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At 11 a.m., Catholic Funeral services for Adles Mailhes Joubert, age 90, will be in La Chapelle de Martin & Castille in Lafayette, on Sunday, June 13, 2021. Ms. Joubert passed away on Tuesday, June 8, 2021 at Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center. The family requests that visitation be observed in Martin & Castille's DOWNTOWN location on Saturday, June 12, 2021 from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM and will continue on Sunday, June 13, 2021 from 8:00 AM until time of services. Interment will take place in Holy Mary Mother of God Cemetery, St. Philomena Section, Johnston Street in Lafayette.
Deacon Cody F. Miller will conduct the funeral services.
Ms. Joubert, the former Adles Mailhes, was a native of Abbeville. She was the daughter of Elier "Mike" Mailhes and Rosa Boudreaux Mailhes of Abbeville. She dedicated her life loving her family and friends. She loved Pekingeses, birds, plants, flowers, and traveling. She also loved indoor soccer. Ms. Joubert worked in Eunice and Lafayette as a Senior Field Clerk retiring in 1991 with 35 years of service. She was a member of St. Edmond Church.
She leaves behind her children, Roderick Quibodeaux and daughter-in-law, Joan Fowler Quibodeaux of Diamond Head, MS, Stephan Quibodeaux and daughter-in-law, Joanie Brown Quibodeaux of Abbeville, LA, Roxanne Quibodeaux Linscomb and son-in-law, Michael Linscomb of Valley View, TX, Candace A. Joubert/Khalifa and son-in-law, Taha Kalifa of Dubai; eleven grandchildren, Dawn Clemons, Brice Quibodeaux, Landry Quibodeaux, Zachary Quibodeaux, Rebekah Quibodeaux, Ashley Thurston, Eric Quibodeaux, Nick Linscomb, Chris Linscomb, Mohamed Khalifa, and Dahlia Khalifa, and thirteen great grandchildren.
Ms. Joubert was married to the late Eugene Quibodeaux of Lafayette, and the late former Mayor Curtis Joubert of Eunice.
Pallbearers will be Brice Quibodeaux, Zachary Quibodeaux, Nick Linscomb, Chris Linscomb, Mohamed Khalifa, Eric Quibodeaux.
Honorary Pallbearer will be Landry Quibodeaux.
Memorial contributions can be made in Mrs. Aldes Joubert's name to American Heart Association.
A heartfelt appreciation is extended by the Joubert family to Woodbriar Assisted Living in Maurice.
View the obituary and guestbook online at www.mourning.com
Martin & Castille-DOWNTOWN-330 St. Landry St., Lafayette, LA 70506, 337-234-2311.

A newly formed non-profit organization, Les Amis du Français en Vermillon (Friends of French in Vermilion), is dedicating itself to the promotion and preservation of the French language and culture in Vermilion Parish and to the continued success of the Vermilion Parish French Immersion Program. The organization, under the direction of Layla Melancon, a local resident and parent of a French Immersion student, will promote all things dealing with the Francophone cultures in Vermilion Parish, and in turn, provide support for immersion learning in Vermilion Parish.
“Les Amis du Français en Vermillon, along with its’ partners, members and volunteers, will work diligently to bring French in Vermilion Parish back to life,” expressed Mrs. Melancon. “Becoming a part of this organization is an excellent way for the community to stay informed and get involved in this effort,” continued Melancon. “In doing so, they will also be a part of building a French Immersion program that insures Vermilion Parish students with a bilingual education. By joining, they will be supporting our students in reconnecting to a key part of their hometown’s history.”
Passionate about her strong French heritage and sincere love of the French language, Mrs. Melancon did extensive research and discovered that Vermilion Parish, an area rich in Cajun and Creole history, is one of the top three Louisiana parishes with the highest percentage of French speakers. More specifically, she found that 22% of the overall population of the Erath community are native French speakers. In Kaplan it is 19% and in Abbeville it is 8%. These statistics provide evidence of how many residents in Vermilion Parish utilize their French daily, not only in the home, but throughout the community.
“The French language can be heard regularly at our grocery stores, gas stations, schools, churches, restaurants, tourist attractions, community events and numerous other places,” said Mrs. Melancon. “The French heritage and deep-rooted culture that exists within our communities represents the importance of preserving the French language and culture in Vermilion Parish, and identifies a need to promote and preserve the continued success of our French Immersion program.”
A significant partner with the organization is the world-renowned Acadian Museum of Erath, led by Mr. Warren Perrin. “Mr. Perrin, a well-known author and past president of the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL), has been extremely supportive in the creation of Les Amis du Français en Vermillon,” shared Mrs. Melancon. “His love of the French language and Acadian history, heritage and culture, is truly an inspiration to me and to our organization.”
“The Acadian Museum, a member of the Acadian Heritage and Cultural Foundation, Inc., was founded in 1990 to promote awareness and appreciation of the mixed Prairie/Bayou Acadian culture of Vermilion Parish,” shared Mr. Perrin. “The museum preserves and displays material traces of the 400-year history of our region going back to Acadia and France,” continued Perrin. “As part of our 31st anniversary, we will proudly add Les Amis du Français en Vermillon as a new member of our foundation.”
One of the first efforts by Les Amis du Français en Vermillon to keep the area ties to its’ French culture alive, is the upcoming La Table Française, a weekly French table discussion group beginning Friday, June 25th, at Café Erath, at 10:00am. Not only will the French table provide a place to share the French language, but also the stories of the communities’ strong French culture and the days when the French language and ways were a part of everyday life.
Les Amis du Français en Vermillon invites parents, local and state officials, community members, schools, businesses and cultural, historical and tourism organizations to join in supporting the preservation of the French language and culture in Vermilion Parish.
“There is a small $10 annual membership fee to join Les Amis du Français en Vermillon,” stated Mrs. Melancon. “Through volunteer work and tax-deductible membership fees and contributions, supporters will help our organization tremendously, which in turn, is able to provide support for immersion learning in Vermilion Parish,” expressed Melancon. “A few examples include providing support for French Immersion teachers to purchase additional school materials, providing enrichment opportunities for students, and providing students with cultural learning experiences and opportunities to engage with the heritage of our communities.”
By becoming a part of Les Amis du Français en Vermillon, members will receive updates about activities and events going on throughout the year that promote all things dealing with the Francophone cultures in Vermilion Parish. A membership also provides individuals with information related to the ongoing success of the Vermilion Parish French Immersion program and ways they can get involved to support these efforts.
Only through donations and volunteer work, can the Acadian Museum and its partners continue their mission of keeping the Francophone culture alive. Supporters can donate online by visiting the museum website at acadianmuseum.com, and clicking on the “Donate” button, or by sending a check to: The Acadian Museum, P.O. Box 53597, Lafayette, LA 70505. If donors want to support a specific organization or project, they should indicate it in the NOTES section. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit so all contributions are tax-deductible.
For more information on becoming a member of Les Amis du Français en Vermillon, please email:
Layla Melancon
Director, Les Amis du Français en Vermillon
vermilionfrench@gmail.com
For those interested in staying connected, Les Amis du Français en Vermillon will be launching its Facebook page in July, so be on the lookout!

Not long after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Abbeville City Council made the decision to place a moratorium on food trucks.
At the time, two vendors already had permits to operate food trucks in the city. An ordinance covering food trucks allows for up to five at a given time, and they must be on private property.
The council allowed the two permitted vendors to continue to operate, but would not accept any new permits.
“The council felt like the situation with COVID,” Mayor Mark Piazza said during last Tuesday’s regular city council meeting, “and with the restaurants being closed and then having to operate at (limited capacity), a moratorium was appropriate at that time.
“That moratorium is still in place.”
During last Tuesday’s regular meeting, the City Council decided that the moratorium will not be lifted at this time. That came after a local resident, Hope McCloskey, expressed interest in operating a food truck in the city.
McCloskey said she and her husband, Chad, will soon be ready to open a food trailer.
“We are having a food trailer custom built for us,” McCloskey said. “With Chad being from here, he naturally wants to serve in his community.
“We are asking that it be considered to allow us with our food trailer in the community.”
Councilwoman Roslyn White said, given the reasons for the moratorium, she feels that now is not the right time to reverse course.
“I love the idea of food trucks,” White said. “The more options we have for dining, the better. However, I fully support the moratorium we put in place. Our restaurants took a huge hit.
“I don’t know that we want to lift it at this point.”
Councilman Francis Touchet Jr., who initially brought up the moratorium last year, agreed that it should continue.
“We heard from businesses about how COVID was affecting them,” Touchet said. “We still have an economy that is not where it needs to be. We need to give some of these businesses time to recover.
“I don’t feel like we are at that point to lift anything.”
Broussard said, when it comes to the economy, it goes beyond the effect of COVID.
“We are in an extended oil and gas reduction in our parish,” Broussard said. “We have seen job loss and income tax loss.”
Considering potential losses factored into the decision for the moratorium. Touchet said brick and mortar restaurants return revenue to the city.
“Food trucks are not paying electricity and water,” Touchet said. “They are not paying sewer and they are not paying property tax.
“They are paying a permit fee.”
McCloskey said she respectfully disagreed that food trucks do not bring something to the city.
“I understand the thing about the (utilities),” McCloskey said, “but every supply of food, gas, propane, all of that is purchased in the city.”
Councilman Francis Plaisance, who serves as president of the Louisiana Cattle Festival, suggested that McCloskey could be a part of that event’s food lineup. The city’s ordinance does not preclude food trucks from being part of festivals.
“I appreciated talking about the events,” McCloskey said. “As long as we can be part of the Cattle Festival and other events, I will take that.
“At the same time, it’s disheartening. You ask people to bring business to the city, and when we try to, it’s denied.”
White said she doesn’t see that as a decision that is final.
“Businesses are changing every day,” White said. “Food trucks are part of that change. I could see on the horizon that we would offer this.
“It’s just not the right time, but we can start to have the conversation.”

On Feb. 9, 2020, Abbey Players performed their last closing night of Darkside. While in rehearsal for Xanadu, a show that was supposed to open on April 17, 2020, the Abbey Players, much like the rest of the world, had to close the doors to their businesses indefinitely.
“When the governor shut things down in March of last year, Xanadu kept rehearsing after the stay-at-home order was lifted, even holding auditions for Little Shop of Horrors,” Mitchell Prudhomme, President of the Abbey Players said. “When it looked like the worst of the pandemic might have been over, but we were wrong.”
As we all know, it lasted much longer than expected. While the theatre has been dark, Prudhomme said that they’ve had a couple of virtual events. “But we haven’t been able to hold live performances, which is what we thrive on,” he said.
Prudhomme is happy about the Abbey Players reopening. “It means we survived,” he said. “Our supporters are extremely patient.” Abbey Players main source of revenue is the box office, but being unable to perform didn’t mean that bills stopped coming in, but Prudhomme thanks his patrons who helped. “We are incredibly lucky to have such amazing patrons who’s generous gifts kept us going,” said Prudhomme.
At the end of April, Governor John Bell Edwards lifted the restrictions that prevented performances for the theatre, but were still unable to sing on the stage with an audience. “We held auditions because of this,” Prudhomme said, “for the summer youth show, which is usually a musical. This year, however, due to the restrictions, we chose to play The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, which is currently being directed by Michelle Flott.
Prudhomme, his cast and crew and his audience is eager to get back to normal. About a week ago, the governor’s new order lifted all restrictions on operations. This means that the two already-casted musicals can finally take the stage and invite people in. “Literally just this past week, we finalized our new dates for both Xanadu (directed by Kaleigh Lay that’s running September 10-26 and Little Shop of Horrors (directed by Lauren Dartez that’s running October 15-24,” Prudhomme said.
It will surely be a quick turnaround since it means that the Abbey Players will have one extra show this season, but both shows have already had some rehearsal under their belts. “After that, we will hold the other shows that were supposed to be performed last season, which is Our Christmas play named Sorry! Wrong Chimney, which will be running in December as well as our spring musical, Bonnie and Clyde, running early next year,” he said.
Excitement for being able to perform in front of an audience wasn’t all the team was excited about. “We were very surprised that there will be no limitations on attendance since the governor lifted those restrictions, but of course we will still do our part to sanitize and clean, but other than that, aside from being cautious, we will be running business as usual,” Prudhomme was happy to say.
Previously sold season tickets or general admission tickets will still be honored for Xanadu. Season tickets for this year, beginning with Little Shop, will be available soon.
For more dates and times, visit Abbey Players’ Facebook page or visit abbeyplayers.com.