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December 3, 1949 ~ August 10, 2019

ABBEVILLE — Memorial services will be held at 3:00 PM on Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville honoring the life of Michael J. “Big Mike” Detraz, 69, who died Saturday, August 10, 2019 at Eunice Manor Nursing Home. Reverend Louis Richard will officiate the services.
Big Mike was a lifelong resident of Abbeville and a man that wore many hats at once. He farmed rice with his brother for a few years after their father’s death, then he moved on to a job with LUMCON (Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium) for 13 years. This job allowed him to be where he loved to be, in the outdoors. He often brought professors and college students throughout the marshlands, and the bay to do research. Mike also helped his wife in their crawfish buying and bait business for 31 years. Despite having these demanding jobs his work was never done, he also worked for the Vermilion Parish Police Jury as a Locksman for 45 years. He was very passionate about controlling the water for southern Vermilion Parish. Farmers relied on him to keep salt water out the canals and also to keep others from flooding during storms.
Many knew him as a tough, strong man with a mind of his own, but when it came to his grandkids and his dog, he was a kid at heart. He loved to hunt and fish, often traveling to Mexico and Nicaragua with family and friends.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Shawnee LeBlanc Detraz; one daughter, Michelle Comeaux and her husband, Joey; one brother, Luke Detraz III and his wife Angela; one sister, Marsha D. Petry and her husband Johnny; and five grandchildren, Dilan Comeaux, Paige Comeaux, Madison Hebert, Jennah Detraz, and Amelia Detraz; and his dog, Duke.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Luke Detraz, Jr. and the former Bernice Primeaux; and his son, Michael "Lil Mike" Detraz, Jr.; in-laws, Clifford “T-Cliff” LeBlanc and former Thelma Moore.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles St., on Tuesday, August 13, 2019 from 11:00 AM until the services at 3:00 PM.
His family would like to thank administrator, Nickie Prejean Toups and staff at Eunice Manor  for the excellent care he received. In lieu of flowers, any donations made will be forwarded to Alzheimer’s research.
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.

September 8, 1943 ~ August 8, 2019

ABBEVILLE — Funeral services were held at 3:00 PM on Saturday, August 10, 2019 at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville honoring the life of Byrum Burton Brown, 75, who died Thursday, August 8, 2019 at his home among loved ones. He will be laid to rest at Graceland Cemetery with Pastor Chad Thibodeaux officiating the services.
He is survived by his loving wife, Marie Hebert Brown; children, Rickey Brown (Donna), and Darlene Johnson (Michael); stepchildren, Charles Fitzsimmons (Jessica), and Aaron Fitzsimmons; six grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; sister, Marylou Stroud; brother, Gayle Brown (Doretha); nieces and nephews; and his dog, Peanut.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Shen “Jimmy” Brown and Irene Stansbury Brown; and dog, Missy.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements were conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.

A memorial mass will be held at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church for Christopher Kyle Landry on Friday, August 16, at 4 p.m.
Father Andre Metrejean, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, will officiate.
Kyle was born on April 30, 1970; he died at his home on Saturday, July 27. He is survived by his daughter, Kambre; his mother, Linda Trahan (Galton); brothers, Chad, Todd and Seth; uncles, Wade, Linwood and Reed Landry; nephew, Austin Landry, and niece, Bralyn Landry.
Kyle was preceded in death by his father, Larry Landry; maternal grandparents, Curtis and Redeste (née Suire) Landry; paternal grandparents, Levan and Chloe (née Broussard) Landry; and uncles, Kirby, Ludren and Dave Sonnier, Patrick Landry and aunt, Lois Landry.
Kyle was gifted. Kyle was a master carpenter who built many homes in the Lafayette area: River Ranch, Fernewood and Girard Park.
Kyle was beautiful, both inside and out. He never met a stranger without offering hospitality and a meal and sometimes a place of rest for the night. He always saw the goodness in others. He hated the word negative: “Don’t be negative” and “OK now, let’s not get negative” were common refrains of his. His most memorable traits are his kindness to others and his ability to befriend anyone. He was the genuine article, with enormous capacity to help the less fortunate, believing he should share his good fortune.
After diabetes prevented him from pursuing the rigors of building homes, Kyle spent his free time creating works of are and turning what he called trash into treasures. He loved teaching his daughter (the love of his life) baseball, watching movies with her, talking about her future, and encouraging her to be a good person. His family and friends will miss his beautiful smile, his generous heart, his jokes that made us all laugh, but most of all, they will miss his presence. Kyle, your passing has left an emptiness and sadness in all of our hearts.
Kyle was an unfinished life. Kyle’s soul has always resided in GOD’S hands. According to John 14:2, “In my father’s house are many rooms, if it were not so would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” There, too, Kyle you shall live in peace for all eternity in the presence of the Lord. Kyle, may our earthly love keep you company until we meet again. Goodbye, dearest son, dad, brother and friend.
Donations can be made to your favorite charity or Erath High School in his name.

For the last two Saturdays, gunshots have been heard coming from the North Vermilion High School. This time the shots heard were fake, because of an “Active Shooter” training with the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies was taking place at the school.
The training will continue through this coming Saturday when Sheriff deputies will be training other law enforcement officers in Vermilion Parish.
Now there is a state law in place that requires law enforcement to conduct active shooting training in their local schools. Senator Bob Hensgens helped write the bill.
Long before that bill was written, the Sheriff’s Office has been conducting active shooter training in Vermilion Parish. The Sheriff’s Office began active shooter training in 2004 under then Superintendent Randy Schexnyder and It has continued under now Superintendent Jerome Puyau.
When Sheriff Mike Couvillon began his law enforcement career 37 years ago, there was no cause to train for an active shooter. The Columbine shooting in 1999 changed that way of thinking for law enforcement. “It (Columbine shooting) changed everything,” said Sheriff Couvillon, who was at North Vermilion High School on Saturday morning. “All of a sudden, the world became familiar with the term active shooter.”
The deputies undergo a two-day training. The first day is in the classrooms, and on the second day, the officers are put through drills in the halls and in the gym at NVHS.
Some volunteers are acting as the bad guys who are armed with simulation handguns and ammo. The weapons are not real, but they do sound real. The ammo hitting the actors or deputies does hurt. Everyone wears safety gear.
Couvillon said the deputies are put through scenarios where they have to make a split-second decision on how to best engage and stop the threat while making other decisions on how to save lives by protecting the children.
“We must train every year to where both sides might be better prepared to be able to think and act under extreme stress and chaos both during and after these types of horrific events,” the Sheriff added.
This is one training the Sheriff hopes will never come true. If it does, he is confident that his deputies and other law enforcement who take the training are prepared.
“Let us hope all we do is train every year and pray to God that we never have to put our plan into action for something real,” Couvillon concluded.