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June 22, 1958 ~ August 18, 2023

ABBEVILLE — A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Abbeville, LA honoring the life of Daniel “Danny” Ray Trahan, of Maurice, LA who passed away on Friday, August 18, 2023 at Calcutta House in Lafayette, at the age of 65. Entombment will be at St. Alphonsus Mausoleum in Maurice, LA with Reverend Don Bernard officiating the services. Honored to serve as pallbearers will be Danny’s son, Tyler Trahan, sons-in-law, Ryan Robicheaux and Mike Moseley, and life-long best friends, Calvin Duhon, Bryan Frederick, and David Guidry. Honorary pallbearers are godsons, Logan Gautreaux and Koby Trahan, brother-in-law, Benjie Meaux, life-long friend, Gussie Broussard, and ranch employee, Jimmy Baudoin. The vocalist during service will be Laura Huval. Gift bearers will be his granddaughters, Rheese, Rhayli, Aubrey, Lincoln, Maven and Meyers. Scripture readers will be granddaughters, Rhylan Robicheaux and London Trahan.
Danny was born on June 22, 1958, to Leonard “BB” & Magdalene Duhon Trahan. High school sweethearts since the age of fifteen Danny married the love of his life, Rebecca LeMaire on May 23, 1981. Danny was a loving father of Danielle Robicheaux, Tyler Trahan, and Megi Moseley. 
As an engineer Danny worked for United Gas Pipeline and Unocal, and later retired from Chevron after thirty plus years in the industry.
Danny will forever be remembered by his dedication and love to his family, his devotion and impact in the quarter horse industry, his easy-going humor, unwavering hard work, fighting spirit, and his unforgettable smile. 
Survivors include his beloved wife and best friend, Rebecca Lemaire Trahan; children, Danielle Robicheaux and husband Ryan, Tyler Trahan and significant other Sarah, and Megi Moseley and husband Mike; mother, Magdalene Duhon Trahan; brother, Arnold Trahan and wife, Wanda; sister in law, Wanda Derouen Trahan; and sister, Lisa Gautreaux, and husband Chris. An unbelievably proud Pappy to five granddaughters, Rhylan, London, Rheese, Rhayli, and Meyers; and two grandsons, Maven and Lincoln. Blessed with two sons-in-law, Ryan Robicheaux and Mike Moseley to call his “buddies”. As well as Sarah Ebarb and daughter, Aubrey whom he loved as his own. Also survived by his mother-in-law Leanna LeMaire, sisters-in-law, Connie LeMaire, Debra Meaux and her husband Benjie, Marina LeMaire, and brother-in-law, Troy LeMaire and his wife Avery; and numerous nieces, nephews, and other relatives and best friends who loved him dearly.
Danny was preceded in death by his father, Leonard “BB” Trahan; brother, Wendell Trahan; and father-in-law, Thomas LeMaire. 
The family requests that visitation be observed at Vincent Funeral Home 209 S. St. Charles St. Abbeville, on Monday, August 21, 2023 from 10:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. with a rosary to be prayed at 7 p.m.; Tuesday August 22, 2023 from 8 a.m. until 1:45 p.m. when the procession will depart for the church.
The family would like to thank the Calcutta House and it’s staff for their kindness, care, and kisses for Danny during his time at the Calcutta House. 
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.

ERATH – Memorial Services for Susan Webb Stoute, 45, will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church with Deacon Tim Marcantel officiating. Interment will follow at LeBlanc Cemetery.
Visitation will be held at David Funeral Home of Erath on Monday, August 21, 2023 beginning at 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. with a recitation of the rosary at 6 p.m. Visitation will resume Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at 8 a.m. until the time of service.
Susan was born May 18, 1978. She was a tiny, sweet baby, but had a loud way of letting you know she was there! Susan never just walked; she ran everywhere she went! Susan let everyone know she had everything in her life under control! Her faith in God never wavered. Susan always planned to be a teacher, but her biggest wish was to have a child. She worked at the Little Sandwich Shop, where she met her future, Martin Stoute. She worked at Sherry Labs in Lafayette, La and did schoolwork to become a teacher. Susan set goals and met them. She was kind to everyone, but also firm in her ways. She put others before herself and gave her all! Fly high our sweet daughter.
She is survived by her husband, Martin Stoute of Erath; a daughter, Chloe Stoute; a stepdaughter, Marissa Pitt and her fiance’ Brian Laug; two grandchildren, Wesley and Ryker Laug; her parents, Samuel J. and Carolyn F. White; a father and mother-in-law, Clovis and Stella Stoute; two brothers, E.J. LaFeu and Sam J. White and his wife Heather; two sisters, April Leger and Kayla White Comeaux and her husband Ryan; four nieces, Kelsie White, Julia Leger, Emma Loomis and Hannah White; and three nephews, James White, Collin Comeaux and Cole Comeaux.
She is preceded in death by her Maw-Maw and Paw-Paw Lambert; a grandfather James White, Jr.; and a grandmother, Kathleen Vice.
Serving as pallbearers will be Brian Laug, Sam J. White, Ryan Comeaux, Tate Bodin, A.J. Moss and Taylor Broussard.
David Funeral Home 209 Putnam Street Erath, La 70533 (337) 937-0405 will be handling the arrangements.

Feb. 15, 1937- Aug. 13, 2023

NATCHITOCHES - Lovan Barton Thomas, publisher of The Natchitoches Times, passed away peacefully at his home Sunday morning, Aug. 13, 2023.
Services will be Wednesday, Aug. 23, at the First United Methodist Church on Second Street in Natchitoches.
Visitation will be at 9 a.m. with services at 11 a.m. A private burial will be in the American Cemetery on Second Street for family and close friends.
Mr. Thomas was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia; mother, Elsie Mae Childers; step-mother, Freda Scoggins Thomas; father, Maxwell John Thomas; sister, Mary Galen Thomas; uncle, Kenneth Thomas; aunt, Ann Childers Barton; uncle, Norman F. Childers; and granddaughter, Madeleine Renee Mayo.
He is survived by his daughter, Tracy Thomas Mayo; son, Maxwell John Thomas II and husband Gabriel Masson; grandson, Lovan Thomas Mayo; sister-in-law, Kathleen Wilson Farmer; brother-in-law John Oliver Wilson and wife Beclee Newcomer Wilson; and cousin Galen Clavier.
Pallbearers will be members of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia at Northwestern State University.
Honorary pallbearers are Scriven Taylor, Burton Weaver, Sen. Don Kelly, John Luster, the late Sam Friedman, the late Jerry Pierce, the late Bill Rush, the late Judge Jerry Stillman, Steve Colwell, Carolyn Roy, Jerry Hooper, and the staff of The Times, and members of the Agitators, Dirty Dozen, Gerousia lunch group, and his golfing group.
Thomas was an active member of the Natchitoches community.
He was a past president of Rotary Club, Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Society and the Natchitoches Industries Board. For 35 years he served on the Board of Directors for Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts.
He also served on the Louisiana Board of Trustees for Universities and Colleges, Red River Waterway Commission, Natchitoches Tourist Commission, Natchitoches Chamber of Commerce and Peoples Bank and Trust Co. Board of Directors.
He was a charter member of Mystic Krewe de St. Denis and Southern Trace Country Club in Shreveport.
He enjoyed membership in several mens organizations including the Dirty Dozen, Agitators, Gerousia, Walter Ledet Coffee Club and a couples supper club called Happy Bunch.
Thomas enjoyed many activities, including duck hunting, golfing, snow skiing, scuba diving, boating and landscape gardening. He was an accomplished artist having painted in oils.
A member of the 50 Year Club in the Louisiana newspaper industry, he served the Louisiana Press Association as president and spent over two decades serving on its Board of Directors.
He was a pioneer in the industry installing one of the first web offset presses in the state and oftentimes lending a hand to fellow publishers in need.
He and his wife purchased a number of community newspapers throughout Northwest and Central Louisiana. Current newspapers that are part of The Natchitoches Times family include the Colfax Chronicle, Sabine Index, Winn Parish Enterprise, Coushatta Citizen, Mansfield Enterprise, Bienville Democrat, Caddo Citizen, Springhill Press, Armed Forces Retiree News and Piney Woods Journal.
He has also published newspapers in Bossier City, Homer, Haynesville, Jonesboro, Leesville, Deridder, Central and even published the Louisiana Jaycee News for a brief time.
Lovan Barton Thomas was born Feb. 15, 1937, in Carlsbad, New Mexico, to Elsie Mae Childers of Booneville, Missouri, and Maxwell John Thomas. In 1943, the family moved to New Iberia after the marriage of his father to his second wife, Freda Beatrice Scoggins of Welsh.
During World War II, while his father served in the U.S. Army, he lived for a time with his grandparents, John H. and Eudoxia Clavier Thomas, on the family farm in Kingfisher, Oklahoma.
They also owned the local movie theater and the Thomas name is still visible in the brickwork across the front of the building. Young Lovan spent happy summers working on the family farm in Newkirk, Oklahoma, with Uncle Kenneth Thomas.
Around 1945 the family moved from New Iberia, where his father owned the Daily Iberian, to Crowley after his father purchased the Crowley Daily Signal and started radio stations KSIG in Crowley and KJEF in Jennings.
Thomas grew up in Crowley working with his father in the newspaper business and graduated from Crowley High School in 1956. He was a member of the state championship football team.
He attended the University of Oklahoma to study architecture and then transferred to the University of Missouri School of Journalism, and later attended the University of Texas to study business.
At the University of Missouri he met his wife, Patricia Ann Wilson of Rolla, Missouri. He also served as president of his fraternity, Phi Kappa Alpha.
Thomas was drafted into the U.S. Army and was stationed at Fort Chaffee, Arizona, where he was editor of the post newspaper, the Fort Chaffee Sentinel.
After his discharge from the U.S. Army, Thomas worked in public relations for Freeport-McMoran in New Orleans.
In 1967, he and his wife and almost 4-year-old daughter Tracy moved to Natchitoches where he purchased The Natchitoches Times from Charles Cunningham. A son, Maxwell John Thomas II, was born in 1968.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to: Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Society-Scholarship Fund, c/o Gayle Howell, 1050 Hwy. 494, Natchitoches, LA 71457.

MAURICE — The North Vermilion Patriots made a surprise run to the non-select Division II state quarterfinals in 2022, and senior Tucker Denais hopes to help the Patriots match or exceed that outcome in 2023.
Denais is moving from fullback to the wing in North Vermilion’s wing-T offense under first-year head coach Joe Heintz. That move brings a shift in his role with the offense, Denais said.
“Last year I played fullback, and my main role was to get three to four yards a play,” he said. “I was more of a power guy.
“This year I moved to the outside, to the wing, and I can do more — play receiver a little bit, catch the ball, still run the ball but more on sweeps. So it’s more one-on-one with a DB, so it’s not as difficult for me. I can use more of my abilities, and not just power.”
Heintz said the move was made to help find ways to get Denais the ball, and get him the ball in space.
“He had a great season last year at fullback,” Heintz said. “I think he’s going to be utilized more in the wing position and in the slot position. We’ll still be able to move him to the fullback position if we need to.
“He’s dynamic on offense for us. He’s very versatile. We can do different things with him. The position that he’s playing now he’s going to get the ball running the football, he’ll catch it a few times in the passing game. We are going to find creative ways to get him the ball.”
The Patriots’ district schedule prepared the team for the postseason, and with teams like St. Thomas More, Westgate, Lafayette Christian and Teurlings Catholic on the district schedule again, that should be the case once more.
“We had a tougher district, and that helped us come together as a team and play better, playing those harder teams in district,” Denais said. “We knew we weren’t going to be playing (that caliber of team) in our bracket in the playoffs.”
Heintz has brought a different kind of energy to practice, Denais said.
“Practices are different, for sure,” the senior ballcarrier said. “He’s got us flying around more. The energy is there. I think it’s going to be better for us this year just because that energy makes a difference in the game.”
“We’ve been trying to practice at a high level,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of energy on the field at practice. I think the kids are excited.
“I think the kids are hungry. They’re working extremely hard. They just want to be successful.”
Heintz said the first week of practice, the standard that the team set in 2022 showed. Sixty to 70 players have been out every day during the summer workouts and the start of fall work, the coach said.
“They’re working hard,” he said. “We’ve only practiced four days, but you can see improvement in those four days. As a coach, that’s all you can ask from high school kids is for them to get better every day.”
Denais said he is expected to play hard and fly around on offense.
“Just get as much yards as I can at one time,” he said. “Always at a hundred percent.”
And as a senior who doesn’t plan to pursue a college athletic career, he knows it’s his final season.
“It’s my last time,” he said, adding that the seniors are doing a good job as leaders.
“We have a better connection with the underclassmen,” he said. “We grew up with a lot of them.”
“I think this senior class got a taste of going three rounds in the playoffs,” Heintz said. “There’s no gimmes on our schedule. Predistrict, district, we play a tough schedule. I know it prepared the team last year for the playoffs. They were a better team week 11 than week 1. That’s the mark of a good team. If you can see improvement from week to week, from day to day, to me, that’s what marks a good team.”