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November 15, 1949 ~ July 23, 2025

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1 p.m., Friday, July 25, 2025, at St. John the Evangelist Church in Henry, honoring the life of Dianne Marie Menard, 75, who passed away on July 23, 2025, at the Calcutta House. Reverend Cedric Sonnier, Pastor, St. Mary, Mother of the Church, Lafayette, will be the Celebrant of the Mass and will conduct the funeral services. Pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church in Henry Reverend Emmanuel Fernandez will Con Celebrate. Lectors for the Mass will be Charlene Sonnier and Elaine Primeaux. Gift bearers included Janice Touchet and Lisa Faulk. Pallbearers will be Al Lee, Aaron Lee, Ed Touchet, Ken Dugas, Oray Huval, Greg Theriot, and Cordell Theriot. She will be buried alongside her parents in Bancker Cemetery.
A visitation will take place at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 18534 LA Highway 689 (Henry), Erath, LA 70533, on Friday, July 25, 2025, from 10:00 AM until the time of services. A rosary will be prayed at 11 a.m. by Deacon Bret Lee.
A proud graduate of Louisiana State University, Dianne dedicated her life to serving others as a social worker for the State of Louisiana. Her compassion and commitment to improving the lives of those she served made a lasting impact on the community. Dianne was a true LSU fan and loved being a purple and gold Alumna. Dianne also had a deep love of her Catholic Faith. She loved helping others get more involved in the Faith and supported the vocation of many priests and seminarians. She often relied on the Carmelite Nuns in Lafayette for prayer. One of her precious gifts is that if she knew you, she prayed for you.
Dianne is survived by her Godchildren and other family members, who will cherish her memory and legacy. She will be remembered for her kindness, strength, and unwavering dedication to her profession and the people she loved.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Dalton “Shamie” Menard and the former Lana Broussard.
Dianne’s family would like to thank the many friends and families that helped to take care of her.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville (337) 893-4661.

ERATH — In Erath, there’s a city ordinance governing the selection of the fire chief every year; however, for at least the past seven years, the city council and mayor haven’t had any input on the process. However, this is expected to change when they select their next fire chief.
Previously, the selection process for the fire chief in Erath involved the volunteer fire department submitting two names, along with one name from the former volunteer firefighters. The mayor receives three names and selects the best-qualified candidate, which is then presented to the city council for a vote.
However, according to Councilman Jason Connor, who has been on the board for nearly seven years, the council has never voted on the new fire chief. It was always decided by the volunteer firefighters, who did not include the honorary firefighters.
Connor had Bart Broussard, the city attorney of Erath, research the process for selecting the fire chief each year. Broussard discovered that there is an ordinance outlining this process, which the current administration was not adhering to.
Connor informed the council and Mayor Taylor Mencacci of the ordinance. He requested that this administration revert to the previous method of
electing the fire chief, as it was before this administration. 
However, before the council voted, volunteer firefighters addressed the council about maintaining the current process for naming a fire chief each year, rather than reverting to the way the ordinance states it should be.
The volunteers stood up and voiced their concerns about putting the fire chief selection in the hands of the council and mayor instead of the volunteers. They also did not want the honorary volunteer firefighters to have a say in who the next fire chief would be. 
Erath Councilman Mike Menard, who used to be a volunteer fireman himself, reminded the volunteer firemen in the meeting room that the honorary firemen were once in their shoes and should have a say in choosing the new fire chief.
 A volunteer fireman stood up and said, “Do not take our voice away.”
Despite 15 minutes of hearing volunteer firemen’s statements, the council voted 5-0 to begin following the ordinance that is currently on the books regarding the selection of the fire chief in Erath.
In October or November, the volunteer firefighters will submit two names, and the honorary firefighters will submit one name to the mayor. The mayor will then select one name and submit it to the council for a vote.

Nearly a mile of new sidewalks and improvements along Martin Luther King Drive in Abbeville is a major step toward making District D safer and easier to navigate on foot.
The City of Abbeville secured $100,000 through the State’s Capital Outlay Program to help bring this long-overdue project to life. The funding is going toward much-needed upgrades and sidewalk extensions along a stretch of road that has lacked proper pedestrian access for years.
Councilwoman Terry Broussard, who represents District D, emphasized the importance of this investment in her community.
“This is a huge win for the people of District D. Our residents deserve safe, walkable neighborhoods, and this project is an important step toward making that a reality,” said Broussard. “I want to sincerely thank Mayor Roslyn White for her leadership and Senator Bob Hensgens for his support in lobbying for this capital outlay funding. Their dedication made this possible.”
The improvements aim to address longstanding safety concerns and improve access for residents walking to work, school, and other essential destinations.
With construction already underway, city leaders are hopeful this marks the start of even more infrastructure enhancements throughout the district.
“This is more than just a sidewalk project — it’s a sign that District D is getting the attention it deserves,” Broussard added.
Mayor White also praised the teamwork behind the project and reaffirmed the city’s ongoing commitment to investing in every neighborhood across Abbeville.

January 17, 1941 — July 18, 2025

KAPLAN, La — A Funeral Service officiated by Deacon Keith Duhon will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at Vincent Funeral Home of Kaplan honoring the life of Lou Ella Theresa Hardy Meaux, who passed away on July 18, 2025, at Vermilion Heath Care Center. She was 84.
Visitation will take place at Vincent Funeral Home of Kaplan on Monday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m. The visitation will continue Tuesday from 8 a.m. until the services at 11 a.m.
Born in Abbeville Louisiana to Hazel Hebert and Awill Hardy, Lou Ella was the first of her parents’ six children. With an older half-sister, Delores, she was the oldest sister of brother’s Joe and Leo, and sister’s Dorothy, Peggy and Maxine. She attended Abbeville High School. She married Jimmie Jones Meaux Sr. in 1959 and moved to Kaplan. They were married for over 40 years and shared many memories together.
She is survived by three daughters, Mary, Annette (Ricky Schexnyder) and Jessica; two sons, Jimmie Meaux, Jr. (Andrea) and Luke Meaux; seven grandchildren, Meaghan, Jay, Seth, Bruce, Angelle, Aimeé and André; five great grandchildren, Matthew and Gabriel Schexnider, Owen and Austin Cloud, and Lily Grace Chapman.
For many years she was a wife, mother, and homemaker who enjoyed cooking, crocheting, gardening, and visiting with her family and friends. Later she began a career as a salesperson for Godchaux’s department store in the Acadiana Mall. Over many years she honed her skills eventually winning several awards, consecutively from 1988-1990, as a top commissioned “Master Merchant” for the company, which later changed its name to Maison Blanche. She developed a loyal clientele in the “Today’s Woman” clothing department and was rightly proud of her achievements, earnings, and ability to succeed at her job.
At home she excelled as a classic Cajun cook who was extremely comfortable in the kitchen. Her extravagant holiday meals were a true testament to her love of family and food and were enjoyed by all who gathered at the Meaux home to share those special occasions.
Out in the yard, she tried her hand with plants, flowers, and shrubs. Over the years she focused on African Violets, Daylilies, Roses and even a Cacti rock garden. Her passion for the beauty of plants led her, perhaps at times to excess, as a plethora of pots lined her sidewalk, steps, deck, and carport. Those beautiful plants and flowers brought her natural joy which she maintained until very late in life.
In her later years she became an in-home caregiver for the elderly. Assisting those in need, she cooked, cleaned, and cared for the aged with both enthusiasm and a sense of compassion. In her 70’s she purchased, furnished, and decorated a new home of her own, another accomplishment in which she took pride.
She was a Catholic, French speaking native who prayed the rosary like many good Cajun women. Her faith in God was steadfast and simple. She believed in keeping a clean house and in more ways than one, a clean conscious. She followed the Golden Rule and aimed to treat people fairly. She loved coffee and friendly conversation. She was an admirer of jewelry, stylish clothing, and good movies with sizeable collections of each. Her freezers were full of seafood, bags of chopped vegetables and meat. Her cupboards overflowed with food, dishes, pots, and pans. Some might say that she tended to overdo things; exhibited a taste for abundance. But she was also generous, caring, thoughtful to those she loved and with whom she shared both her time and good fortune.
She leaves behind a loving family, several fond friendships, a legacy of passionate pursuits, and zest for life which seldom faltered. May God have mercy on her soul. Rest in peace Lou Ella.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home - Kaplan (337) 643-7276.