S.P. — J.A. Clement. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Obituary:

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]

Notes:

Obituary:

RAYNE - Funeral services will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Friday, September 9, 2011 at 11:30 a.m. for Merlise Bearb Clement, 80 who died Tuesday, September 6, 2011 in Lafayette General Medical Center Hospital in Lafayette, LA.

Interment will be in the St. Joseph Cemetery #2, Rayne, LA.

Surviving are her husband, Norris Clement of Rayne, two daughters, Barbara Richard and husband Ronald of Rayne, JoAnn Monte and husband Steve of Judice, five grandchildren, Scotty Richard, Ron Richard, Tonya Monte, Kendall Monte and Kellie Roy, seven great grandchildren, Ezra Richard, Raeanne Richard, Evan Richard, Kylie Richard, Paxton Gayon, Zach Richard and Catilyn Richard, one great great grandchild, Skye Richard, one brother, Sabre Bearb of Starks, LA, godchild, Thelma Domingue.

She was preceded in death by parents, Asa Bearb and Anita Stutes Bearb, one bother, Curtis Bearb, one grandson, Matthew Richard, one great great grandchild, Layla Monte Robertson.

She was born Thursday, February 12, 1931 in Acadia Parish, LA, Daughter of the late Asa Bearb and the late Anita Stutes Bearb.

She was a member of the Ladies Altar Society with St. Joseph Catholic Church in Rayne and also was a good Samaritians with St. Joseph Catholic Church in Rayne.

Special Thanks to Hospice of Acadiana, and her nurse Kari Willis Spittle, Lafayette General Medical Center 7th floor staff, and her sitters, Janet Dickerson, Martha Jones and Tina Savoie.

Notes:

Obituary:

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]

Notes:

Obituary:

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)