Arconge 'T-Coon' Touchet

Coteau -Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, December 13, 2017, at Pellerin Funeral Home in New Iberia, for Arconge "T-Coon" Touchet, 89, who passed away on Saturday, December 9, 2017, at his home. A gathering of family and friends will be at Pellerin Funeral Home from 5:00 PM until 9:00 PM on Tuesday, and will continue on Wednesday from 8:00 AM until 10:00 AM. A rosary will be prayed at 7:00 PM on Tuesday. Pastor Todd Menard will be the Officiant. Interment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery in New Iberia. A native of Forked Island, LA, Arconge "T-Coon" Touchet was born on January 6, 1928 to the late Euphemon and Celestine Suire Touchet. He started working at a meat market in Berwick when he was 14. When he was 16, he worked with his Uncle Avery as a deckhand and cook on shrimp boats in Golden Meadow and Berwick. When he was 18, he and his brother Willis bought a house on Weeks Street and lived there for six years until he met Bernice. They married when he was 24, and she was 18. T-Coon retired as an Operator from DOTD after 27 years of service. Arconge had a passion for French music, having played guitar, drums, and steel guitar for over 70 years. When he was 12, he started playing the guitar, and at age 15, he played in a band with his brothers Pierre and Willis at the Brown Derby in Berwick. He was a member of the Touchet Brothers Band, Badeaux, and The Louisiana Aces Band. He received Lifetime Achievement Awards, and was named a Living Legend on May 19, 2012 in Erath, LA. His best-known achievement was playing the steel guitar in the song "Le Porte en Arrierre" ("The Back Door"), recorded with The Louisiana Aces Band. Although T-Coon loved music, he also enjoyed farming vegetables, raising chickens, and spending time with family and friends He is survived by daughters, Glenda Van Duzee and husband Cecil of New Iberia, Darlene Clark and husband Glen of Duson, Christine Castille and husband Carrol of New Iberia; son, Kevin Touchet and fiancee' Rosalie Citrano of New Iberia; sister, Eva Delcambre of New Iberia; grandchildren, Peter Van Duzee and wife Jennifer, Joey Touchet, Kristin Van Duzee, Cameron Castille, and Christian Castille; step grandchildren, Brandie Joy and husband Mike, Jacqulyne Villasenor and husband Jorge, and Dylan Castille and wife Kristen; great-grandchildren, Cole Van Duzee, Dawson Van Duzee, and Sawyer Van Duzee; step great-grandchildren, Molly and Lydia Joy; and his girlfriend of 25 years, Lillian Dore of Youngsville. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by wife of 40 years, Bernice Sonnier Touchet; sisters, Lilly Gaspard, Adia LaBove, Olin Conner, Avenia Melancon, Avita Touchet, and Avelia Touchet; brothers, Icay Touchet, Iday "Pierre" Touchet, Elier Touchet, and Willis Touchet, and grandchildren, Michael and Victoria Van Duzee. Pallbearers will be Peter Van Duzee, Joey Touchet, Glen Clark, Carrol Castille, Riggins Dore, Chuck Borel, and Jason Stevens. Honorary pallbearers are Kevin Touchet, Cecil Van Duzee. Pellerin Funeral Home, 502 Jefferson Terrace Blvd., New Iberia, LA 70560, (337-365-3331) is in charge of arrangements.