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September 2, 1930 ~ March 29, 2017

Abbeville — Funeral services will be held Monday, March 3 at 1 p.m. honoring the life of C.L. (Charles Lucius) Broussard, 86, who died Wednesday, March 29 at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center.
He will be laid to rest at St. Mary Magdalen Cemetery with Fr. Michael Richard officiating the services. 
A sergeant in the United States Army from 1951 to 1953, he also served in the United States Army Reserve from 1953 to 1956, and was a member of the Louisiana National Guard. He received the American Spirit Honor Medal in 1951. A graduate of Mt. Carmel High School, he also attended Southwestern Louisiana Institute. He worked for Consolidated Western Steel Company before embarking on his 32-year career with Unocal.
He is survived by three sisters, Frances Bickham of Baton Rouge, Dolores (Dibby) B. Faulk of Abbeville, and Florence (Flo) Rageur of Baton Rouge; his four children Bill Broussard and his wife Cindy Landry Broussard, Kathy Broussard Bourgeois, Jules Broussard and his wife Marie Foret Broussard, and Barbara Broussard Louviere and her husband, Gerald; and twelve grandchildren Brandon Broussard and his wife Emily Theriot Broussard, Heath Broussard and his wife Rani Primeaux Broussard, Ryan Broussard and his wife Chrissy Marie Broussard, Lauren Trahan and her husband Jeremy Trahan, Joshua Broussard and his wife Katie Ortego Broussard, Jason Broussard and his wife Stacey Touchet Broussard, Andre Broussard, JP Bourgeois, Jessica Claire Bourgeois, Brennan Louviere, Taylor Louviere, and Emma Louviere. He also leaves behind six great grandchildren: Anna Claire Broussard, Evan Broussard, Triston Daigle, Elise Broussard, Mason Hargrave, and Emmie Broussard; niece Leah Sonnier Bernard, and many other nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, Jules Joseph Broussard; mother, Marie Eunice LaSalle Broussard; sisters, Sister Marie Therese Broussard, Martha Marjorie Broussard, Thelma Heloise Broussard, Ruby Irene Broussard DeHart, Eunice B. Duchamp, and Laurence (Lolo) B. Sonnier; brothers, Roy Felix (R.F.) Broussard and Andre Earl Broussard: and his son-in-law, Terry Bourgeois.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home in Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles Street, on Monday, April 3 from 9:00 a.m. until the 1:00 p.m. service, with a rosary to be prayed at 11 a.m in his memory.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mount Carmel Elementary Capital Campaign or SOLT Haiti Mission, Attn: Max Wells, Fr. Glenn’s Haiti Mission, 600 SW 3rd Street, Pampano Beach, FL 33060.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.

LAFAYETTE — As Louisiana officials have looked for cost-cutting measures amid budget issues, one option that has come up is reforming the criminal justice system.
Gov. John Bel Edwards received a plan from the Louisiana Justice Reinvestment Task Force two weeks ago. The plan covers a year of examination of sentencing and trends.
If the Legislature passes a criminal justice reform bill, experts say the plan could cut Louisiana’s prison population, one of the largest in the world, by 13 percent during the next decade. The plan would also cut the people supervised in the community by 16 percent. In all, the plan could save tax payers $305 million.
Speaking Thursday morning at a preview of the upcoming regular Legislative session conducted by One Acadiana, Sen. Jonathan Perry (R-Kaplan) said the criminal justice reform issue will receive a long look and much debate. With that, Perry said he does not feel the issue will be finalized by the end of the 60-day session, which begins on April 10.
“My involvement in the upcoming session will be more in the criminal justice
reinvestment,” Perry said, “simply because of my background as a police officer and prosecutor.
“However, I don’t think we are even at first base.”
Perry explained that discussion last week in Baton Rouge indicated that the plan would be presented in one bill, by one author.
“In my opinion,” Perry said, “that wouldn’t even get out of committee. It’s too much to have in one bill.
“It needs to be broken down. To what degree? That is what we are going to talk about during the session.”
Terry Landry, who represents parts of Lafayette, Iberia and St. Martin parishes, has been a strong advocate for reform and served on the reinvestment task force. He said Thursday morning during the event that the issue has to be given an extensive look.
“I spent 30 years in law enforcement,” said Landry, who served as superintendent of Louisiana State Police. “I worked every facet from homicide to traffic. I am sensitive to a safe community. Incarceration should be a rehabilitation process, for those who can be rehabilitated. It shouldn’t be a money making process. Data shows that 52 percent of the people incarcerated in Louisiana are for non-violent and non-sexual crimes.”
Landry said the numbers are simply too high.
“No one can convince me that we have so many bad people that we have to incarcerate at the highest rate in the world,” Landry said. “We have 4,000 people in private prisons that are a business and provide no rehabilitation.”
Along with supporting serious prison reform, Landry also stated on Thursday that he plans to introduce a bill that would put a moratorium on the death penalty.
“If you believe in right to life,” Landry said, “it ought to be from the womb to the tomb. I am not suggesting there be no consequences. Life is life. There are people who should be locked up for the rest of their breathing days. We spend up to $10 million a year defending in the appeals process.
“We are getting a lot of support in and conversation about it.”
In terms of criminal justice reform, Perry said he is not against supporting some variation of it, but serious discussions, especially how reform affects victims, need to be had before anything takes place.
“My personal opinion,” Perry said, “is that I am not key on simply saying this is the most important area that we can save money. I told the governor’s staff last week that I will not try to just stand in the way. I will be open minded on every single thing. First and foremost, I am concerned how this will affect victims of crimes if this does move forward.
“If you are going to bring some reform and show us how we are saving money, I am good with that, but not at the expense of the victims.”

The drive to collect baby supplies for young, single mothers began last year at the Abbeville Fire Department with the hopes of it growing.
For its second year, it has.
A Pregnancy Center & Clinic, a non-profit groups based out of Lafayette, is once again partnering with the Abbeville Fire Department. This year, the Lafayette Fire Department has joined to help the cause. A Pregnancy Center & Clinic, a non-profit organization, has its home office in Lafayette. It’s pantry that helps single mothers is called Grace’s Closet.
“Last year went really well,” said Betty Henson of Abbeville, who volunteers with A Pregnancy Center & Clinic. “This year, we’re hoping for enough supplies to fill up Grace’s Closet for a whole year.”
Aptly named “April’s Showers,” the drive will last through April. Donations can be dropped at the Main Fire Station at 210 W. Vermilion St. in Abbeville as well as all 14 stations in Lafayette.
Items needed include:
• diapers (preemie and newborn
• baby powder
• baby lotion
• baby wash
• baby shampoo
• baby bottles (capped and packaged)
• diaper rash cream
• receiving blankets
• diaper bags
• Boppy pillows
• pacifiers (packaged)
• infant car seats
“These are all things that mothers need during the first few months,” Henson said. “Many of the mothers we help don’t have anything.”
Henson said a special thanks goes out to Abbeville Mayor Mark Piazza and Abbeville Fire Chief Jude Mire for allowing the drive to take place through the fire department.
“We are so thankful for them allowing us to start it here and working again with us this year,” Henson said.
For those in the community, especially local businesses, Henson presented a friendly challenge.
“I would love to see the businesses have a little friendly competition to see who can bring in the most items,” Henson said. “I think that would be a great thing.
“This is all going to such a great cause.”

MAURICE — Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 1, 2017 at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church for Ozita Marie Catalon, 76 who died Friday, March 24, 2017 at Abbeville General Hospital.
Services will be conducted by Pastor, Fr. Stanley Jawa, SVD.
Interment (Entombment) will be in St. Alphonsus Cemetery
Ozita serviced 35 years as an educator with the Vermilion Parish School District.
Ozita is survived by her husband of 55 years, Joseph Emanuel Catalon of Maurice, LA; two sons, Sherman (Phyllis) Catalon of Burleson, TX, Marcus (Michelle) Catalon of Baton Rouge, LA; eight grandchildren Raven, Kyle, and Drake Catalon of Lafayette, LA, Kendall, Jalen, and Savannah Catalon of Burleson, TX, Brandon and Mason Catalon of Baton Rouge, LA; one great grandson, Kumasi Kearney Jr. of Lafayette, LA; one sister, Mary (Dalton) Wilturner of Lafayette, LA and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.
She was preceded in death by her son, Joseph Bryan Catalon; daughter in law, Sandra Sinegal Catalon; parents, George Martin and Olita Trahan Martin, and a host uncles and aunts.
Visitation will be held Saturday April 1, 2017 at St. Joseph Catholic Church from 7a.m. to 11a.m.
Sign the guestbook online at www.syriefh.com
Arrangements have been entrusted to Syrie Funeral Home, Inc. of Lafayette, LA.