Cecilia - A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:00 pm on Monday, November 2, 2020, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Cecilia for Camden Wade Calais, 20, who passed away on Thursday, October 29, 2020, at his residence.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at the funeral home from 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm on Sunday and continue on Monday at 8:00 am until 1:30 pm.
A rosary will be prayed at 7:00 pm on Sunday.
Rev. Gregory Cormier will officiate at the Funeral Mass. Interment will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in Cecilia.
Camden was a resident of Cecilia for most of his life. He enjoyed the outdoors and working with his hands. Camden was an experienced carpenter. This summer he began learning some basic welding and made functional hand tools from found parts. He loved to kayak and to fish, both saltwater and freshwater. He and his friends often went to the Basin to fish for bream and sac-a-lat. Just this year, Camden discovered he enjoyed both flower and vegetable gardening. He was learning how to make healthy soil to grow both his flowers and vegetables. He spent countless hours experimenting sowing different types of seeds than transplanting them either into flower pots or, if a vegetable, into the ground. He had a successful harvest of tomatoes, cucumbers and multiple types of peppers. For those who knew Camden, his vegetable garden was a labor of love working the soil and nurturing his plants in our south Louisiana heat despite the fact he was not much on eating vegetables, including both tomatoes and cucumbers he raised.
Camden loved dogs. He had a black lab mix named Duke, and spent time with the family yellow lab, named Mick. He recently became the owner of a 1984 Ford Bronco which he began restoring this summer. The experience introduced Camden to a new love and hobby which was working on cars.
The family has heard from several of Camden’s friends and we want to acknowledge our appreciation of hearing how they will miss spending time with him listening to their favorite tunes around a bonfire and fishing.
Camden was a member of the Boy Scouts of America and participated in the Jr. ROTC. He loved playing soccer at the fields in Grand Coteau during the years he was a student at St. Leo-Seton in Lafayette. He also enjoyed barbequing for his friends and family.
He is survived by his father, Colby Calais of Cecilia; mother, Shanna Marie Schmidt of Rockport, TX; paternal grandfather, Malcolm Calais; paternal grandmother, Dorothy H. Calais and her husband, Chis Smith of Montrose Colorado; maternal grandmother, Deborah Buteau; three brothers, Kayden Calais of Catahoula, Cole Latiolais of Virginia and Caiden of Houston; and sister, Harlie Ann of Lake Arthur.
Pallbearers will be Austin Theriot, Josh Buteau, McKenzie Maitre, Jerren Angelle, and Robbie Rabalais.
Honorary pallbearers will be Chris Smith, Ron Ohlmeyer, Mike Calais, and Michelle Angelle.
In our tragic loss of Camden, the entire family extends heartfelt gratitude to all who came to provide support at his home on Thursday including many close by neighbors, family members and friends, the local first responders with the Cecilia, Arnaudville, Henderson and Breaux Bridge Volunteer Fire Departments, State Fire Marshal, Acadian Ambulance, St. Martin Parish Sheriff Deputies and St. Martin Parish Government.
Camden believed in helping, especially when you are able. In Camden's memory, reflecting his love for plants and animals, anyone who is considering offering flowers as a gift to him, the family asks to consider a donation to an organization of their choice in the areas of helping dogs (shelters or abuse prevention, etc.), or plant preservation such as plant a tree foundation.
Pellerin Funeral Home of Cecilia, 2238 Bushville Hwy., Cecilia, LA 70521, (337-332-2111) is in charge of arrangements.
