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June 22, 1983 ~ March 5, 2021

KAPLAN — A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 AM on Monday, March 8, 2021 at St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Catholic Church honoring the life of Brooke Nicole Demette, 37, who died Friday, March 5, 2021 at her residence. She will be laid to rest at Petry Cemetery with Reverend Mark Miley officiating the services.
Unconditional love.
It is a desire most people hope to be the recipient of at least once in their lifetime. Brooke was born into the world on a beautiful summer day in June of 1983. She was the immediate recipient of dutiful, unconditional love from her mother, Sedra. Though the world initially doubted her endurance, she overcame every obstacle life threw at her. She did so with a heart so full of love it overflowed in abundance to everyone around her. Brooke truly understood what it meant to love and she did it with her entire being. She never saw a fault in a single person or situation. She could walk into a crowded room of strangers, and by the time she left, she would be best friends with each and every one.
She would not forget them either. Years could pass and she would remember your favorite color, your mom’s favorite flowers, and your child’s birthday. She never hesitated to show her love for anyone. If Brooke knew you, she made sure you knew you were wholeheartedly loved.
Brooke never saw a party she did not want to be a part of. And if that party had food? Every person she came into contact with would be personally invited by her. She was the first one to tell the cook she loved their chicken and sausage gumbo with the yellow potato salad. You can trust she would convince someone, with a happy smile and a sweet voice, to get her a second, and then a third, helping. Food was more than sustenance for Brooke. It was love itself. It was a way to show someone you cared. It’s what brought people together and helped them to laugh and smile when the sky was gray. It was also a tool of payback, since she could gobble down someone else’s honey bun if they beat her in Uno.
Her favorite movie was Fly Away Home. She would ask Momo Hazel to watch it every time she went to her house. It was always accompanied with cookies and milk.
She loved her godchildren. She was never more proud than when she was holding her “big” brother’s babies, the oldest of whom became much like a brother to her. She adored him completely and would tell anyone who would listen about the cool stuff they did together.
Brooke’s love was like the first breath of air you finally pull in when you’ve been under water for almost too long. Her love filled you from your toes to the tip of your head. Once you were completely enraptured by the purity of her love, you barely even noticed that she had already convinced you to give her all your bracelets and to buy her lunch.
If you knew you were going to see Brooke, you made sure you had one of three things to give her: (1) jewelry, (2) snacks, or (3) cash [the larger the denomination the better, trust her.]
It was impossible to be sad with Brooke, and she would not want you to be sad for her now. Brooke is part of a beautiful, well catered, fais-do-do so Heavenly majestic we cannot even begin to visualize the joy that must be casting her angelic face aglow with God’s unconditional love.
She is survived by her parents, Sedra and Keith Marceaux of Meaux; her father, Albert Demette, Jr. of Kaplan; her stepmother, Angie Demette of Kaplan; her three brothers, Tyler Demette (Tisha) of Meaux, Cade Marceaux (Stephanie Gadell) of Meaux and Seth Demette (Brooke Thibodeaux) of Kaplan; her two sisters, Keisha Marceaux of Meaux, Courtney Demette (Alex Lassalle) of Kaplan, Alie Demette of Kaplan and Kaitlyn Esquivel of Kaplan; her godchildren, Lane Demette, Braxton Demette, Reese Demette, Jon Keith Demette, Bailey Hoffpauier, Rhett LaSalle and Tripp LaSalle; her paternal grandmother, Hazel Marceaux of Meaux; her godmother, Patricia Broussard of Kaplan; her godfather, Steve Matt of Arlee, MT; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and special friends.
She was preceded in death by her maternal grandfather, Raymond Adams; her maternal grandmother, Jean LeMaire; her maternal step grandmother, Nancy Adams; her maternal step grandfather, Jr. LeMaire; her paternal grandparents, Albert Demette, Sr. and the former Edia Adams; her paternal grandfather, Louis Marceaux; and her cousins, Tammy Lynn Broussard and Nicole LeBlanc.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Kaplan, 300 N. Eleazar Ave., on Sunday, March 7, 2021 from 1:00 PM until Monday, March 8, 2021 when the procession departs for the church at 10:15 AM. A rosary will be prayed at 7:00 PM on Sunday, March 7, 2021.
The family would like to extend a sincere thank you to the staff of Audubon Hospice, especially the nurses, Lorna, Emee, Kim and Heidi, and Dr. Randall Faulk and his staff.

Vermilion Parish – Shortly before 7:30 a.m. on March 6, 2021, Troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop I were notified of a single-vehicle crash on Louisiana Highway 82 near Fin Road in Vermilion Parish. The crash took the life of 21-year-old Daxton Harrington of Kaplan.

The initial investigation by State Police revealed the crash occurred as Harrington was driving a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, west on LA 82. For unknown reasons, the Malibu ran off the roadway, overturned, and struck a tree.

Troopers determined both Harrington and his passenger were unrestrained. Harrington was pronounced dead at the scene. His passenger was ejected from the vehicle and transported to a local hospital in critical condition. Impairment is unknown but a standard toxicology sample was obtained for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.

While not all crashes are survivable, proper seat belt usage can greatly increase the chances of surviving a crash by spreading out those forces across the strong bones of the body. Properly worn seat belts also help to keep the occupants of vehicles in their seat and protect the head and spine. Please be a responsible driver or a responsible passenger, and buckle up every ride, every time.

Troop I has investigated 9 fatal crash resulting in 10 deaths in 2021.

MAURICE — A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, March 6, 2021 at 1:00 PM in St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Maurice, for David Reed Hardy, age 52, who passed away on Thursday, March 4, 2021 at his residence in Maurice surrounded by his family and friends.
Visitation will be observed on Friday, March 5, 2021 from 3:00 PM until 9:00 PM at Cypress Funeral Home in Maurice. Visitation will continue on Saturday, March 6, 2021 at 9:00 AM and continue until time of services.
A Rosary will be recited on Friday, March 5, 2021 at 7:00 PM by Deacon Bill Vincent.
Reverend Paul Bienvenu, Pastor of St. Alphonsus in Maurice, will conduct the funeral services.
David Reed Hardy was born in Kaplan, LA on May 18, 1968 and he was a resident of Maurice. During his childhood years, he lived in Mont Belvieu Texas; Silesia Montana, and Abbeville, Louisiana. He was a graduate of Abbeville High School. David spent his entire career working in law enforcement. He retired as a Lieutenant after 30 years with the Abbeville Police Department. His work was his passion, and he was dedicated to serving his community and protecting lives. He will be remembered by his fellow officers as a mentor, and as exemplary model of a Law Enforcement Professional. Away from work David was a loving husband, father, brother and grandparent. He was a die-hard “Dallas Cowboys Fan”.
His family and friends will remember him as a kind, loving and generous man. Even though David didn’t always know what to do, he always did something. His true happy place was “The Lake”, his Lake House in Lake Conroe, Texas which is commonly known as “CAMP DAVID”, and where many wonderful memories were made. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him, and his memories will be cherished forever. In the words of his wife Kelly “To Know David was To Love Him.”
David is survived by his wife, Kelly Broussard Hardy of Maurice; his children, Halle Hardy of Maurice, Chase Hardy (Jenna) of Lafayette, Layne Hardy of Chicago, Jared Langley of Lafayette, and Ethan Langley of Maurice; his grandchildren, Grayson Hardy and Sophia Chauvin; his siblings, Mike Hardy (Janise) of Abbeville, Chris Hardy (Kim) of Abbeville, Tony Hardy of Abbeville, Tim Hardy (Robin) of Prosper, TX., and Pat Hardy (Liz) of Erath; as well as a host of nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Minos J. Hardy and Ruby Trahan; his brother, John Mark “Dooley” Hardy; his sister-in-law, Trudy Hardy; his niece, Trisha Hardy; his nephew, Joshua Hardy; and his stepbrother, Eddie Meyers.
Pallbearers will be Chase Hardy, Layne Hardy, Jared Langley, Ethan Langley, David Todd Hebert and Mike Hardy.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Chris Hardy, Tony Hardy, Tim Hardy and Pat Hardy.
Memorial contributions can be made in Mr. David Hardy’s name to St. Jude’s Children’s Research, 50 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, https://www.stjude.org, and to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX, https://gifts.mdanderson.org
A heartfelt appreciation is extended by the Hardy family to Dr. Molly Thomas, Dr. Kanwal Raghav and to Dr. Filip Janku; along with their nurses and staff for their kindness and compassion given to David and his family during their time of need.
He will be laid to rest in the Mausoleum of St. Alphonsus Catholic Cemetery, which David affectionately called his “Penthouse Suite”.
Online obituary and guestbook may be viewed at www.CypressFunerals.Com
Cypress Funeral Home & Crematory, 206 West Lafayette St., Maurice, LA. 70555, 337-740-3123, is in charge of arrangements.

Scarlett Brown said she was seeking help for her brother, Dwight Brown, because he wasa suffering from PTSD, a mental health condition triggered by terrifying events, after serving 10 years in the U.S. Army with Iraq tours.
Hours before Dwight Brown was shot and killed by law enforcement in Abbeville, she had filled out the proper paperwork at the coroner’s office to get him help.
“I had just gone to seek help for him as he had been having some rough days,” Scarlett said. “He was a father of two boys, son, brother, and friend of many. He was loved and had a heart of gold. “
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event.
Dwight Brown was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon when a Vermilion Parish Sheriff Deputy and Abbeville Police officers attempted to serve an order of protective custody at Brown’s home.
An order of protective custody is a document signed by a judge or coroner, used to commit a person with mental health problems or substance abuse issues to a treatment facility or the coroner’s officer for an immediate examination and treatment. The order can be requested by law enforcement or another “credible person,” such as a relative if they believe the person is “in need of immediate treatment to protect the person or others from physical harm,” according to Louisiana law.
During the shooting exchange, a Sheriff’s deputy was also shot and taken to a Lafayette hospital, where the deputy is expected to recover. The Louisiana State Police has not released the name of the deputy that was shot.
Brown’s residence was in the 1300 block of Greene Avenue and Schlessinger Street.
A body camera and dash-camera footage show the officers arriving at Brown’s home.
Shortly after arrival, the deputy and officers came under fire from the suspect and they took cover at a patrol vehicle. The deputy was then struck by one of the shots from the suspect. As Brown stood in the roadway allegedly aiming a rifle at the deputy and officers, the deputy returned fire, striking and fatally wounding the suspect, the Louisiana State Police said.
The Louisiana State Police Crime Lab is processing the scene. The shooting is an active investigation and updates will be released as they become available.
Brown, an Abbeville High graduate, was four years older than Scarlett.
She said that over the last two months, her brother’s illness was getting worse. She saw him have good days and bad days. However, the last two weeks, Dwight Brown was having more bad days than good days, she said.
“He was not himself,” said Scarlett. “I called our mom, and I mentioned to her that we should try to get him some help.”