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March 21, 1934 ~ June 20, 2026

ABBEVILLE — John Eddie Frederick, Jr., beloved husband, passed away peacefully and went to be with the Lord on June 20, 2026, at the age of 92 in Clear Lake, Houston, Texas. He was born on March 21, 1934, in Abbeville, Louisiana.
John dedicated his life to his work, his faith, and his loved ones. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, formerly known as Southwestern Louisiana Institute (SLI). After graduation, he proudly served his country in the United States Army before beginning a remarkable 49-year career with the government, including 20 years with NASA.
Known for his kind spirit and generous heart, John touched the lives of many through his dedication to his work and his passion for helping others. Throughout his life, he found immense joy in gardening and spending time outdoors. He also enjoyed bowling and was very competitive, participating in bowling tournaments and generously sharing his love of the sport by coaching youth bowling teams.
Above all, John dearly loved his beloved wife, Annie, whom he cherished for 69 wonderful years. Their marriage was a beautiful testament to love, faith, and partnership. Together, they faithfully served St. Bernadette Catholic Church and were active members of their community. John was a devoted Eucharistic Minister, a longtime member of the Knights of Columbus, and a leader of the ACTS Retreat at St. Bernadette Catholic Church, where he shared his deep love of God with many who became like family to him. His devotion extended to conducting communion services for 9 years at Brookdale Senior Living, where he continued to serve others well into his golden years. He also volunteered with St. Bernadette Christian Action, where his compassionate nature fostered lasting friendships among fellow volunteers providing a food pantry to the community.
John is survived by his loving wife, Annie Theriot Frederick; numerous nieces and nephews; great-nieces and great-nephews; and many cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Edia Frederick; and his brother, Donald Ray Frederick.
The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to the many friends and hospice staff who lovingly supported John and Annie during the final stages of his life.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, July 10, 2026, at St. Bernadette Catholic Church, 15500 El Camino Real, Houston, Texas 77062. The church will start receiving friends and family at 9:30 a.m. A rosary will begin at 10 a.m., followed by the Funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. A reception to follow at St. Bernadette Catholic Church – Parish Life Center.
There will be an additional visitation for family and friends in Abbeville on Monday, July 13, 2026, at Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, 209 S. Saint Charles St., Abbeville, beginning at 9 a.m. A rosary will be prayed at 10:30 a.m., followed by a graveside service at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary Magdalen Cemetery, officiated by Father Matthew Barzare. Those serving as pallbearers will be Jim Tighe, Randy Lege, Mario Charest, Heith Gaspard, Glenn Theriot, and Carrol Theriot. Honorary pallbearers will be Larry Nikiel, Bob Rote, Juan Moreno, Blair Landry, Mike Harden, and Jessie Kurisho.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in memory of John E. Frederick, Jr. to St. Bernadette Catholic Church, 15500 El Camino Real, Houston, TX 77062; telephone (281) 486-0337; or by email at office@stbchurch.org.
In honoring John's legacy, the family invites all who knew and loved him to join them in celebrating a life beautifully lived—one filled with love, compassion, and unwavering faith.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.

Seven weeks after first breaking possible SpaceX news to the Abbeville Meridional , State Sen. Bob Hensgens (District 26) spoke with the Abbeville Meridional about the still-probable SpaceX transaction and what it could mean for Vermilion Parish and the broader Acadiana region.

Abbeville Meridional: Senator, it’s been about seven weeks since you spoke with the Meridional about the possibility of a major aerospace company — widely reported to be SpaceX — pursuing a large land deal in Vermilion Parish. What’s changed since then?
Sen. Bob Hensgens: The momentum has clearly built. What started as serious discussions, I now hear has moved into more advanced negotiations. Of course, I have had no direct negotiations in the process, but my sources say things are moving forward. We’re obviously not at the announcement stage yet, but the trajectory seems positive, and the probability remains high that we’ll see a transformative project here in the near future.

Meridional: We’ve been hearing rumors about this possible deal for quite a while now. Is there any major holdup slowing things down?
Hensgens: That’s a fair question. The transaction was awaiting, in part, the final resolution of ExxonMobil’s coastal lawsuits and the settlement with the state of Louisiana. Now that the settlement has been reached, I expect things to move more quickly. The remaining steps are primarily procedural, and the overall momentum is strong.

Meridional: You’ve been careful not to overpromise. Why do you believe this is still very much alive?
Hensgens: Because the fundamentals line up so well, and because Gov. Jeff Landry and his economic development team have built a proven track record of closing major wins across the state. Their success in landing one mega-project after another — from the massive private investments in North Louisiana data centers to other transformative deals — has created real confidence that Louisiana is open for business and can deliver for visionary companies. Their proactive leadership has been instrumental in advancing this Vermilion opportunity.

Meridional: If this moves forward, what do you see as the biggest economic opportunities for Vermilion Parish itself?
Hensgens: Thousands of high-wage jobs — engineering, manufacturing, construction, operations, and technical roles. These won’t just be temporary; they’ll be long-term careers that can raise family incomes well above our current median and help reduce poverty. We’ll also see major infrastructure improvements and a stronger local tax base. This kind of project diversifies us beyond the beloved traditional industries we’ve enjoyed in oil and gas, agriculture, and fishing.

Meridional: How would this ripple out to the wider Acadiana region — particularly ports, universities, and existing businesses?
Hensgens: Significantly. Our ports and waterways — especially the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and Freshwater Bayou — become strategic assets for moving large rocket components by barge. That creates opportunities for port upgrades and logistics businesses across the region.
On the university side, UL Lafayette and our other institutions are perfectly positioned for research partnerships, workforce training programs, internships, and engineering collaborations. We already have strong technical talent in Acadiana; this would accelerate that pipeline and help keep our young people here.
For businesses, local fabricators, construction firms, suppliers, and service companies, new demand would arise. Many of the same companies that support oilfield and shipbuilding work are well-suited for aerospace work. We could also see new suppliers locate here over time. It’s a rising tide that lifts communities from Abbeville to Lafayette and beyond.

Meridional: Some residents worry about the construction's impacts on hunting and fishing. How do you address those concerns?
Hensgens: Construction will bring temporary disruption — more traffic, noise, and activity. That’s real, and we have to manage it. But we’ve seen this movie before. When the oil industry came, there were growing pains, yet our grandparents embraced it and made it their own.
On hunting and fishing, Florida’s Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, right next to Kennedy Space Center, proves it’s possible to have world-class space operations and traditional outdoor heritage coexist. Top-class regulated duck hunting and year-round fishing continue there. We can — and must — protect those traditions here while gaining the economic benefits.

Meridional: What advice do you give the school superintendent who is trying to prepare for the future of education in the parish, as well as the police jury, about future roads and drainage south of Abbeville?
Sen. Bob Hensgens: I’ll never deny growing pains on major projects like this massive Starship thing. Between the people of Vermilion Parish, the state's commitment, and the company's generosity, I promise we will handle success well. Will there be bumps to adding 1,000+ permanent workers (and their families) to a parish of about 44,000? Yes—but that’s a problem of riches.
We have strong leadership, resilient communities, and a track record of turning challenges into progress. Let’s turn these worries into action plans—I’m ready to support specific requests or help facilitate meetings with state partners. Let’s remember the deal hasn't been made, but that doesn't mean we can’t start working. Together, we’ll manage this growth responsibly while protecting our culture and way of life.

Meridional: What’s your message to Vermilion Parish families and Acadiana businesses right now?
Hensgens: This is still probable, not guaranteed, but the direction is encouraging, thanks in large part to the Governor’s team. If it happens, it will be one of the largest economic development projects in our parish’s history. We have the chance to blend our hardworking Cajun culture and skilled workforce with the future of space exploration.
When the oil industry arrived, we didn’t turn away — we Cajunized it. I believe we can do the same with space.

CHICAGO — In its 41st year celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes, Gatorade on Thursday announced Emma Smith of Delcambre High School is the 2025-26 Gatorade Louisiana Girls Track and Field Player of the Year.
Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports, celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes for their excellence in sport, academics and community. The award recognizes Smith as Louisiana’s best high school girls track and field athlete and she joins an elite legacy that spans professional athletes and coaches to CEOs, such as Sanya Richards (2001-02, St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Florida), Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (2015-16 & 2016-17, Union Catholic Regional High School, New Jersey) and Jane Hedengren (2024-25, Timpview High School, Utah).
The 5-foot-6 junior jumper won the LHSAA Class 2A state title in the high jump this past season with a mark of 5 feet, 7 3/4 inches, scoring in two additional events to lead the Panthers to a ninth-place finish as a team. Smith also broke a state record that had stood for 16 years by soaring 6-feet-0 at the Panther Relays, a clearance that ranked No. 5 nationally among prep girls competitors this spring. She broke five meet records in 2026 and was named Outstanding Overall Performer Award at eight different meets.
Elected to serve as Student Council Vice-President for her upcoming senior year, Smith has volunteered locally mentoring middle school athletes in jumping, hurdling and conditioning skills. She has also donated her time working in the concession stand for various school athletic events.
“While Emma Smith dominated the action on home state soil, her victory in the high jump at the Bluebonnet Invitational in Texas and her runner-up showing at the Texas Relays cemented her as a poised performer,” said Rich Gonzalez, editor of PrepCalTrack.com. Smith has maintained a 4.0 GPA in the classroom. She will begin her senior year of high school this fall.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one state winner from each of the 50 states and Washington D.C., in 12 different sports: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls track & field. In total, 610 high school athletes are honored each year.
From the pool of state winners, one national winner is selected in each of the 12 sports. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the winners in each sport.
As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport, every Player of the Year also receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner. To date, the Gatorade Player of the Year program has provided more than $6.4 million in grants to winners across more than 2,200 organizations.
To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, check out past winners or to nominate student-athletes, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com or follow us on social media on Instagram at instagram.com/Gatorade, Facebook at facebook.com/GatoradePOY and X (Twitter) at x.com/Gatorade.

On Saturday, June 20, at 12:27 p.m., the Abbeville Police Department received a call from an Abbeville General Emergency Room nurse who advised that a person had just come in with a gunshot wound.
The victim, Kobe Vital, Black Male, advised that as he was passing in front of a house on N Lamar Street in Abbeville, a young Black Male subject shot at him and the passengers in his vehicle, striking the vehicle and hitting the victim in the neck.
Officers responded to the location on N Lamar Street and recovered cases near the roadway. Kobe Vital was transported to another local area hospital, and a warrant was issued for the juvenile who did the shooting. The Commissioner granted a Juvenile Verified Complaint for the juvenile containing the following charges:
• 3 counts of Attempted First-Degree Murder
• Illegal use of Weapons or Dangerous Instrumentalities
• Illegal Possession of a Handgun by a Juvenile
• Illegal Possession of a Firearm in a Firearm Free Zone
• Aggravated Criminal Damage to Property
The juvenile was entered into the State Computer as a wanted and dangerous person.
On Monday night, the father of the juvenile called to make arrangements to turn in his son for the shooting incident. The juvenile suspect was booked at the Abbeville Police Department, where he was brought before a District Judge on Tuesday morning. The juvenile will be held at the Jackson Parish Juvenile Detention Center pending further orders from the court.
This case is still actively under investigation and Chief Hardy urges the public to provide any further information regarding this crime or any other crime by calling the Abbeville Police Department at (337) 893-2511. You may also contact our “Tips” line at (337) 892-6777. All callers may remain anonymous. Citizens may also send anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers of Vermilion by calling (337) 740-TIPS or the P3 app, which can be downloaded through the Apple App Store or at Google Play Store.