RSS Feed

September 5, 1927
~ June 29, 2021

KAPLAN — A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, July 2, 2021 at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church honoring the life of Mrs. Roy Dartez, 93, the former Callie Rose Richard who died Tuesday, June 29, 2021. She will be laid to rest at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Cemetery with Reverend Matt Hebert officiating the services. Lectors will be Godchild Joel Vincent and Suzanne Richard.
A Crowley native, born September 5, 1927, the second of five children to the late Nelis and Domatile Bertrand Richard. Callie attended St. Michael’s Elementary and was a 1944 graduate of St. Michael’s High School. She furthered her education and attended St. Mary Dominican College in New Orleans. She was honored in World War II with a pair of wings for completing the required hours at the Observation Tower in Acadia Parish as a Civil Defense Observer on weekends and in the summer.
Unbeknownst to her how many lives she would touch all started with her first year as an educator at Mermentau Elementary. The following year was at St. Michael’s Elementary with her last year there having a class of seventh grade boys only.
She met the love of her live in April of 1947, Roy her lifetime soulmate of 64 years. They were married on November 10, 1948 at St. Michael Archangel Church in Crowley and moved to Kaplan the following year. In February of 1957 she was called by the principal at Maltrait Memorial School in Kaplan to consider finishing the year, as a 5th grade educator. That half-year lasted 25 years as a 4th grade educator.
A gifted teacher with a passion of providing the highest standard to all students. Sometimes they had to learn the hard way, but she was a master of turning bad behavior into an educational experience. That is why most 4th graders were known to have mastered their multiplication facts. She touched many lives through her dedicated service and her legacy continues to this day. After 29 years she retired in 1982 and after teaching all three of her sons.
A woman of great faith, she was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America for 70 years. Having transferred from Court St. Michaels in 1949 to Court Pere Maltrait, she served as Grand Regent Secretary and Treasurer. She was a member of the Ladies Alter Society, as vice president, secretary and treasurer. She loved her rosary group, the adoration chapel and being a Eucharistic minister for the home bound for ten years. A past member of the cajun quilters, Vermilion homemakers and the Kaplan Mardi Gras Krewe of Chic-A-La-Pie.
She enjoyed working in the yard and watching the humming birds as a past time. In 1986 she enrolled in an oil painting class in Kaplan and later in Lafayette. She will be remembered for her generosity in donating some of her paintings every year to the Holy Rosary October Fete and the Maltrait Memorial Spring Festival funds. Most recently she had volunteered her service to Maltrait Memorial office and Holy Rosary Rectory.
She is survived by her two sons, Delwyn Dartez and wife, Anna of Kaplan and Don Dartez and wife, Vicky of Baton Rouge; seven grandchildren, Kyle, Kelly, Kerri Beth, Lucas (Amber), Schuyler (Valerie), Amber (Kyle) and Nicholas (Jessica); five great grandchildren, Zoey Clare, Lane, Sadie, Tucker and Ainsley Rose; and her sister, Deanna Spell (Ronnie) of Lyons Point.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy; her son, Michael; her parents, Nelis Richard and the former Domatile Bertrand; her sister, Irene Istre; her brothers, Lawrence and Daniel; her paternal grandparents, Aristle and Edoline Monceaux Richard; and her maternal grandparents, Clerpher and Eranie Mire Bertrand.
The Dartez family would like to send appreciation to the staff at Vermilion Health Care for their love and comfort over the last few months.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church, 600 N. Church Avenue, on Friday, July 2, 2021 from 9:00 AM until the time of the services at 11:00 AM with a rosary being prayed at 10:00 AM.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Kaplan, (337) 643-7276 [Service Information 225-5276]. Condolences may be sent to the Dartez family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, July 3, 2021 at 1:00 PM at Cypress Funeral Home in Maurice for Mr. James "Jim" Doyle Gooch, Jr., 82, who passed away on Sunday, June 27, 2021 at Iberia Medical Center in New Iberia.
Deacon Francis Cao of St. Mary Magdalen will Officiate the Service.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, July 3, 2021 from 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM at Cypress Funeral Home.
James Doyle Gooch, Jr. was born on January 27, 1939 in Abbeville, Louisiana and he was a lifelong resident of Vermilion Parish. After completing Highschool Jim went on to proudly serve his country in the United States Army. He was a graduate of the University of South Western Louisiana. During his career he spent many years working in Oil and Gas, and in his later years he worked in the Insurance Business. In his spare time, he enjoyed fishing and he was also an avid golfer. More than anything Jim Gooch was a family man, he will be remembered as a loving husband, father and grandfather. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
Jim is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Susan Hebert Gooch of Abbeville; his two sons, Blake Gooch and Jack Gooch; his grandchildren, Ava Louise Gooch, Wyatt Gooch, Elliott Gooch, and Bryce Jacob Gooch; as well as a host of nieces, nephews and extended family members.
He was preceded in death by his parents, James Doyle Gooch Sr. and Yvonne Hollis Gooch; his brothers, Don Gooch, Hollis Gooch and Tommy Gooch; and his daughter-in-law, Lori Gooch.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in memory of James Doyle Gooch, Jr. to “Miles Perret Cancer Services”’ at www.milesperret.org
Cypress Funeral Home & Crematory, 206 West Lafayette St., Maurice, LA. 70555, (337) 740-3123, is in charge of arrangements.

ABBEVILLE — A Mass of Christian Services for Mr. Richard Romero will be held at St. Theresa Catholic Church on Thursday, July 1, 2021 at 10AM with Fr. Francois Sainte-Marie officiating. Interment will follow at Harrington Cemetery.
Visitation will be held at David Funeral Home of Abbeville on Wednesday, June 30, 2021 starting at 9AM and continuing until time of services. A recitation of the rosary will be held at David Funeral Home on Wednesday, June 30, 2021 at 7PM.
A resident of Abbeville, Mr. Richard passed away on Friday, June 25, 2021. He was a hardworking man who enjoyed detailing cars and dancing.
He is survived by his wife, Annie Romero of Abbeville; his son, Kevin Romero and his wife Annie of Abbeville; his sister, Lucille LeBlanc of New Iberia; his grandchildren, Julius Romero, Alayna Romero, and Maggie Landry; and his great-grandchildren, Jason, Roman, and Maleia.
He is preceded in death by his son, Jason Paul Romero; his parents, Melvin Romero and Lorenza Romero; his brothers, Lizay Romero, Joseph Romero, and Lester Romero; his sisters, Betty Jeane Decout, Audrey Crochet, Eula Mae Boudreaux, Anna Mae Gary, Esther Boatright, Theresa Callais, Mary Helen Trosclair, and Mildred Bonin.
You may sign the guest register book and express condolences online at www.davidfuneralhome.org
David Funeral Home of Abbeville (337)893-3777 2600 Charity St. Will be handling the arrangements.

Patience has paid off for one of Louisiana’s female whooping cranes that was a part of the initial population from 2011The female crane, designated L7-11, laid the first egg of the experimental population in 2014. However, that attempt, along with subsequent others for her, were unsuccessful. But this year, two eggs hatched and, as of this writing, both chicks are alive.
The chicks are two of four that hatched this spring in Louisiana’s experimental whooping crane population. Of particular note, 24 pairs nested this spring, almost double the previous high of 13. This increase in nesting is a sign of breeding progress in the project, which seeks to return the whooping crane to Louisiana.
“(L7-11) has been a real positive for us this year,’’ said LDWF biologist Sara Zimorski, who leads the whooping crane project. “She was the very first female to ever lay an egg in this population. Unfortunately, she and her first mate were infertile. After his death she repaired and brought her new mate to her nesting territory. They produced a few fertile eggs in 2019 and 2020 but had not been successful in hatching them. Finally, this year, in her eighth year of nesting, she and her mate were able to produce two chicks that have survived.’’
Louisiana’s whooping crane reintroduction project began in 2011 when 10 whooping cranes from the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, were released at the White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area in Vermilion Parish to initiate the non-migratory flock. This marked a significant conservation milestone with the first wild whooping cranes in Louisiana since 1950. There are currently 70 whooping cranes in Louisiana. Support of partners, including Chevron, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Audubon Nature Institute, Coypu Foundation, Entergy, Cameron LNG, SLEMCO, International Crane Foundation and Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation, have allowed LDWF to expand its effort in Louisiana.
Zimorski said the 2021 breeding season was a mixed bag. There were positives, such as the surviving chicks and the increased number of breeding pairs. But only four of the 14 chicks hatched this year made it.
“It started off well but we had a rough second half,’’ Zimorski said. ““Unfortunately, between flooding rain events and other breeding problems we didn’t have the success we had hoped for initially. Although, actually with so many new pairs it’s not unusual that they wouldn’t be successful on their first attempt. We’re still seeing progress as the birds gain experience and we are pleased with the four surviving chicks.’’
Whooping cranes are slow to mature and only lay one to two eggs during a nesting attempt so reproduction can be a slow process. The cranes normally don’t reach sexual maturity until they are 3-5 years old and the cranes when introduced into Louisiana have been less than 1 year-old and a little more than one third of the population is 3 years old or younger.
Anyone encountering a whooping crane is advised to observe the bird from a distance and to report the sighting to LDWF at: https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/report-a-whooping-crane-sighting-or-v... . Whooping cranes are large-bodied, white birds with a red head and black facial markings. Birds measure a height of five feet and have a wingspan of seven to eight feet that makes them very distinctive. In flight, whooping cranes display black wing tips and a fully extended neck, and legs, which extend well beyond the tail.
Anyone witnessing suspicious activity involving whooping cranes is advised to call the LDWF’s Enforcement Division at 1-800-442-2511 or use the tip411 program, which may offer a cash reward for information leading to arrests or convictions. To use the tip411 program, citizens can text LADWF and their tip to 847411 or download the "LADWF Tips" iPhone app from the Apple iTunes store free of charge. Citizen Observer, the tip411 provider, uses technology that removes all identifying information before LDWF receives the text so that LDWF cannot identify the sender.
For more information on the whooping crane project, go to https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/subhome/whooping-crane and https://www.facebook.com/lawhoopingcranes/ To see how you can support the project, go to https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/support-whooping-crane-conservation or http://www.lawff.org/.