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August 24, 1934 ~ June 13, 2020

ABBEVILLE — Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, June 17, 2020 at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville honoring the life of Jimmy Don (Pappy) Graham 85, went to his heavenly home on Saturday, June 13, 2020, after a brief illness. He was surrounded by his family at his home, as he left this world to be with his Lord and Savior. He will be laid to rest at St. Paul Cemetery with Pastor Steve Delino officiating the services. Pallbearers are his grandsons, Tyler Graham, Jeremy Graham, Jason Otterstatter, Steven Delino, Jimmy Delino, and Joshua Pool. Honorary pallbearers are his sons, Ricky and John Graham and son in law, Therran Pool.
Jimmy was born on August 24, 1934, in Humble, Texas, to John and Ruby Graham. Jimmy was a very hard worker, a jack of all trades. His hobbies were building things, cutting grass, working on his vehicles, having long conversations. He didn’t believe in idle time, he would fix it then, never wait till tomorrow. Jimmy worked for over 30 years in the oilfield with Diamond M Offshore Company, which he traveled the country and overseas, which he really enjoyed.
He loved and cared for his beloved mother in law, whom he loved as his own mother, who suffered for many years with Alzheimer’s, and also cared for his loving wife, Mary for 14 years who has Dementia. What a heart of gold our father/grandfather had. He had great love for his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Mary Ranels Graham of Abbeville; children, Ricky Graham (Mary) of Lafayette, John Graham (Yvonne) of Abbeville, Donna Graham of Abbeville, Sheila G Delino (Steve) of Abbeville, and Belinda G Pool (Therran) of Abbeville.
He was beyond blessed with 14 grandchildren, Nicole G Duhon, Skye G Hildenbrand, Tyler Graham, Mandy G Kurisko, Jeremy Graham, Jason Otterstatter, Dawn Otterstatter (deceased), Marissa 0 Landry, Angel D Lormand, Steven Delino, Jimmy Delino, Summer P Bird, Candi P Lange, and Joshua Pool. 32 great grandchildren, Randi and Kaden Duhon, Annabelle and Cameron Hildenbrand, Ellie, Ethan, Emily and Justin Kurisko, Chase Bergeron, Jaylen Graham, Elias Otterstatter, Ganyn and
Jaxton Landry, Kylie and Kaden Lormand, Evelyn and Norah Delino, Evan, Jaiden and Brady Delino, Maki, Ariana and Elijah Bird, Hunter Pool, Anna Marie, Emma, Madison and Kinley Lange, Isabelle, Liam, Ethan and Dawson Pool.
Jimmy was preceded in death by his parents, John James Graham and Ruby Roark Graham, Annie H. Shanks (mother in law), and his beloved granddaughter, Dawn Otterstatter; and great granddaughter, Ashley Kurisko.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles St., on Wednesday, June 17, 2020 from 9:00 AM until time of services.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.

Given our new and presumably long-term emphasis on social distancing, the thought occurs that this might be a good time for the revival of drive-in movies. They offered “movie going in a casual manner,” according to one industry promotion, and were quite the rage before regular theaters lured everyone inside with air conditioning.
“Just come as you are, don’t dress up,” an ad for one of them suggested. That was a big selling point for the outdoor screens. Some of you may remember that we once put on our Sunday best to go downtown to the movies, but that wasn’t necessary at the drive-ins.
They featured “all the latest film releases,” ranging from top-rated movies to silly science fiction. Cowboy shoot-’em-ups were standard fare, but advertisements for south Louisiana screens from the 1950s promote everything from “Magnificent Obsession” (Pelican Drive-In, Jennings, Phone 2010), to “The Song of Bernadette” (St. Mary Drive-In, Berwick, Children Under 12 Free at All Times), to “She Gods of Shark Reef” and “Night of the Blood Beast” (Trail Drive-in, just east of Crowley on the Old Spanish Trail).
I’m sorry I missed that double feature at the Trail, “She Gods of Shark Reef” offered “the colorful story of two devil-may-care American boys who are rescued from a hurricane caused shipwreck by a bevy of Polynesian beauties,” and the second film told “the harrowing story of a space pilot whose body is taken over by a monster from galaxy 27.” Don’t bother to look for them on Netflix.
“The Steel Trap” starring Joseph Cotton was the featured attraction when The Claude opened just west of Eunice on Christmas Day 1952. The drive-in was named for Claude Keller, founder of the Liberty theater chain, which also included the Queen and the K&M.
The Claude was typical of drive-ins across south Louisiana, with a 300-car capacity and a “spacious” concession stand that offered popcorn, peanuts, candy bars, hot dogs, soft drinks, and cigarettes. The stand also offered “several rows of cushioned seats where movie-goers may sit to view the picture.”
When Robert and Frank deGraaw, owners of the Bob theater in downtown Abbeville, opened the 450-car Lafitte Drive-In just east of town, they had to deal, like everyone else, with one of the biggest summertime problems. The deGraaws promised that their “family fun headquarters” would be fogged nightly. Most people still opted to burn an evil-smelling mosquito coil to keep the critters away.
The Yam, just west of Opelousas, and the Midway, between Opelousas and Washington, competed for business for several years until Yam owner E. R. Sellers bought out his rival and closed it in 1957.
The two opened within months of each other in 1950. The Midway was built “in the rear of Dudley Briley’s tourist courts” and some of the cabins had a view of the screen. Briley and L. D. (TuTu) Guidry were its owners. It was “associated with the Rose and Lou-Ana theatres [in Opelousas], and the Pat in Lafayette.”
The Yam accommodated 450 cars on nine “tiered and graveled” ramps.” Each car had “an individual speaker in a lighted plastic dome.”
Those speakers could also be a problem. When not in use they were hung on a metal pipe at car window height and connected by something like a telephone line to the projection tower; The movie-goer would unhitch it from the post and hang the little metal box on the inside of the window.
It wasn’t the greatest sound system in the world, but it worked — until you forgot to put the speaker back on its perch at the end of the movie and tried to drive off with it.
It could really scratch up your car door when the box was jerked from the window, and it didn’t do the speaker much good either.
A collection of Jim Bradshaw’s columns, Cajuns and Other Characters, is now available from Pelican Publishing. You can contact him at jimbradshaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.

The National Association of University Women-Vermilion Region Branch is awarding its annual scholarship to Ms. Rebekah Marie Lepretre.
Rebekah is the daughter of Randy and Nadine Lepretre. Rebekah is the Valedictorian of the graduating class of Gueydan High School 2020. She maintained academic excellence throughout high school while participating in many school activities and events. Rebekah has volunteered and worked diligently to make her community a great place to live. Rebekah’s plans are to attend McNeese State University focusing her field of study in Natural Resource Conservation Management.
This VRB scholarship in the amount of $500 may be used to help each recipient with expenses related to her field of study. The money may be used toward tuition and other fees, books, materials and any supplies needed by the recipient while focusing on her field of study.
The National Association of University Women has a rich history of educational service and remains relevant in today’s global world. In 1910 in Washington D.C., four women organized a club, elected officers and planned a program of work. This organization desired to stimulate young women to attain professional excellence, to exert influence in various movements for the civic good, and to promote a close personal and intellectual fellowship among professional women. In 1974, this organization became known as The National Association of University Women.
The Vermilion Region Branch of NAUW was chartered on May 19, 2013. This group is made up of civic-minded, educated, professional women who volunteer and offer service in the community. VRB executive board members include Ena Darby, President; Christine Joiner, 1st Vice-President; Nichole Green, 2nd Vice-President; Lysonia Robertson, Treasurer; Catherine Robinson, Financial Secretary; Peggy Wright, Corresponding Secretary and Bridget Winters, Recording Secretary. Also working tirelessly are vital and active members Errin Batiste, Esther Duffy, Gerrilyn Thomas, Klare Duffy, Vanessa Singleton, Angela Chisolm and Kyla Vallot.
The women of NAUW-VRB salute all of our Vermilion Parish graduates on their current and future successes.

January 1, 2000 ~ June 2, 2020

ABBEVILLE — A memorial service will be held at 1:15 PM on Saturday, June 13, 2020 at Vincent Funeral Home – Abbeville honoring the life of Aaron James Wallace, 20, who died Tuesday, June 2, 2020.
Aaron is survived by his mother, LaTonda R. (Jason) Wallace; father, John Readom; brothers, Lawrence Wallace, Johnathan Greene, Demarco (Juliette) Greene and Demario Greene; sisters, Keryna Watkins, Charlotte Greene, Milia Readom and Charlie Greene; maternal grandmother, Rose Beckett; maternal grandfather, Raymond Wallace; step-mother, Alicia Day; and mama, Debra Readom.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Ethel and George Readom; grandfather, Quinn Beckett; great grandmothers, Willie Mae Carter and Blanche Williams; and aunt, Sallie Ann Readom.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles St., on Saturday, June 13, 2020 from 1:00 PM until 2:00 PM.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
Prevent the spread of COVID-19, maintain social distancing.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.