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Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. for Mary Alice Mouton Henderson, at St. Mary Magdalen Roman Catholic Church in Abbeville. Services will be officiated by Rev. Buddy Breaux, pastor at Our Lady of the Lake and St. Martin de Pores, Delcambre, LA. She transitioned from her earthly life at 11:18 p.m. on Friday, December 6.
Mary, who was affectionately known as 'Aunt Me-yay' by her family, was born to the union of her parents, Dennis Mouton Sr. and Mabel Cola Mouton, in Kaplan, LA on August 1, 1941.
She was the second oldest of 7 siblings. Her journey began with her early education at James A. Herod High School in Abbeville. She got married at 16 years old to Eddie (Boy) Henderson, Jr. and began her first job at the local laundry. She later began working at Heritage Manor Nursing Home in the dietary department. This would lead to a position she held for 34 years until her retirement in 2003. In retirement, she enjoyed many moments with family and friends, playing bingo locally; watching her favorite game shows, soap operas, and sports; and her favorite pastime of cooking for family and friends. For more than 20 years she would host a spectacular New Year's Eve gathering that brought so much joy to her and her family and friends. She was a devout Catholic throughout her life, attending daily masses at both St. Mary Magdalen and St. Theresa churches. She was a devoted member to the Knights of St. Peter Klaver Ladies Auxiliary Court 77 for 67 years!
She leaves to cherish her memory, her son: Eric Henderson, Richmond TX; two sisters: Elder Roy, Delcambre, and Connie Huntsberry, Abbeville; nieces: Mabel Denise Julien Taylor, Metairie, LA; Melanie Bell, Abbeville; Thomasita Vallery, Bastrop, LA; Charmaine
Roy Campbell, Delcambre; Jennifer Roy, Houston, TX; Pertannica Huntsberry, Abbeville; nephews: Conrad Mouton, Portland, OR; Lawrence Dalton Julien, Kaplan; Cyril Cleo Julien, Kaplan; Dennis Mouton III, Orange TX; Jason Roy, Delcambre; Michael Vallery, Jr., Kaplan; Fabian Vallery, Crowley; Andrew Huntsberry, Abbeville; Joseph Charles Mouton, Jr., Abbeville.
She was preceded in death by her parents: Dennis Mouton, Sr. and Mabel Cola Mouton; her husband: Eddie Henderson, Jr.; her grandparents: paternal - Eraste Mouton, Mary Parson Mouton; maternal - Alphonse Cola, Laura Norman Cola; her siblings: Dennis Mouton, Jr., Pearl Vallery, Joseph Charles Mouton, Sr., and Laura Robinson; her nieces and nephews: Marcus Julien, William Robinson Jr., Anastasia Shaunte Vallery Williams, Mica Zsa Zsa Vallery, Iajohma Vallery; other family, and her life-long friends: Flora Jordan, Mabel Myles, and Adele Nolan.
A short visitation service along with the Rosary will be held at Kinchen Funeral Home located at 218 North St. Valerie Street, Abbeville, LA 70510, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Following the Mass of Christian Burial at St. Mary Magdalen Church, internment will be in St. Paul mausoleum.
Additionally, condolences to the family may be expressed via Kinchen Funeral Home's website: www.kinchenfuneralhome.com.

VC quarterback Jonathan “Jon Jon” Dartez received two football scholarship offers within 12 hours after previously having none.
After VC blanked Kentwood 33-0 in the semifinal game on Friday, Dartez said no college or university offered him anything to play football.  The 5-foot-9 senior quarterback  said that motivated him all season.
He will finish high school as the state’s overall touchdown leader in all classifications with 173 touchdowns. That big record-breaking performance may have caught the eye of at least two football programs, as two NAIA football programs reached out to Dartez on Saturday morning.
According to Dartez’s Twitter Account, he received the first offer from Graceland University in Iowa. The school has 900 students.
Graceland posted a 7-4 record in 2024.
"Blessed to receive my first offer from Graceland," Dartez posted on Twitter.
Not long after Dartez announced his first football offer on Twitter, another offer came his way. 
Louisiana Christian University in Pineville, Louisiana, also offered Dartez a football scholarship.
LCU has an enrollment of 1,100 students, and in the last 10 years, a handful of Vermilion Parish athletes have played sports at LCU.
Two Vermilion Parish young men played football for LCU within the last eight years.
Gueydan High’s Spencer Broussard played from 2018 to 2021. Also, Kaplan’s Julius Johnson had a stellar career at LCU.
Today, Abbeville High graduate Brian Gordon is a freshman wide receiver on the LCU roster.
Graceland University is 894 miles (14 hour drive) from Abbeville, while LCU is 111 miles or two hours away from Abbeville.

This week in Abbeville, a man from Gueydan is likely facing a life sentence after being convicted of sexually assaulting two juveniles for more than six years.
Scott Keith Broussard from Gueydan had a one-day trial on Wednesday at the Vermilion Parish Courthouse in Abbeville.
The jury, consisting of eight men and four women, returned a guilty verdict in 90 minutes.
Broussard was convicted of two counts of first-degree rape, one count of attempted second-degree rape, plus molestation of a juvenile, three counts of attempted indecent behavior with a juvenile, sexual battery, intimidating a witness, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 
He will be sentenced on March 13, 2025.
In Louisiana, if someone is convicted of first-degree rape, they face a life sentence.
In this case, the victims were under 10 when the assaults started to take place.
Assistant District Attorney  Calvin “Woody” Woodruff prosecuted the case for the state, and  Lynden Burton was Broussard’s attorney.
The assaults and the attempted assaults of the two juveniles occurred from January 2016 to December 2022 in Gueydan.
The assault charges only surfaced after one of the juveniles had some dark thoughts about taking their own life a few years after the molestation.  The individual mentioned suicidal thoughts to a friend, who then informed authorities. 
An investigation began by state authorities to understand why this individual was having suicidal thoughts, and during the questioning, they discovered that Broussard had been abusing two juveniles. 
The now adult had never told anyone about the abuse, including its mother. 
“I did not have the heart to tell her. It would have killed her,” the victim said in court on Wednesday.
The mother informed the jurors that she first learned about her child’s abuse when the police began investigating the allegations.
Broussard voluntarily took the stand and denied all charges of sexual abuse.
Woodruff’s closing remarks asked the jury why would the two victims lie about the abuse.
“Why would they make this up?” said Woodruff.  “What would be the possible reason? There is none. There is no financial gain. Why would they tell their stories in front of 14 strangers? Who would want to do that? Nobody.”

 The No. 1 Vermilion Catholic Eagles punched their ticket to the Superdome Friday with a 33-0 shellacking of the No. 12 Kentwood Kangaroos in the semifinals of the Select Division IV playoffs at Eagle Stadium. 
VC (13-0) will play the No. 11 Ouachita Christian Eagles in the Select Division IV state finals on Thursday at noon in the Caesars Superdome.  Ouachita Christian defeated No. 2 Ascension Catholic 24-22 in their semifinal matchup.  
Eagles head coach Broc Prejean was pleased with his team’s performance. He thought they matched the Kangaroos’ physicality and executed the game plan to perfection. He was especially happy that they got to celebrate their semifinal victory on their home field with their family, friends, and Eagle Nation.
  “The kids hit every checkpoint that we had for them all week in terms of how we wanted this thing to play out,” Prejean said.  “Scoreboard aside, Kentwood played a tremendously physical game.  We had to be up to that task, and we were.
 “I’m hoping this is our second biggest win this year.  We want next week to be the biggest one, but we’ll enjoy tonight.  These kids have earned that.  It’s beautiful to be out here watching everybody give hugs.  It’s such a unique experience that not everyone gets to see.  I’m just proud to be a part of it.  Hats off to our coaches, players, and community.”
Once again, VC put its offense on the back of quarterback Jonathan Dartez.  The senior didn’t disappoint, rushing 40 times for 213 yards and four touchdowns.  He also completed six passes for 102 yards and another touchdown.
Dartez became the Louisiana Career Total (passing and rushing) Touchdown Leader with 173 during the game.  He passed Ju’ Juan Johnson of Lafayette Christian, who had 171.
“I’m at a loss for words,” Dartez said.  “It’s been four years, and all the hard work has paid off.  I’m happy I have a legacy at VC, and this team now has one.  That’s what I’m most proud of.”
 Not to be outdone, the Eagle defense pitched a shutout, stopping Kentwood twice on fourth down and goal to go to preserve the goose egg.  According to senior linebacker Allen McLain III, that resulted from their preparation.
“It was very important for us to keep them from scoring,” McLain said.  “We had it in our minds that we had to put in the most work this week.  The defense stepped up big time.  To get the shutout in the semifinals feels really good.”
 VC took the lead for good 4:19 into the game when Dartez capped off the opening drive with a 16-yard scamper to the left corner of the end zone.  The extra point made it 7-0 VC with 7:41 let in the first quarter.
 Dartez struck twice in the second quarter.  He dove in from the one-yard-line with 9:48 left in the half to put the Eagles ahead 13-0.  Then, with 7:32 to play, he tied the state career touchdown record when he broke free down the right sideline for a 35-yard touchdown run.  The extra point made it 20-0 at the half.
 Dartez went to the air to break the record in the third quarter.  On fourth and three, he found Will Simon in the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown and a 27-0 lead with 4:13 to play.  He scored a career touchdown 173 with 11:17 to go in the game when he ran it in from 14 yards out to provide the final margin.
   While the Kangaroos didn’t score, they made VC earn it.  Kentwood had zero turnovers and eight penalties for only 47 yards.  The Eagles had to get stops on defense and finish drives on offense.  Prejean believes a similar performance will be necessary to win the state championship next week.
“We’re a complete football team in all the right ways,” Prejean said.  “We have some things to fix, but what a performance.  Back-to-back performances really, going back to last week.  We’re going for the hat trick next week.  But first, we’re going to enjoy tonight.”