Labbe Melancon

Cecilia - A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4, 2011, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Cecilia for Labbe 'L.J.' Melancon, 76, who passed away on Saturday, April 30, 2011. Father Michael Delcambre will officiate at the Funeral Mass. Scriptures will be read by Joshua Hebert, Brittany Berard Ducote, and Louis Hebert. Gift Bearers will be Sonia and Grace Hebert, Janelle Melancon, Judy Comb Cline, Ronald Melancon, and Mary Robin. Music will be provided by Kyle and Maegan Hebert, Laura and Ade Huval, and Karleen and Al Berard. His Eulogy will be delivered by Betty Devillier. Interment will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery. L.J. worked for South Central Bell for 31 /12; years and was retired for 24 years. He was a member of the Pioneers of America and the Civil Defense for 25 years. He was very active in the community of Cecilia, St. Martin Parish, as well as much of the Acadiana area, volunteering his time to being a leader with the Boy Scouts of America. L.J. was proud of his Cajun heritage and served with Renaissance Cadienne, Action Cadienne, Cinq Sous, CODOFIL, and the Cajun French Music Association. He participated monthly in 'La Table Francaise' as well as many Cajun workshops. L.J. loved playing French music and enjoyed listening to both Cajun and Country music. He and his wife, Laura, were members of the Loretta Lynn Fan Club, and they visited her ranch yearly and shared many visits with her on numerous occasions - those times spent with her brought great enjoyment to their lives. An avid outdoorsman, L.J. loved deer and turkey hunting and was a longtime member of the Attakapas Hunting Club and the National Rifle Association. In his free time, L.J. also enjoyed crawfishing, camping, and doing word search puzzles. L.J. was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and indeed a friend to many. He will be sorrowfully missed by the many lives he's touched throughout his life. Survivors include loving wife of 56 years, Laura Courville Melancon of Cecilia; one son, Kenneth 'Skin' Melancon and wife, Janelle, of Cecilia; two daughters, Nelda Hebert and husband, Merrill, and Cathy Berard and husband, David, all of Breaux Bridge; two sisters, Laura 'T-Lou' Comb of Breaux Bridge, and Georgie Landry and husband, Wilbert, of Lafayette; seven grandchildren. Kyle Hebert and wife, Maegan, of Cecilia, Joshua Hebert and wife, Sonia, of Breaux Bridge, Brittany Berard Ducote and husband, John, of Scott, Ryan and Bryce Berard of Breaux Bridge, Kasey and Devin Melancon of Cecilia; and one great granddaughter, Grace Elizabeth Hebert of Breaux Bridge. He was preceded in death by his parents, Labbe and Jeanne Bertinot Melancon, both natives of Cecilia; one brother, Thaddeus Melancon of Carencro; and a brother-in-law, Louis Comb. The family requests that visiting hours be observed from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Tuesday, and continue at 7 a.m. on Wednesday until 1:30 p.m. A Rosary will be recited in French at 1 p.m. on Wednesday. Pallbearers will be Kyle, Joshua, and Merrill Hebert, Ryan, Bryce, and David Berard, Kasey and Devin Melancon. Honorary pallbearers will be Raymond Clause, Mike Comb, Paul Devillier, John Ducote, Classmates of 1955, and members of Attakapas Hunting Club. The family would like to extend special thanks to Drs. Deidre Stelly and Milton Jolivette, the staffs of St. Martin Hospital, Lafayette General Medical Center, and Hospice of Acadiana; Mrs. Elsie Castille, and their family and friends, for the compassionate care, love, and support given to L.J. and his family - you will all forever be in our thoughts and prayers. Pellerin Funeral Home of Cecilia is in charge of arrangements.