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ABBEVILLE — Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM on Sunday, July 10, 2022 at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville honoring the life of Barton Dale Choate (Bart), 56, who died Tuesday, July 5, 2022 at Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center.
Bart was a proud business owner of Bart’s Portable Building Movers and spent 27 years driving trucks. He owned and operated Trails End Trailer Park in Maurice LA for 20 years. He loved to work and devoted his time working on his tractors and developing his property.
He had many hobbies, he loved driving his kart through the property and camping with his family. He’d spend time with family listening to music and swimming and bbqing. He loved practicing target shooting with his son BJ and son in laws in the back yard. He had just purchased a truck for his son and was so happy to be able to buy his first vehicle. He would talk politics with his youngest daughter Beth and always offered to build anything needed for his grand pups. He spent weekends with his wife trying new recipes and watching movies together. They always sat together to end the day watching a favorite tv show. He enjoyed flying his drone and was an avid collector of coins, records, and guns and knives.
Bart passed on his love of classic country music and Cajun two stepping to his eldest daughter Kandace and loved spending time with his grandchildren. Whether it was talking to his granddaughter about school, or watching his grandson play tee-ball. He would do anything to make them happy and they will miss him deeply.
Most of all he loved his family and wanted to provide for his family no matter what. He held so much pride in his family name and always told each of us how proud he was of us.
He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Sandra Garett Choate; only son, Barton Dale Choate the 2nd; two daughters, Kandace C. Klorer and her husband Anthony Klorer, and Beth E. Choate and her husband, Damon John Migues Jr.; two grandchildren, a granddaughter and grandson; father, Kenneth G. Choate and his wife, Marilyn; mother, Linda Miller Stewart and her husband, Charles; and two sisters, Nadine C. Davis and her husband, Ken, and Shannon C. Lee.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at the Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles St., on Sunday, July 10, 2022 from 11:00 AM until the time of the service.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.Vincent funeral home.net.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, 337-893-4661.

Some Vermilion Parish high school students are making great use of their summer break by attending the Jumpstart Summer program at Vermilion Career Campus.
This is the third year Vermilion Parish students are participating in this program.
Students from all five high schools in the parish are given the opportunity to apply for participation, which is limited to 10 students. The purpose of the program is to give students the opportunity to earn credit in a high school course, earn an Industry Based Credential in a high demand skill area and get paid for successful completion of the course.
This summer, the course being taught is CITF Millwright. A millwright is skilled in installing, maintaining, diagnosing and repairing equipment such as compressors, pumps, conveyors, gas and steam turbines, monorails and extruders.
Millwrights can be found performing mission-critical work at coal, gas, nuclear and alternative-energy power plants. Their skills are also vital in industries as diverse as automotive, aerospace, food processing and pharmaceuticals.
The course is being taught by Keith Sherman, who is one of the Career Campus Instructors.
Students attend Monday through Thursday for this month-long class to complete the 138 hours required for the credential in Millwright.
Lonnie Richard, the Career and Tech Ed. Supervisor for the district said “This is a great opportunity for students to earn a credential in a high wage, high demand occupation and get paid for it. We plan to expand this program in the future”
Funding for this program is from the Jumpstart Summers Grant, which is awarded through the Louisiana Department of Education. Students who successfully complete the program will be paid $1,200.

LAFAYETTE — United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Xzavier Dyson, 23, of Abbeville, has been sentenced by United States District Judge R. Summerhays to 42 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, on firearms charges.
Dyson was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2021 and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty to the charge on March 23, 2022. The charge stems from an incident that occurred on May 26, 2020, when Dyson was the rear passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for a traffic violation in Abbeville. The driver consented to a search of the vehicle and a pat down search was conducted by law enforcement officers of each occupant of the vehicle. The deputy found a Cobra .380 pistol on Dyson’s person and seized the weapon. Dyson had a previous felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and illegal carrying of a weapon in 2018 and was on probation when this offense occurred.
As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from having a firearm or ammunition in his possession.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Vermillion Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Bordelon.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.

Change can sometimes be met with apprehension.
On Thursday afternoon, citizens in Abbeville met change with enthusiasm.
In front of a packed house in Magdalen Place, the city of Abbeville held a swearing-in ceremony for its elected officials. Among them is new Mayor Roslyn White, who succeeds five-term Mayor Mark Piazza.
“What an overwhelming show of support,” White said to the crowd.
White’s mother, Arlene Collée, welcomed everyone in attendance. Collée said people began referring to her as the first mother after White’s election on March 26.
“I don’t know if that’s a real thing,” Collée said with a laugh, “but I love it. This is a special day, not only for my family but for the families of all the elected officials who serve this beautiful city of Abbeville. I thank each and every one of you who have chosen the role of public service. It’s not always easy.
“I know the commitment it took to get to this day.”
Along with White, Councilman Tony Hardy (District A), Councilman Francis Touchet Jr. (District B), Councilman Brady Broussard Jr. (District C), Councilwoman Terry Broussard (District D), Councilman-at-Large Cartlon Campbell and Chief of Police Mike Hardy took their respective Oaths of Office. Vermilion Parish Judge Laurie Hulin conducted the swearing-in ceremony.
Tony Hardy, a former chief of police in the city, is entering his first term in District A.
“I am so very proud to be representing the good people of district A,” Hardy said before the swearing-in. “I look forward to helping as many people in the city as possible. If anyone needs assistance from me and we can help, please do not hesitate to call. I am looking forward to working with all the citizens of Abbeville.”
Touchet has served Abbeville for 20 years. He is entering his sixth term.
“I look forward to continuing to serve as the city councilman in District B,” Touchet said. “I am honored to be elected six consecutive terms. I will lean on two things I truly believe in during the next four years. One, we need to be very proactive around crime. We need to make sure we do the things we need to do to ensure our city is safe. Two, and I think everyone understands that this works hand-in-hand, we need to improve the economic development in this city. We need more jobs, and we need to ensure we get people into this city.”
For Councilman Broussard, Thursday marked his fourth swearing-in.
“Each holds a very special place in my heart,” Broussard said. “Serving the great people of Abbeville is a privilege that starts with a swearing in and I follow in the footsteps of many in my family who have been sworn in before my service in our community, including great-great grandfather Pierre Numa Broussard, great grandfather Pierre Ursin Broussard, grandfather Marcus Anson Broussard, Uncle Marcus Anson Broussard Jr., my father Robert Brady Broussard and more currently a brother and cousins. My wife Reba and the entire family will be (in attendance) means the world to me to have those I love with me during this ceremony.”
“To be sworn in Thursday with new faces on the council and a new mayor makes it particularly exciting for me as I see a community effort to improve our city one project at a time with renewed energy.”
Councilwoman Broussard is now in her second term. She plans to build on strides made in District D during her first four years.
“Once more, I’d like to thank the Citizens of District D for entrusting me to represent them for another term,” she said. “I will continue to serve you with honor and respect. I’m looking forward to working with our new Mayor and my good friend Roslyn White in leading Abbeville to a continued prosperous and productive city”.
Broussard added, “I would like to thank my family and special Team Bridgette Levy (now an addition to my family), Mr.& Mrs. Chad Duhon and Larry Moore Sr. for their overwhelming support from the very beginning. Their support, prayers, and dedication have meant more to me than words can express.”
Campbell said he plans to work closely with the new mayor and his peers on the council. Much of that work will be focused on bringing more to the city.
“I will work to bring business and industry to Abbeville,” Campbell said. “That is one thing we need to do. I get tired of hearing my friends say they have a daughter or son who graduates from college and has to move to find a decent job.
“I will work hard to get business and industry here.”
Piazza has been a part of every swearing-in ceremony since 1990, as he served on the council before becoming mayor in ‘02. He spoke briefly on Thursday, welcoming visiting dignitaries. While doing so, he paused to take a phone call.
“Hello,” he said. “A power outage? Hold on, you have the wrong person.”
Of course, it was not a real call. However, it did serve as a symbolic gesture to turn things over to the person who will now be taking such calls.
“I would like to welcome your new mayor of the city of Abbeville, Mayor Roslyn White,” Piazza said to rousing applause.
White is ready.
“I love Abbeville,” White said. “That’s what it comes down to. I know that we can continue improving this city with hard work and community support. We can make it an Abbeville that we all will be proud of. We will be inclusive and work together to make Abbeville better.
“I pledge to work every day to make this a stronger, better Abbeville that we all love.”