lake Charles, and Mrs. Morris Henry of Galveston.

The body will remain at the Gossen Funeral Home until the hour of final rites.

(Published in The Rayne Acadian Tribune on February 21, 1957)

Willie — Mea Leger. Mea was born 13 Apr 1898, Rayne, Acadia Parish, Louisiana, USA; died 28 Oct 1970, Rayne, Acadia Parish, Louisiana, USA; was buried , St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery #1 - Rayne, Louisiana, USA. [Group Sheet]

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Blanchards Die in Wednesday Tragedy

RAYNE, La. - Dr. Robert McManus, Acadia Parish ccoroner, ruled apparent murder and suicide into the deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Alcia Blanchard early today at their home two miles south of Rayne on the Indian Bayou road.

In an investiaation conducted by Dr. McManus and officers of the Acadia Sheriff's Department it was learned that Mrs. May Leger Blanchard, 72, was fatally shot three times in the chest with a .22 calibre pistol. Her body was found in her bedroom.

The investigation further disclosed that Blanchard, 76, went into the kitchen and apparently fatally wounded himself in the chest with the same weapon.

Mr. Blanchard was a retired Texaco employee and Mrs. Blanchard was formerly married to Willie Clement.

Her survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Wilson Gaspard and Mrs. Clarence Dupuis, two sons, Norris and Nolan Clement, all of Rayne, two sisters, Mrs. Joe Istre of Crowley and Mrs. Toville Trahan of Rayne and two brothers, Louis and Delma Leger, both of Rayne.

Surviving Mr. Blanchard are two daughters, Mrs. Anna Lou Broussard of Rayne and Mrs. Albert Kostelecky of Dickinson, N. Dakota, four sons (all of Rayne), Claude Wilbur, Douglas and Eugene; four sisters, mrs. Alcide Meyers of Duson, Mrs. Ella Blanchard of Abbeville, Mrs. Cyprien Borne of Rayne and Mrs. Nydia Woodbury of Vinton, La. and one brothers, Oneal Blanchard of Port Neches, Texas.

Funeral arrangements were incomplete at press time, with the Gossen Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

(Published in The Rayne Independent on October 29, 1970)

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Funeral Services Held For (BB) Clement

Funeral services for Anatole Clement, known to his hundreds of friends throughout this community as B-B, who died at the family residence in South Rayne Wednesday, February 3, at 1:10 p.m., after a long illness, were held from St. Joseph's Catholic Church Thursday, February 4 at 2 p.m. with interment in the adjoining Catholic cemetery.

The body lay in state at the Ardoin Funeral Home until the hour set for the services. A large gathering of friends and relatives formed the funeral cortege which went from the Funeral home to the Church at the set hour. Rev. H. Lerschen officiated during the last rites, and in a brief address, spoke of the respect and esteem in which Mr. Clement was held by all who knew him. The remains were laid to rest in the family vault at St. Joseph's cemetery.

Mr. Clement was a lifelong resident of this section, having been born and reared near Rayne. During his early manhood he farmed near town, later giving this up to move into town. He led a long and active public life, having served for twenty years as Deputy Sheriff of Acadia Parish. For fifteen years after that, he was Night Policeman of the Town of Rayne, and held an enviable record in solving robberies and crimes. His services were required in practically all cases in this community and his unusual ability in this line of work won much recognition for him during his long and useful period of work.

He had been in ill health for some time and his death had been expected for several months. About six years ago, he suffered a paralytic stroke from which he never recovered, making him a helpless invalid for the remaining years of his life.

He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Odia Breaux Clement; five sons, Cleobule, Willie, Walter and Elphie of Rayne, and Anatole, Jr. of Lake Charles; and three daughters: Mrs. Elias Simon of Crowley, Mrs. Morris Henry and Mrs. Leland Clark of Lake Charles.

Tribune takes this means to express sincere sympathy to the family of Mr. Clement. His death is a loss not only to them but to the entire town.

(Published in The Rayne Acadian Tribune on February 5, 1937)

Anatole married Odelia Breaux 26 Dec 1889, Rayne, Acadia Parish, Louisiana, USA. Odelia was born 31 Dec 1873, Youngsville, Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, USA; died 15 Jan 1938, Rayne, Acadia Parish, Louisiana, USA; was buried 16 Jan 1938, St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery #1 - Rayne, Louisiana, USA. [Group Sheet]

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MRS. CLEMENT DIES SATURDAY

Funeral Services Are Held Sunday From St. Joseph Catholic Church

Funeral services for Mrs. Anatole Clement, nee Odele Breaux, 65 years of age, who died at 2:20 P.M. Saturday, January 15, at the Laurent Boudreaux home following a brief illness, were held Sunday afternoon, January 16, from St. Joseph's Catholic Church with interment in the adjoining Catholic cemetery.

Rev. Hebert Lerschen officiated during the services Sunday afternoon which were attended by a large group of friends and acquaintances from this community. In a brief message of condolence he pad tribute to the life of a devoted mother which had been ended, and his words were a source of much consolation to the bereaved family. Pallbearers included Willie Clement, Walter Clement, Anatole Clement, Jr., August Clement, Elias Simon and Leland Clark.

Funeral arrangements were under the direction of the Gossen and Privat Funeral Home.

Mrs. Clement's death came as a shock to her family, since she had been in apparent good health until two weeks ago. During the Christmas holidays she visited relatives in Lake Charles, and had never complained of any illness. When she became ill two weeks before her passing, it was evident that her condition was critical, but until that time, they were not aware that she was suffering from any ailment.

Born and reared in this immediate vicinity, Mrs. Clement was a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Pierre Breaux. In early womanhood, she became the bride of Anatole Clement, and to this union were born ten children, eight of whom survive. She was preceded in death one year by her husband, "B.B." Clement, as he was more familiarly known by his friends, passing away in February, 1937.

She is survived by three daughters: Mrs. Leland Clark and Mrs. M.J. Henry, Lake Charles; Mrs. Elias Simon of Crowley; and five sons: Clobule, Willie, Walter, Elphie Clement of Rayne, and Anatole Clement, Jr., of Lake Charles. In addition, she is survived by three sisters: Misses Eugenie and Bridget Breaux and Mrs. Melanie Dupont, all of Rayne; and two brothers, Cyprien and Elie Breaux, also of Rayne.

Tribune expresses the sympathy of the community to members of the family who are deeply grieved over the loss of their loved one.

(Published in The Rayne Acadian Tribune on January 21, 1938)

Don married Calisse Zelonise LeBlanc 19 Jul 1858, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, USA. Calisse (daughter of Calliste LeBlanc and Marie Cleonide Broussard) was born 4 May 1838, Lafayette, Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, USA; died 28 Jul 1903, Rayne, Acadia Parish, Louisiana, USA; was buried 29 Jul 1903, St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery #1 - Rayne, Louisiana, USA. [Group Sheet]

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Rayne, La., July 28. - Mrs. Don Louis Clement died this morning at 10 o'clock, at the advanced age of sixty-seven years. She will be buried at the Catholic Cemetery here tomorrow morning. She leaves two sons and four daughters.

(Published in The New Orleans Times-Democrat on July 29, 1903)