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Helen Merza Wyble, 99 years young, a native of Eunice, Louisiana and resident of Abbeville, Louisiana passed away on June 24, 2017.
A mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, June 30th, at St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church with Msgr. J. Robert Romero officiating. Burial will follow at St Paul Cemetery Mausoleum, arrangements by Ardoin Funeral Home in Eunice. Visitation will begin at 9:00 AM at the church prior to mass. A Rosary will be recited at 10:30 AM
Helen was born in Eunice to the former Mayor Stanislaus Wyble and Anastasia Reed Wyble on January 6, 1918. After graduating from Eunice High School in 1934, she attended SLI. Helen was employed by her uncle B. R. "Rodney" Reed, MD as his receptionist and assistant for over 50 years. She lovingly cared for her mother until her death, and took great pleasure in spoiling her many nieces and nephews and their families.
Her devotion to family started close to home with daily visits from Camille Reed and her many neighbors who enjoyed their afternoon gatherings to catch up on all the happenings. In her later years, Helen enjoyed traveling to various countries around the world with her sisters. Her last trip came with a move to Abbeville in 2010, to live with her devoted niece, Joyce “Doll” Thibodeaux. Here, she continued to visit with old friends and an abundance of new ones to tell her wonderful stories of her many adventures. She was an avid reader and connoisseur of all things seafood, especially boiled crawfish. The kindness shown to her by all, with gifts of figs, vegetables and wonderful meats and seafood dishes, always put a smile on her face and in everyone's hearts.
Helen Wyble is preceded in death by her six sisters, Winnie Guillet, Lillie Mae Horton, Joyce Thibodeaux, Lucille Wyble, Eunice Henington, Patricia Odom, and her brother Gerald Wyble, Sr. She is also preceded by nephew Donald Guillet, and nieces Mary Horton Vail, Jane Henington, Toni Odom, Claudia Odom Hidalgo.
Helen is survived by family members Judy Guillet Marcantel; Floyd Allen Horton, Jr. and William Wyble Horton; Dr. C B "Benny" Thibodeaux, Tom R. Thibodeaux , and Joyce Claire Thibodeaux; Catherine Wyble Hensgens and Gerald Edmond Wyble, Jr.; Susan Henington Jumonville; Claire Odom Fontenot and Ted CC Odom, Jr.
Pallbearers will be Van Reed, Roger Fontenot, Christian Odom, William Horton, Gerald Wyble, Jr., and Ted Odom.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to St Edmund Schools and Bridgeway Hospice.
The family of Helen Wyble wishes to extend our sincere thanks to faithful sitters, Linda Gaspard and Donella Hargrave, who loving cared for her for seven years; Cisco Baca, NP her primary care provider; Acadian Home Health nurses and physical therapists for excellent care and attention; Bridgeway Hospice staff and hospice nurse Holly Best ; George and Lou Veazey and Elaine Mula, Eucharistic ministers, who faithfully brought communion every week. Sincere thanks to all the wonderful family members who spoiled the "Queen", and to the extraordinary neighbors and friends who touched Aunt Helen in so many special ways by filling her life with love.

July 2017 marks an important date in the life of Cajun Music Legend DL Menard, and his hometown of Erath is planning a celebration.
Fifty-five years ago this July, Menard released his biggest hit, "The Back Door" ("La Porte En Arrière").
The Erath 4th of July Celebration is having a “Tribute to DL Menard” to celebrate the life of its favorite son and his famous song, “The Back Door.” The tribute will be held on Sunday, July 2nd at 6:30 PM on the festival bandstand in downtown Erath. The celebration is open to the public. All of Menard’s fans are urged to attend this worthy event.
The tribute will feature the honoree performing with the Jambalaya Cajun Band. Several of Menard’s family members will join him on stage to perform many of his well-known hits. This will be the first time all of the Menards perform together. Joining him on stage will be three of his children: Larry and Dick Menard and Rebecca Menard Moreland; and six of his grandchildren: Nelda Menard Pontiff, Brandon, Joshua, Jeremy, Josiah, and Nathan Menard. In addition to the music, Erath 4th of July Association President Robert B. Vincent, Acadian Museum founder Warren Perrin, Erath Mayor John E. LeBlanc, Jambalaya’s Terry Huval, and Lafayette artist Tony Bernard will each make a special presentation to Menard.
The Acadian Museum of Erath will unveil a new, expanded exhibit on DL Menard as part of the celebration. The exhibit, entitled "Revisiting the Life of DL Menard - The Cajun Hank Williams," will include various photos and mementos from Menard’s storied life. The exhibit will be unveiled to the public at 5:30 PM and the museum will remain open until the tribute begins.
In 1962, Menard was working at a gas station one block away from the Erath 4th of July Celebration fairgrounds. He had a notebook in his pocket and would write a few lines to a song in between pumping gas and fixing flat tires. Menard and the Louisiana Aces recorded that song in July 1962. “The Back Door” became an instant hit and has sold over a half million copies. Its popularity has endured. The song is the most played and most recorded Cajun music song of all time, according to Cajun folklorist Dr. Barry Ancelet. When Rolling Stone magazine ranked the 100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time in 2014, “The Back Door” made the list at number 72.
Menard has spent the past half-century touring the world and sharing his Cajun music and humor. He has become an ambassador of Cajun music and culture. Along the way, he has received many awards. He is a two-time Grammy nominee. He has been inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame and the Cajun Music Hall of Fame. In 1993, Menard and his "Louisiana Aces" band received the Times Music Award. In 1994, he received The National Heritage Fellowship Award from the National Endowment for the Arts, their highest honor, along with ten thousand dollars, which was presented to him by then First Lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton. He has also been inducted into the Order of Living Legends by the Acadian Museum of Erath.
DL Menard is the only citizen in Erath who has had busloads of people drive up to his home to see him, sit in his rocking chairs under an oak tree and listen to music that has delighted the world for 55 years. The people of Erath and the 4th of July Association recognize DL Menard as a Cajun musical artist; a goodwill ambassador of Cajun humor and culture; a man of great humility who has never forgotten his Cajun roots.
For a complete schedule of festival events, please visit www.erath4.com.