RSS Feed

ABBEVILLE, La. — Funeral services for Joann Joiner, 61, are scheduled for Saturday, September 16, 2023, at Kinchen Funeral Home Chapel -- 218 N. St. Valerie Street -- for 11 a.m. Visitation will be from 8 a.m. until time of service. Interment will be at St. Paul Cemetery in Abbeville immediately following service.
Joann Simon Joiner was born on October 8, 1961. She was born again of the water and spirit and departed to be with the Lord on September 11, 2023. She was a loving, caring and strong woman willing to help anyone she could. She was a beautiful soul in and out.
Joann was the wife of Cleveland Paul Joiner, daughter of Clara John-Louis Simon and John Simon, Sr. She was a devoted mother, grandmother and friend to all who knew her. Joann’s legacy will live on within her children, step-children and God son: Sharon Petry, Saven Landry III, Kevin Todd Scott (Sherelle), Clevonia, Kenia, and Kenon Bessard (Amelia). She had 18 grandchildren: Coriana Willis (Myles), Davon Willis, Kai Scott, Jaxon Scott, Keiona Callier, Zhyeathin Shelvin, Saven Landry IV, Devin Gloud, John Landry, Micah Landry, Siarra Landry, Cohen Landry, Skyler Landry, Lyla Landry and Kenon Bessard, Jr. She also had 3 great-grandchildren: Malani Dauphine, Edan Shelvin and Kye Bessard.
Joann leaves behind three sisters: Debra Simon Parker (Columbus), Lillie Gradney (Jimmy) and Melissa Simon. Joining in Heaven with her by her brother John Simon, Jr., Joann went to the house of the Lord on Monday, September 11, 2023. As she moves along into her peaceful journey she leaves with us a quote, “May the work I’ve done speak for me.”

February 9, 1945 - September 12, 2023

NEW IBERIA, La. — A home-going celebration of life for Mr. Richard Hill, Sr., 78 will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 16, 2023, at Fletcher Funeral Home with Rev. John Allen, officiating.
He will await the resurrection at Hill Cemetery (Prairie Street) Abbeville, LA.
Visitation hours will be observed at Fletcher Funeral Home on Saturday, September 16, 2023, beginning at 10 a.m. until the time of service. 
Richard Hill was a native and resident of Abbeville, LA. He passed at 5:15 a.m. on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, at Abbeville General Hospital.
He leaves to cherish his memory, his loving wife: Lisa Petry Hill of Abbeville, LA; three sons: Richard Hill, Jr. of CA, Michael Broussard and Kendon Hill (Ami) both of Abbeville, LA; two daughters: Kimya Hill and Keila H. Hargrave (Scott) of Abbeville, LA; one step-daughter: Deidre Wright of Abbeville, LA; two sisters: Linda Hill of Abbeville, LA and Liz Grogan of Lafayette, LA; eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents: Walter Hill, Sr. and Lena Campbell Hill; one daughter: Samantha Hill; two brothers: Walter Hill, Jr. and Roland Hill; two sisters: Bobbie Hill and Werlene Hill.
Active pallbearers are Kendon Hill, Colby Comeaux, Jr., Tyriq Broussard, Sidney Broussard, Jr., Scott Hargrave, Kenneth Petry.
Honorary pallbearers are Brian Vann, Perry Johnson, Wallace Johnson, Earl Henderson, Michael Broussard, and Brandon Hill.
Condolences may be expressed at www.fletcherfuneralhomes.org.
Arrangements are entrusted to Fletcher Funeral Home (337-369-3341) 609 W. Admiral Doyle Drive New Iberia, LA 70560.

The Vermilion Catholic Eagles face their third opponent from District 7-2A in three weeks on Friday when they travel to Loreauville to face the undefeated Tigers at 7 p.m. on Friday.
And as if Catholic High of New Iberia (1-1) and Ascension Episcopal (1-1) weren’t tough enough challenges, Loreauville is coming off wins over Class 3A Erath (45-34) and 2A DeQuincy (13-0).
“They’re playing pretty good ball right here,” VC head coach Broc Prejean said. “They had a great good win over what we know is a solid Erath squad in week 1, and then a shutout win over DeQuincy last week. And we’re going to their place, which we know is a tough place to play. We know Loreauville is going to play a really strong game. Each week as the season evolves, teams get better. Loreauville, in our opinion, presents the toughest challenge so far. It’s going to take a lot better effort than what we had last week.”
The Eagles beat AES on Dane Richoux’s field goal with five seconds to go. Quarterback Jonathan Dartez ran for a school-record 359 yards on 31 carries in the game and scored three touchdowns in a 30-8 win.
“An exciting win, obviously an exciting way to finish a game off,” Prejean said. “I’m just proud of our kids’ resolve. A few times we were trailing in the game but the guys were able to rally around each other and make some plays down the stretch to get a ‘W,’ so we’re super happy about that.”
Prejean said he didn’t know until after the game how many yards Dartez had rushed for.
“I knew he had a good night rushing,” Prejean said. “It’s not something we track or follow throughout a game, but we ended up needing every one of them, so I’m proud of the effort from him and the offensive line and (running back) Tyjh Williams paving the way for what ended up being a pretty historic night.”
Loreauville seems to be the typical type of team one expects the Tigers to be, Prejean said.
“When you play Loreauville, you know you’re going to see size and you know you’re going to see hard-nosed, downhill football, and that’s been their M.O. for decades,” Prejean said. “That’s what we anticipate. We know it’s going to be a physical football game. They’re running a two-quarterback system that seems to be really effective for them. Both guys are impressive on film. Their defensive line is towering over the O-lines they’ve faced so far, so there’s a lot of challenges that are going to present themselves on Friday.”
The two quarterbacks are similar in what they do.
“My understanding is that coach (Terry) Martin is trying to find out if one of them is going to separate (himself from the other to be a better option), and so far they’ve both played really outstanding football,” Prejean said. “We’re going to prepare for both of those guys to be in the game, and adjust where we need to.”
With a tremendous defensive line and a lot of big bodied returners there, the Eagles must avoid being a one-dimensional offensive attack, Prejean said.
“We’re obviously going to have to distribute the ball a little bit better this week and get some other guys involved, and execute a great offensive gameplan,” Prejean said. “We have some dynamic athletes. Our wideouts are doing a great job in what we ask them to do, but we also know that they can do things with the ball in space. Tyjh Williams is right there. We’re looking to see Tyjh get going fairly soon, and thinking he’s going to have that big breakout game sooner rather than later. We’re going to distribute the ball. Our offense still runs through our quarterback, and he’s a pretty good one. But we definitely want to get more guys involved.”

MAURICE — Defense was the key for the North Vermilion Patriots getting their first win of the season this past Friday, a 23-15, three-overtime thriller at Erath.
The Patriots must keep up that defensive effort this week if they’re going to improve to 2-1 with a win over Abbeville, head coach Joe Heintz said.
“Defensively, I thought we played really well,” Heintz said. “To hold them to 7 points in regulation and to do that on a couple of short fields, I thought that was huge. I thought defense won us the game Friday night.”
In addition to outstanding play from defensive end Myles Johnson, linebacker Noah Stelly also had a big game. Johnson shared Gulf Coast Bank Defensive Player of the Week honors this week with seven solo tackles and six assists (13 total tackles), including 3.5 sacks and five tackles for loss, and also blocked one pass.
“Myles had an unbelievable game on defense,” Heintz said. “And Noah Stelly had a great game on defense as well. He had an interception, he had a bunch of tackles. He had a really good game defensively.”
The coach expects a third straight test from a third straight Vermilion Parish rival. The Patriots opened the season against Kaplan.
“Abbeville’s a good opponent,” Heintz said. “Like I’ve said before, on our schedule, every week we’ve got to be ready to play. Abbeville’s definitely a formidable opponent.”
Sure-handed tackling will be a key this week, he said.
“The biggest thing defensively is we have to tackle,” Heintz said. “Because they’ve got some kids that are explosive. If we don’t do a good job of wrapping up and getting more than one person to the ballcarrier, they can explode (for a big run), and a two-yard gain can turn into a 50-yard gain very quickly.”
On offense, Heintz said he’d like for his team to finish drives better.
“We started off the second half, our first possession, and we flipped the field,” he said. “We had a big 40-yard run, got inside their 30, and weren’t able to convert any points. I think the biggest thing is just consistency on offense — keeping drives going, and more importantly than just keeping drives going, scoring off of a drive.”
Heintz said the Patriots’ offensive line had a better game last week.
“I thought our offensive line played a little more physical last week than we have previously,” he said. “I think they’re starting to learn their assignments. They’re getting used to what we’re doing on offense. We’re looking to just clean that up a little bit more.”
This week is another big game, he said.
“It’s just another game we’ve got to be ready to play,” he said.