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Mildred Desormeaux Delcambre, a loving and devoted mother, grand and great grandmother, sister and friend, passed away peacefully on the afternoon of Saturday, September 5, 2020 at Lafayette General Medical Center. She was 79.
Mildred was born July 21, 1941 in New Iberia to the late Emile Desormeaux, Sr. and the late Lucy Meaux Desormeaux and was one of nine children to this blessed union. She was a 1959 graduate of New Iberia High School and went on to take courses in accounting and bookkeeping. She owned and operated Delcambre’s Tax Service, a business that would span over 4 decades and see many faithful customers that placed their highest trust in Mrs. Mildred.
She was the first woman to ever be appointed to serve as a councilwoman in the town of Delcambre and held that seat. She took her husband’s seat at his death in 2007 and served faithfully until 2016. She has been a member of Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church for many years and found peace when she was able to attend mass. She also gave of herself to assist the Council on Aging. One of her favorite pastimes was playing Pokeno with her daughters and friends.
Her daughter’s best described their dear mother as “selfless” saying that she lived her life for God and her family first, but had a servant’s heart and would do anything to help anyone. She will be missed beyond measure and will be fondly remembered by all.
Her memory will forever live on in the hearts of her children, Lynnette Romero Hebert, Annette Romero, Wanda Hebert (Bryant), Mildred “Millie” Gary (Wilmer, Jr.) Dora Bowen (Eric) and Marsha Delcambre (Jeremy Romero); 16 grandchildren, Crystal Ross, Tiffany Leadley, Joshua Hebert, Samantha Bourque Colden, Justin Hebert, Jessica McKey, Jarett Hebert, Grant Gary, Tyler Bowen, Leo Bowen, Rhyan Bowen, Katie LaShare, Lanie Romero, Mateo Romero, Ashton Romero and Kodi Romero; 18 great grandchildren, Jordan, Reese, Alex, Nolan, Kinley, Kolston, Khason, Elizabeth, Caroline, Amelia, Dixie, Lane, Alexis, Bryson, Marleigh, Analise, Addilyn, Coby and one expected soon; Her brothers and sisters, Marion Desormeaux (Faye), Emile Desormeaux, Jr. (Linda), Lula Perez (Godfrey), Judy Laine (Polo), Mason Desormeaux (Ruby), Eddie Desormeaux (Noel), Dianna Theriot (Kevin, Sr.); her half-sister, Audrey Trahan; two sisters-in-law, Elaine Bourque and Sheila “Cookie” Desormeaux; her favorite double cousins, Nola Migues and Lou Ann Haught along with many others; and her birthday buddy, Murphy Vincent.
Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 36 years, Leo Delcambre; her grandson, Jonathan Hebert; her great grandson, Hunter Jean Hebert; a brother, David Desormeaux; her in-laws, Levest and Fedora Delcambre; sisters-in-law, Anna Lou Delcambre and Eva Ann Landry; two nieces, Lisa Bourque and Cyndi Romero; and two nephews, Danny Desormeaux and Kenny Bodin.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 am Thursday, September 10, 2020 at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, with Fr. Buddy Breaux as Celebrant. Following the mass she will be laid to rest with her husband at Migues Cemetery. In accordance with regulations of Covid-19, all guests are asked to wear a mask and observe social distancing guidelines. The family also kindly asks that there be no hand shaking or hugging.
A gathering of family and friends will be held at Evangeline Funeral Home Wednesday from 12:00 pm until 10:00 pm, with the Rosary being prayed at 7:00 pm. Visiting hours will resume on Thursday from 8:00 am until 10:30 am.
Those honored to serve as pallbearers are Bryant Hebert, Wilmer Gary, Jr., Eric Bowen, Jeremy Romero, Justin Hebert, and Grant Gary. Honorary pallbearers are Leo Bowen, Joshua Hebert, Jarett Hebert, Tyler Bowen, Mateo Romero and Ashton Romero.
The family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Ronald Lahasky, the staff of Abbeville General and Lafayette General; A & L Personal Care and Concepts of Care and to Lanie, her grandchild and caregiver and Melissa Perez, Godchild and caregiver for all their love and compassion shown our dear mother.
Those wishing may share their memories and condolences by visiting Mildred’s memorial page at www.evangelinefuneralhome.com Evangeline Funeral Home of Delcambre is in charge of arrangements.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will soon begin accepting applications for $14.6 million in financial assistance that will be available to Louisiana fishermen and others in the industry who have been financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funds are part of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Applications open at 8 a.m. Monday, September 14, and must be submitted online.
To access the application, please visit www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/cares-act-assistance. The application process will be open for a six-week period. The deadline to submit applications is 11:59 p.m. on October 26. Funding allocation is structured so that ALL applications submitted before the deadline will be considered.
“These federal funds are a great step toward helping our hardworking fishing community start to recover from the terrible financial losses the pandemic has caused their businesses and their families,” said Gov. John Bel Edwards. “We will continue working with our federal partners to bring more funding to our fishing community now going through two years of economic hardships.”
LDWF is aware that Hurricane Laura may have adversely impacted many individuals wishing to apply for this program. LDWF will continually assess the application process and make adjustments as necessary.
The funds will be distributed as direct aid payments by the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission to those applicants who qualify. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently approved the department’s spending plan for the federal funding dedicated to the state’s fishing industry.
“These funds will help to alleviate some of the financial impacts felt by so many in Louisiana’s fishing community as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said LDWF Secretary Jack Montoucet. “While the funds are not a cure-all, we are grateful for the relief they will provide.”
The CARES Act and NOAA Fisheries have established that to be eligible, participants:
Must be a “Fishery Participant” – This includes tribes, persons, fishing communities, aquaculture businesses, processors, or other fisheries-related businesses. (NOTE: Gear and vessel suppliers, repair facilities, retailers, restaurants, and bait and tackle operations are not viewed as fisheries-related businesses. In addition, freshwater fisheries, including wild crawfish, are ineligible.
Must have incurred economic revenue losses greater than 35% as compared to the prior 5-year average revenue. (NOTE: New businesses and entrants in 2020 with no prior revenue history are ineligible.)
Must reside in the state that is providing funding.
The qualifying criteria are intended to include individuals directly affected by COVID-19 and not those who have either entered or exited the fishery prior to or after COVID-19, while also taking into consideration the impacts of the 2019 flood disaster.
Payments will be issued in a two-phase process that will include an initial minimum payment followed by a second payment, the amount of which will be determined by the funds remaining after all applications have been processed. LDWF will withhold a percentage of funding from each sector to ensure funding is available for every eligible applicant.
Over the past several months, LDWF Fisheries staff gathered input from members of the fishing industry and worked with Louisiana Sea Grant (LSG) to develop criteria for the delivery of the CARES funds. The funds are part of a larger national federal funding package that included $300 million to assist all states’ fishing industries affected by the pandemic.

KAPLAN — Small ideas can often turn into something much bigger.
That is what came of Randi Menard’s plan to help people in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura.
“It started with,” Menard said, “let’s grab some lunches for people who are working on their house.”
With some help from family and friends, that plan has grown to making care packages to bring to families. To this point, more than 50 have been created.
The care packs come in a reusable zipper pouch. Inside the pouch are a deodorant, a
toothbrush, toothpaste, sanitizer, body soap, sanitary body wipes, and a message of hope. The message is by writer Nikki Banas.
“If you only carry one thing throughout your entire life, let it be hope. Let it be hope that better things are always ahead. Let it be hope that you can get through even the toughest of times. Let it be hope that you are stronger than any challenge that comes your way. Let it be hope that you are exactly where you are meant to be right now, and that you are meant to be... Because during these times, hope will be the very thing that carries you through.”
“My sister (Dawn) actually placed the card of hope into the bags,” Menard said. “We are a faith-filled family, and our beliefs are what carry us through. The message of hope resonates with the stance of always knowing that even on the days where you feel you have nothing, always have hope that you will be blessed with everything. There are always better days ahead, and even though you are on a tough road, there will always be one better.
“Always have hope because it will be the one thing that will carry you through.”
An inspiring aspect of this effort is how quickly donations have been made.
“Within 24 hours,” Menard said, “I had $1,000. At this point, I have probably collected more than $2,000.”
Menard, of Kaplan, has brought water and plate lunches to a family in her hometown. Menard said she is keeping receipts for everything she purchases.
“I bought some cases of water,” Menard said. “My mom took those out to Pecan Island.
“This has definitely been a team effort.”
Items have already been delivered to Pecan Island and other areas of Vermilion Parish impacted by the storm. Menard said the focus is also on Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes, both greatly affected by Laura.
“Lake Charles is getting a lot of attention,” Menard said, “but we can’t’ forget about the little towns around it. We are going to drive to Grand Lake today to drop off a load to a church. I made contact with someone there.”
Menard said the focus would also be given to people from those two parishes who had to evacuate and remain in Vermilion Parish.
“We have a lot of people who have come into our parish staying at hotels,” Menard said. “They are living in hotels with basically nothing.
“The next mission is to help the ones who have come here.”
Menard said she would continue the mission for as long as she can, and as long as people still need help. Donations, including monetary, continue to come in. Anyone who would like to help can reach Menard by e-mail at randi@lapalmeraspa.com.
“We were fortunate,” Menard said of the storm, not greatly affecting her and her family. “I want to help people who were not as fortunate. Some people may feel like they are on their own for a lot of things. I don’t want people to feel like they are on their own. Some people care. I care about people.
“I don’t want people to feel like they can’t ask for help.”

BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Department of Health on Thursday verifies three additional deaths tied to Hurricane Laura, bringing the state’s current death toll to 20.

A 65-year-old man and a 50-year-old man died due to medical conditions exacerbated by excessive heat following the loss of electricity. Both deaths were in Rapides Parish. A 70-year-old male in Calcasieu Parish died due to carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator.

Below are details on the 20 deaths LDH has verified to date:
14-year-old female, Vernon Parish, fallen tree
51-year-old male, Jackson Parish, fallen tree
68-year-old male, Acadia Parish, fallen tree
64-year-old female, Allen Parish, fallen tree
Male, Calcasieu Parish, drowning
24-year-old male, Calcasieu Parish, carbon monoxide poisoning from generator
56-year-old female, Calcasieu Parish, carbon monoxide poisoning from generator
61-year-old male, Calcasieu Parish, carbon monoxide poisoning from generator
81-year-old female, Calcasieu Parish, carbon monoxide poisoning from generator
72-year-old male, Calcasieu Parish, carbon monoxide poisoning from generator
84-year-old male, Allen Parish, carbon monoxide poisoning from generator
80-year-old female, Allen Parish, carbon monoxide poisoning from generator
57-year-old male, Calcasieu Parish, head injury after falling from roof
31-year-old male, Calcasieu Parish, carbon monoxide poisoning
49-year-old male, Rapides Parish, storm cleanup
36-year-old male, Beauregard Parish, heat-related illness
80- to 89-year-old female, Beauregard Parish, heat-related illness
65-year-old male, Rapides Parish, heat-related illness
50-year-old male, Rapides Parish, heat-related illness
70-year-old male, Calcasieu Parish, carbon monoxide poisoning from generator
In an effort to ensure the most accurate reporting of deaths that are attributable to Hurricane Laura, the Louisiana Department of Health will only report a death after it has been confirmed as storm-related by the parish coroner.
Heat-related illness
Those at greatest risk for heat-related illness include infants and children up to 4 years of age, people 65 years of age and older, people who are overweight, and people who are ill or on certain medications.
Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness, occurring when the body’s temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails and the body is unable to cool down. Body temperature may rise to 106°F or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. Heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided.
Warning signs of heat stroke vary but may include the following:
An extremely high body temperature (above 103°F)
Red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating)
Rapid, strong pulse
Throbbing headache
Dizziness
Nausea
Confusion
Unconsciousness
If you see any of these signs, have someone call for immediate medical assistance while you begin cooling the victim. Do the following:
Get the victim to a shady area.
Cool the victim rapidly, using whatever methods you can. For example, immerse the victim in a tub of cool water; place the person in a cool shower; spray the victim with cool water from a garden hose; sponge the person with cool water; or if the humidity is low, wrap the victim in a cool, wet sheet and fan him or her vigorously.
Monitor body temperature and continue cooling efforts until the body temperature drops to 101-102°F.
If emergency medical personnel are delayed, call the hospital emergency room for further instructions.
Do not give the victim alcohol to drink.
Get medical assistance as soon as possible.